The Story Behind New Jerseys’s Most Haunted House Will Give You Nightmares

The Proprietary House in Perth Amboy is one of the most historic buildings still standing in the United States. It is the only remaining Proprietary Governor's mansion from the 13 original colonies. Completed in 1764 and leased for a decade, Royal Governor William Franklin moved into the home in 1774. If the last name sounds familiar, it's because William was the illegitimate son of founding father and inventor, Benjamin Franklin.

Proprietary House in the late 1800s.

British troops forced an evacuation of Perth Amboy in 1777 and the mansion was abandoned. Throughout the Revolutionary War, it was occupied by both British and American troops. The home even served briefly as headquarters for both groups. After the war the home was once again abandoned, vandalized and gutted by fire.Left in ruin, hope seemed lost for the structure - until it was purchased by businessman John Rattoone in 1794. Evidence suggests that he may have been a spy for Britain. He restored the mansion and lived there until 1808 when he sold it to developer Richard M. Woodhull.

Proprietary House today.

Additions were made to the structure and it opened as the Brighton House hotel. The hotel failed and was sold in 1817 to one of the wealthiest men in the world at the time - Matthias Bruen. He entertained notable guests including millionaire John Jacob Astor and President John Tyler. In the years following, the property would change hands several times. By the mid-1900s, the mansion was run down and operating as a boarding home and possibly a brothel of sorts.Throughout the 1950s and '60s historic preservation activists fought to restore the home. By 1971, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The home has been in a constant state of restoration with historical accuracy in mind. It now operates as a museum.

Proprietary House at night.

Of course, you might expect a centuries-old home to have some supernatural guests. The mansion is said to be haunted by several ghosts including a Revolutionary War soldier, woman in white and a young boy. According to a local blog, a deliveryman claims that a ghost child let him into the home and led him to the third floor, presumably before vanishing.The home was featured on Syfy channel's Ghost Hunters in 2008 and later investigated by the Jersey Unique Minds Paranormal Society (JUMPS), founded by Doug Hogate. The group detected a paranormal presence including a possible EVP. While touring the property, there were electromagnetic fluctuations detected and strange sounds heard by investigators. One investigator and several guests have reported the feeling of someone grabbing their neck near the tea room.

For more information on the JUMPS investigation, see this article from NJ.com. To have tea yourself, along with a tour, visit on Wednesdays between 1 and 4 p.m.. An elevator is available for use with advance notice. Tours are also held on the last Sunday of each month; see if you feel a supernatural presence yourself. Even if you're not grabbed by a ghost, you're sure to enjoy the history and unique artifacts found here. For more haunted New Jersey, see my previous post on urban legends and another featuring the Seabrook-Wilson House (Spy House), believed by some to be the most haunted house in America.