The Story Behind This Haunted Mansion In South Dakota Is Truly Creepy
This historic 19th century mansion in the town of Deadwood, South Dakota, is many things. It is beautiful, lavish, and everything you’d expect for an older mansion that was once owned by some of the wealthiest people in the area. Many people enjoy visiting here to see the century-old artifacts and lovely home, but there is another reason this place draws people in.
The Adams House is said to be haunted.
This place has become notorious enough to be featured on paranormal investigation shows, and many of the tour guides there will tell you that they themselves have experienced some of these hauntings. The story behind it is pretty creepy…
We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. If you know of a local business that could use some extra support during these times, please nominate them here: onlyinyourstate.com/nominate
From the outside, it looks like a lovely Queen Anne-style house with a fascinating history.
The Adams House was built in 1892 and later owned by W.E. Adams, one of the founding families and highly influential residents of Deadwood. The home itself is like a time capsule to that era, having not been touched for nearly 60 years before being partially restored and opened as the museum it is today in 1998.
Despite its charming appearance, there is said to be a spirit lurking here.
W.E. Adams died from a stroke in 1934 within the house itself. His wife, Mary Adams, decided to leave and close the doors of the mansion and leave everything completely intact. Every small detail of the house has stayed the same since then... including who occupies it.
According to the stories, W.E. Adams' ghost still haunts his home. Paranormal investigations have reported strong findings of activity here, and the tour guides will give you their own first-hand accounts of their experiences. A rocking chair is said to move on its own, and the occasional smell of cigar smoke is one piece of evidence to his presence (as Adams did smoke cigars when he was alive).
You can visit this house for yourself, and maybe have the chance to experience W.E. Adams’ ghostly presence for yourself. More information on how to take one of these tours can be found here. Even if you aren’t interested in the paranormal aspect, this place is beautiful and full of history, and makes a great stop for just about anyone.
Leah moved to North Dakota when she was 12 years old and has traveled from the Red River Valley to the badlands and many places in between. She loves small-town life and currently enjoys living on a small farm in the ND prairie. She's always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as NaNoWriMo multiple times. Her favorite part about this job is recognizing small businesses that deserve a boost and seeing the positive affect her articles can have on their traffic, especially in rural areas that might have otherwise gone overlooked.
Love South Dakota?
Thank you! You'll receive your first newsletter soon!
