Is the Wicoff House Museum haunted?

As the seasons change and fall approaches, so does Halloween. The time of the year for all the ghosts and ghouls to come out. Over the past few weeks I have been in the museum alone during most of the day. While it can be peaceful, it has also proven to be a spooky experience.

In mid-August, I had my first spooky encounter at the Wicoff House Museum. During a Youth Advisory Council meeting, we all heard a large boom sound like something fell or a door was slammed. When the museum staff went to go look throughout the museum for the cause of the sound, there was nothing that fell and no doors were closed. Many days after that were spent with strange sounds coming from throughout the house. I would be typing something at my computer and suddenly hear a loud noise from the other room. Even after inspecting the entire house, there was a clear cause of the sounds that startled me throughout the day. Yes, I know what you are thinking, old houses make sounds. They do, but mainly ones I am familiar with. The sounds that I am talking about were always loud, unsuspected and with no clear cause.  My favorite, or least favorite should I say, encounters have been hearing doors close when no one is around to close them.

Museum staff and volunteers all suspect the “ghost” in question is Catherine Wicoff.

How do we know it is Catherine? Well the best account is from museum volunteer Bill Hart. One night Bill was in the museum alone doing some research on the Wicoff Family. As he was packing up to go home, he naturally closed a drawer in the desk that he was using. The drawer opened, he closed it again and did so three or four times. Finally Bill said aloud, “Catherine, I am sorry but I really have to go” and closed the drawer which then stayed closed. If only ghosts could talk and could confirm their name.

These stories might not convince the non-believers but they certainly have convinced me. If you want to check out the museum and maybe its ghosts before Halloween, be sure to stop by or make an appointment for a tour.