Alton Illinois sits on the other side of the river from St. Louis Missouri and is considered part of the metro St. Louis area. Up on a hill north of town sits an old brick mansion surrounded by large old trees. The home is said to be one of the most haunted houses in America. It was built in 1869 by Henry McPike. He was a local businessman and politician who served as Alton’s mayor for a few years.
The mansion sits on fifteen acres, and McPike grew award-winning grapes for the wine he made in the home’s cellar. The family lived in the home until their deaths when the house was sold to Paul A. Laichinger in 1925. He lived in the home while renting rooms to others until his death in 1945. The home sat neglected for decades, and vandals broke in and stole most of the architectural components of the house. It was saved from the wrecking ball when it was sold at auction in 1994 to Sharyn and George Luedke.
The Luedkes began the process of renovating the home and noticed strange occurrences—the sound of voices or whistling or cold spots as people passed through the rooms. They believe it was the spirits of Henry McPike and his family. His daughter was known to participate in whistling competitions and maybe she is still whistling from beyond the grave. The home is privately owned but is open for tours and ghost hunts. You can see more at their website www.Mcpikemansion.com
I visit a lot of privately owned houses and places and admire them from the road since most have no trespassing signs posted. I was pleasantly surprised to see a sign welcoming visitors to the McPike Mansion by the owners. I hope people that visit will be respectful and the owners will continue to make it available to the public. You can learn more about the mansion on their website HERE
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