On a prominent corner in Atchison, Kansas, stands one of the Midwest’s most recognizable Victorian mansions. With its soaring tower, ornate woodwork, wraparound porch, and striking Queen Anne architecture, the 1890 McInteer Villa is a masterpiece of the Gilded Age. Yet visitors don’t come solely to admire its craftsmanship. Many believe the villa is one of the most haunted homes in America.

Over more than 135 years, the mansion has witnessed prosperity, heartbreak, illness, suicide, decades of changing ownership, and countless stories of unexplained activity. Today, careful preservation efforts are ensuring that both the home’s architectural legacy and its fascinating history endure for future generations.

An Irish Immigrant’s American Dream

The story of the McInteer Villa begins with John McInteer, an Irish immigrant who arrived in the United States from County Donegal during the mid-1800s with little more than determination and a willingness to work. Like many Irish immigrants of the era, McInteer faced prejudice and uncertainty, yet he steadily built a successful life for himself.

After serving in the Civil War and surviving the brutal Battle of Wilson’s Creek, McInteer settled in Atchison, Kansas, where he established a thriving leather and harness business. During an era when horses powered transportation and commerce, skilled saddle and harness makers were essential to westward expansion. His craftsmanship helped transform him into one of the city’s wealthiest businessmen.

By 1889, McInteer had achieved enough success to commission the home of his dreams.

Legend says that Atchison’s established elite refused to sell him property in one of the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods. Rather than accepting the slight, McInteer purchased one of the most visible lots in town and hired contractor Owen E. Seip to construct a mansion that would rival or surpass anything his critics had built.

Completed in 1890 at a cost of approximately $14,000 (a tremendous investment for the time), the villa became a symbol of perseverance, ambition, and success.

Tragedy Behind the Grand Facade

Although the mansion represented the culmination of McInteer’s life’s work, happiness inside its walls proved short-lived. His first wife, Alice, died in the home in 1892 following a lengthy illness. John later remarried Anna Conlon before passing away himself in 1902. Anna continued living in the villa until her own death in 1916, maintaining it as a gathering place for the extended family.

Perhaps the home’s greatest personal tragedy centered on Charles Donovan, Anna’s son. A veteran of World War I, Donovan reportedly returned home physically weakened and emotionally scarred after enduring both combat and the Spanish Influenza pandemic. He spent his final years largely confined to an upstairs bedroom before taking his own life in 1922.

The villa continued accumulating difficult chapters throughout the twentieth century.

During the Great Depression, the once-grand residence was converted into a rooming house where several additional tenants died over the years. In 1952, retired violinist Isobel “Goldie” Altis purchased the mansion, choosing to spend nearly two decades living there alone until her death in 1969. By then, at least nine documented deaths had occurred inside the home, giving rise to stories that the house had absorbed generations of sorrow.

Saving a Historic Landmark

Fortunately, the McInteer Villa escaped the fate that has claimed so many historic Victorian mansions. Following Goldie’s death, local philanthropist George Lee purchased the property with the goal of preserving both the building and its remarkable craftsmanship. Over the next five decades, Lee and his family restored much of the home’s original layout. They protected its intricate woodwork and furnished many rooms with antiques that reflected its nineteenth-century origins.

Their efforts prevented the mansion from slipping into abandonment and irreversible decay. The home’s historical significance had already been recognized nationally when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

A new chapter began in 2018 when paranormal investigator Stephanie O’Reilly acquired the villa and expanded public access through historical tours, overnight stays, and ghost investigations. Her ownership also encouraged deeper archival research that uncovered original legal documents and previously unknown episodes from the home’s early history.

In 2026, stewardship of the property transferred to US Ghost Adventures under Lance Zaal. The organization announced an ambitious restoration initiative designed to return the mansion as closely as possible to its original 1890 appearance while expanding opportunities for visitors to experience its history. Planned improvements include restoring the original front entrance and wraparound porch, removing modern drop ceilings to expose historic architecture, installing Victorian-inspired decorative finishes, displaying authentic period artifacts, and expanding overnight accommodations for guests.

The project reflects a growing appreciation that historic preservation goes beyond saving old buildings to protecting the stories they tell.

The Spirits That Still Remain

For many visitors, however, history is only part of the attraction. The McInteer Villa has earned a reputation as one of the most haunted locations in Kansas. Reports span decades, involving many independent visitors and investigators. While paranormal claims remain matters of personal belief rather than established fact, certain stories appear again and again.

Perhaps the villa’s best-known apparition is Isobel “Goldie” Altis herself. Often called the “Lady in Black,” she has reportedly been seen descending the grand staircase or standing quietly in the front windows overlooking Kansas Avenue. Her antique rocking chair, preserved after her death, rocks on its own in the draftless old room.

Outside Charles Donovan’s former bedroom, guests have described hearing the heavy footsteps of boots pacing late at night. Others report brass doorknobs turning without anyone nearby.

One of the home’s saddest legends involves the crying of a small child believed by some to be Romona Wood, a four-year-old girl who reportedly died in the building during its years as a boarding house. Audio recordings have allegedly captured sounds resembling a young child weeping in otherwise empty rooms.

Visitors also describe unusual scents appearing without explanation. Some notice the fragrance of Victorian perfume or fresh roses drifting through hallways, while others smell cigarette smoke despite the mansion’s strict no-smoking policy.

Perhaps the villa’s most enduring mystery involves its tower. For generations, neighbors have reported seeing lights shining from the tower windows late at night. According to caretakers, the tower has never contained electrical wiring, making the reports especially difficult to explain. Whether these sightings result from optical illusions, misunderstood reflections, or something genuinely mysterious remains an open question.

A Preserved Piece of History

The McInteer Villa is far more than a haunted house. It is a monument to one immigrant’s determination, a showcase of Victorian craftsmanship, and a living record of more than a century of Kansas history. Every restoration project helps preserve not only its beautiful architecture but also the countless human stories connected to its walls.

Whether visitors arrive to admire Gilded Age design, learn about Atchison’s past, or search for evidence of lingering spirits, they leave having experienced one of the Midwest’s most remarkable historic homes. And if the stories are to be believed, some of its oldest residents may still live there today.

Disclaimer: This is a collaboration post.