The Haunted Commonwealth

Continuing with our series of famous Tidewater mansions, today we examine Carter's Grove.  The house itself dates back to the 1750's when it was built by Robert "King" Carter, one of the more influential members of society during that time.  However, Carter died and left it to his grandson, Carter Burwell.

Although there are no known deaths that have occurred in the house, Carter's Grove is home to some unusual paranormal activity.  There are a few different occurrences that we will examine in this blog so we'll start with the earliest and work our way forward in time. 

The home was built on the site of the Indian massacre of 1622, which saw the slaughter of over 300 colonists.  Of course, the house wasn't built for another 130 years but seeing that it was built on or at least near the spot where the massacre took place, this could mean some residual energy remains from that tragic day.

Within the first twenty years after the house was built, both Thomas Jefferson and George Washington stayed the night inside the Carter's Grove mansion.  In fact, both of them proposed to their current partners at the time only to be turned down because neither was good enough to marry them.  Of course, what Mary Cary and Rebecca Burwell didn't know was that the two guys they turned down went on to be two of the most influential people in recent history. However, the legend has it that when word got out that George Washington won the battle of Yorktown, Mary fainted into her husband's arms and tore up the carnations that were sitting in what has been dubbed the "Refusal Room." To this day, if Carnations are placed inside this room, sometime during the day they will be ripped to shreds.

Carter's Grove also has a slave quarters where the majority of their workers eat, slept, and spent the vast majority of their lives.  Since no paranormal team has investigated this place yet, I don't have any else to add to that but that would be a high priority for me If I ever got to investigate this place.

Overall, this mansion sounds interesting with some odd paranormal claims.  If you ever get a chance to tour the mansion (the house is open to tours on a daily basis) then go.

Links
Wikipedia Page
Mansion Sold for 15.3 Million
The "Refusal Room"

The Wythe House is gorgeous mansion that was built back in 1750 as a wedding gift to George Wythe, a law professor and signer of the Declaration of Independence.  The house has served as a private home, a military headquarters during the Revolutionary war, and now a museum.  In fact, this was a safe house for General, and future president, George Washington for a few weeks back in the late 1770's.

However, the most interesting story that resounds inside the brick walls is about a young lady named Lady Ann Skipwith.  Ann was a very outspoken woman, who didn't exactly agree with many of the gender role stereotypes that were existent in her day.  Nevertheless, she married a rich planter named Peyton Skipwith.  The two never lived at the house but they did visit the Wythe house for a gala in 1780.

Ann wore a beautiful cream satin dress along with elegant tiny red heeled slippers.  However, at some point during the festivities, Ann stormed out of the party dashing towards the Wythe house, where she was likely staying the night.  While the party continued, Ann hobbled to the Wythe house with what is suspected to be a broken shoe (this is important later) and eventually made it up to the upstairs bedroom.  Nobody knows why Ann stormed out of the party but it probably had to do with a disputed affair between her husband and Ann's sister, Jean. 

At this point in the story, there are a few different resolutions.  Some say she took her life in the house while most historians say that's false and she actually died in childbirth a few months later.

The majority of the visual paranormal experiences at this beautiful estate has to deal with this one story.  There have been sightings of a woman in her mid twentys come out of a bedroom, look at herself in the mirror, then disappear through a door.  Others have seen a woman in the upstairs bedroom as well.  After hearing this story, most of the people who work in or around this building assume that it's Lady Ann Skipwith.

Another reason why some believe her spirit is still hovering around this house is due to the sound of somebody in high heeled shoes hoping up the staircase around midnight.  With Ann breaking a shoe before she made it into the house, this would fit the story.

There have also been infrequent sitings of some colonial dressed soldiers that have appeared in the living quarters. 

Employees have experienced cold spots at the top of the stairs as well as the feeling of being pushed or grabbed.  The smell of perfume can be experienced throughout the house even when nobody else is around.  Footsteps can be heard from the first floor even when your alone in the house.  Doors have been seen opening and shutting by themselves.

All in all, if your a ghost hunter in the area, the Wythe House is must investigate.