WE'LL REVEAL THE GRAND MANSIONS
AND GHOSTLY TALES OF OLD
LOUISVILLE WHEN "KENTUCKY LIFE"
BEGINS RIGHT NOW.
HELLO, I'M DOUG FLYNN, AND
WELCOME TO "KENTUCKY LIFE."
OR FOR TONIGHT'S SHOW, WE'RE
CALLING KENTUCKY AFTER LIFE.
THE CAMERA CREW AND I SEEM TO
HAVE THIS BEAUTIFUL PRACTICE
PARLOR TO OURSELVES.
BUT DO WE REALLY?
OR HAVE WE BEEN JOINED BY SOME
LINGERING SPIRITS FROM THE
HOUSE'S EARLIER YEARS?
MAYBE SOME OF THE VERY SAME
SPIRITS RESPONSIBLE FOR OLD
LOUISVILLE'S WORLDWIDE
REPUTATION FOR THE PARANORMAL.
>> OLD LOUISVILLE HAS ABOUT 45
SQUARE BLOCKS IN ITS HISTORIC
PRESERVATION DISTRICT.
ROUGHLY 1400 STRUCTURES.
THAT MAKES THEM VICTORIAN IN
STYLE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT VICTORIAN
ARCHITECTURE, THEY THINK OF
BEGINNINGER BREAD HOUSES.
SORT OF WOOD AND SHINGLE HOUSES.
AND HERE MOST HOUSES ARE BUILT
OF STONE AND BRICK AND THIS WAS
A VERY AFFLUENT NEIGHBORHOOD SO
THEY COULD AFFORD THE MOST
EXPENSIVE BUILDING MATERIALS.
THE SOUTHERN EXPOSITION PUT
LOUISVILLE AND THE STATE ON THE
MAP.
>> THE SOUTHERN EXPOSITION WAS A
WORLD'S FAIR.
IT WAS FORMED IN THE EARLY
1880s BECAUSE OF THE
LOUISVILLE BOARD OF TRADE WANTED
TO SHOWCASE LOUISVILLE AS A
WORLD PORT SO THEY DESIGNED
THESE SOUTHERN EXPOSITION WHICH
WAS AND STILL IS THE WORLD'S
LARGEST WOODEN STRUCTURE.
PRESIDENT ARTHUR CONDUCTED THE
OPENING CEREMONIES.
AND THAT IS WHEN 4800 LIGHT
BULBS THAT THOMAS EDISON'S MEN
STRUNG CAME ON AND THE LIGHT
BULB WAS SHOWCASED TO THE WORLD.
>> IT WAS SUPPOSED TO LAST FOR
100 DAYS.
PEOPLE AROUND HERE WERE SITTING
ON PINS AND NEEDLES HOPING TO
MAKE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY THEIR
COSTS AND AS IT TURNS OUT IN
THAT FIRST 88 DAYS, THEY SOLD
MORE THAN THREE QUARTERS A
MILLION TICKETS AND SO, IT PUT
LOUISVILLE ON THE MAP AND IT WAS
SUCH A HUGE HIT THEY OPEN THEY
OPENED IT UP THE NEXT YEAR.
AND AFTER THEY TORE DOWN THE
EXHIBIT HALL AND WE HAD THE
BIG.COMITY SPACE, THEY PUT IN
St. JAMES'S COURT.
>> FOR A GOOD 20 YEARS THAT WAS
THE MOST DESIRABLE PLACE TO LIVE
IN THE CITY.
>> THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAS BEEN
DESIGNATED AS AMERICA'S MOST
HAUNTED NEIGHBORHOOD.
THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE FEEL
THE SPIRITS.
THEY ARE ALWAYS WITH US.
SOME ARE NOT SO FRIENDLY, MOST
ARE.
THE SPIRITS JUST WANT TO BE LEFT
ALONE.
THEY WERE NOT HARMFUL.
THEY HAVE A LONG HISTORY HERE.
>> DAVID DOMINE MOVED HERE AND
HE FELL IN LOVE WITH
VICTORIAN-OWNED LOUISVILLE.
EVERYWHERE HE WENT, PEOPLE HAD
GHOST STORIES.
THEY HAD STORIES ABOUT THE HOUSE
AND ODD THINGS THAT WOULD HAPPEN
IN THEIR HOMES.
AND SO HE BEGAN COMPILING THIS
INFORMATION AND STARTED WRITING
BOOKS ABOUT IT.
IN 1999, I BOWL MINION HOUSE ON
THIRD STREET AND I MOVED IN, THE
PREVIOUS OTHER THAN TOLD ME THAT
THERE WAS A GHOST THAT WITH THE
HOUSE AND I DIDN'T BELIEVE HER.
I BOUGHT THE HOUSE AND A COUPLE
OF MONTHS LATER, A COUPLE OF
STRANGE THINGS STARTED
HAPPENING.
I HAVE HEARD UNEXPLAINED FOOT
STEPS.
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT CREEPS
AND GROANS BUT I COULD HEAR HARD
SOLED SHOES WALKING AROUND
USUALLY ABOUT 3, 3:30 IN THE
MORNING.
I HAD PETS THAT ACT LIKE THEY
COULD SEE THINGS THAT I COULDN'T
SEE.
I WOULD WAKE UP IN THE MORNING
TO THE INEXPLAINED SMELL OF
COFFEE IN THE KITCHEN AND
SMELLED LIKE SOMEONE HAD JUST
BREWED IT.
NICE STRONG BLACK COFFEE I COULD
STAND AT THE STOVE AND SMELL IT
LIKE IT WAS RIGHT THERE.
ON AN OCCASION OR TWO, I SAW
THINGS MOVE.
I SAW A VASE SLIDE ACROSS A
MANTLE SHELF.
IF YOU ASKED ME TO GIVE AN
ANSWER, I WOULD SAY I DON'T
BELIEVE IN GHOSTS BUT DO I
BELIEVE IN THE PARANORMAL?
I BELIEVE IN THE PARANORMAL.
THERE ARE THINGS OUT THERE WE
JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND.
THESE WOULD BE PARANORMAL
OCCURRENCES.
IT ALERTED ME TO THE POTENTIAL
THAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAD AND SO
I STARTED WRITING BOOKS ABOUT
THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THAT LED
TO ME GIVING TOURS.
BASED ON THE BOOKS, HE CAME UP
WITH THE FIRST GHOST TOO TOUR.
THE HE WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE
THERE IS ENOUGH INFORMATION
PACKED AS POSSIBLE INTO EACH
STORY.
>> OUR GHOST TOUR IS CALLED THE
AMERICA'S MOST HAUNT
NEIGHBORHOOD TOUR.
>> THE TOURS STARTED WITH JUST
GUIDING PEOPLE AROUND IN GROUPS
WITH LANTERNS AND STOPPING IN
FRONT OF THE HAUNTED HOUSES.
WE HAVE MANY IN OLD LOUISVILLE.
AND THEN HE WOULD TELL THE STORY
OF THE SPIRITS THAT LIVED IN
THAT PARTICULAR HOUSE.
HOW THEY DIED AND WHY THEY COME
BACK TO HAUNT.
HE WOULD TAKE THE STORIES IN
EACH BOOK AND FOR THE NEXT
YEAR'S TOUR, FEATURE THOSE
HOUSES.
>> ONE OF THE PLACES IS THE PINK
PALACE.
ONE OF THE LOCAL LANDMARKS.
YOU CAN'T MISS IT BECAUSE IT IS
PINK.
BUILT IN 1890 AND ORIGINALLY THE
SAINT JAMES GENTLEMEN'S OUT AND
CASINO.
IT WAS A PRIVATE CLUBHOUSE.
THEY WOULD GATHER AND HAVE
BOURBON AND SMOKE A
LOCALLY-ROLLED CIGAR, AND THINGS
LIKE THAT AND EVENTUALLY IT WAS
TURNED INTO A RESIDENCE LIKE IT
IS TODAY.
AND IN THE 1960 IT IS WHEN IT
ACQUIRED A REPUTATION AS BEING A
HAUNTED HOUSE.
>> SUPPOSEDLY THERE IS A GHOST
BY THE NAME OF AVERY HERE A
DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN WHO
MAKES APPEARANCES AT TIME WHENCE
PEOPLE THAT LIVE THERE ARE IN
DANGER SO HE IS WHAT THEY CALL A
CRISIS APPARITION.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE A GHOST IN YOUR
HOUSE, HE'S THE KIND THAT YOU
WANT.
HE SHOWED UP TO WARN YOU THAT
YOU'RE IN DANGER AND SOMETHING
IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN.
AND HE WAS FIRST DISCOVERED BY A
WOMAN LIVING THERE IN THE 1960
OZ.
HER NAME WAS JENNIE AND HE
SHOWED UP AND MADE SEVERAL
APPEARANCES AND STARTED
WONDERING WHAT WAS GOING ON.
AND TURNS OUT THERE WERE TWO
BUGLARIES OUTSIDE TRYING TO
BREAK IN AND HE ALERT HER TO
THIS AND SAVED HER.
AND THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THINGS
LIKE THIS HAVE HAPPENED.
THE CURRENT OWNERS KNOW THAT IF
THEY SAY AVERY, THEY BETTER
WATCH OUT, SOMETHING IS AFOOT AT
THE PINK PALACE.
>> I HAVE HAD MANY PERSONAL
EXPERIENCES WITH THE SPIRITS
THAT LIVE IN THIS HOUSE.
THE MAIN FOCUS OF MY HOUSE HAS
BEEN THE LITTLE GIRL IN THE
WHITE DRESS WHO STANDS ON THE
STAIRS.
SHE'S BEEN SEEN BY FOUR PEOPLE
IN THE LAST 100 YEARS.
MY SON SAW THE LITTLE GIRL AND
HE WAS LAST PERSON TO SEE HER
AND HE TOLD ME ABOUT HER AND I
JUST BLEW IT OFF.
AND IT WASN'T LATER UNTIL I MET
DAVID AND I WAS TELLING HIM
ABOUT THE HAPPENINGS IN THE
HOUSE.
HE DID THE RESEARCH ON MY HOUSE
TO FIND OUT THE FORMER OWNERS
AND INHABITANTS WERE.
AT ONE POINT, AROUND 1915, 1920,
A WOMAN LIVED HERE IN THE FRONT
BEDROOM UPSTAIRS.
THEY WERE BORDERS AND THE LITTLE
GIRL RAN DOWN THE STAIRS IS AND
OUT INTO THE STREET AND SHE WAS
RUN OVER BY A CAR AND KILLED.
THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL
GENERATION OF FAMILY THAT GREW
UP IN THE HOUSE.
WE HAVE DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE THEY
HAVE SEEN THE SAME LITTLE GIRL
ON THE SAME STAIR.
>> IN THE CENTER OF OLD
LOUISVILLE WE HAVE THE FAMOUS
CENTRAL PARK.
CENTRAL PARK WAS REDESIGNED IN
1905 BY FREDERICK OLMSTEAD, AND
AT ONE TIME THIS IS WHERE THE
DUPONT BROTHERS ANTOIN BEADERMAN
AND ALFRED VICTOR HAD A
RESIDENCE.
AND SUPPOSEDLY ONE OF THE
BROTHER BROTHERS THAT HAUNTS THE
PARK.
PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED HIM IN
THEIR HOUSES AS WELL BUT IT IS A
TALL MAN IN A BLACK TUXEDO WITH
A GRAY SILK TOP HAT ON.
VERY OFTEN A GOLD CONTINUE
WALKING CONTINUE AT HIS SIDE.
SUPPOSEDLY IT IS THE GHOST OF
ALFRED VICTOR WHOM EVERYONE
CALLED UNCLE FRED AND SUPPOSEDLY
THE EVENING OF MAY 16, 1893, A
MISTRESS OF HIS SHOWED UP AT THE
GALT HOUSE AND SHE ANNOUNCED SHE
WAS PREGNANT BY HIM.
HER NAME WAS MAGGIE PAYNE AND
SHE DEMANDED THAT HE ACKNOWLEDGE
THE CHILD AND BRING IT UP AS HIS
OWN.
HE REFUSED AND MAGGIE PAYNE
PULLED OUT A PISTOL AND SHOT HIM
STRAIGHT THROUGH THE HEART.
TODAY IT WOULD BE A TERRIBLE
SCANDAL.
YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE
IN VICTORIAN KENTUCKY.
A LOT OF THE LOCAL NEWSPAPERS
WERE INDENTED TO THE DUPONTS AND
THEY PRINTED THE STORY THAT HE
DECIDE OF THE HEART ATTACK.
THE THEY IT IS BECAUSE OF THIS
SCANDALOUS TRAGEDY THAT UNCLE
FRED AS HE'S KNOWN STILL HAUNTS
THE NEIGHBORHOOD TODAY.
>> INCREASE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO
TAKE THE TOURS FOR THE HISTORY,
AND DAVID HAS DONE THE KIND OF
RESEARCH THAT HE HAS DONE.
IT IS VERY, VERY INTERESTING.
A GHOST STORY THOUGH, SEASONS IT
UP AND MAKES THE HISTORY LESS
DRY.
IT IS A REAL GOOD FEELING TO
THIS HOME AND A LOT OF
TIMES-OVER TIME WHEN SOMEONE
COMES IN, PEOPLE COME IN ON THE
TOUR, PEOPLE ASK US, YOU LIVE
HERE?
AND WE SAY, YEAH, YEAH, WE LIVE
HERE.
IT IS OUR HOME.
>> EACH HOUSE HAS A HISTORY AND
IT IS WONDERFUL TO LEARN ABOUT
NOT ONLY THE ARCHITECTURE BUT
WHO BUILT THE HOUSE.
HOW MUCH THEY COST.
WHO LIVED THERE AND WHO DIED
THERE AND WHAT HAPPENED IN THE
HOUSE AFTER THE ORIGINAL OWNERS
MOVED OUT.
WE DON'T REALLY OWN THESE
HOUSES.
WE ARE CARETAKERS.
STRUCTURES HAVE A LIFE OF THEIR
OWN.
THEY COME TO LIFE.
AND IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND AN
HONOR TO LIVE IN ONE OF THESE
HOMES SO FULL OF HISTORY.
>> NO ONE RIVALS OLD LOUISVILLE
FOR BEING THE MOST HAUNTED
NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE COUNTRY AND
IT IS NOT SURPRISING BECAUSE I
MYSELF HAVE INVESTIGATE OR
RESEARCHED OVER 100 PROFESSED
CASE OF HAUNTING DOWN HERE.
ONE OF THE PLACES IS THE COLD
WELL HOUSE WHICH IS SET TO BE
ONE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD'S MOST
HAUNTED MANSIONS.
THE MANSION WAS BUILT BY CONRAD.
>> THE CONRAD HOUSE SITS ON THE
ORIGINAL SITE OF THE SOUTHERN
EXPOSITION SAINT JAMES COURT
WHICH IS ONE OF THE FIRST
NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE COUNTRY.
THE CONRAD FAMILY LIVED HERE
FIRST FROM ABOUT 1895 UNTIL
ABOUT 1905.
ACTUALLY EMIGRATED TO
LOUISVILLE, WHERE SOME OF HIS
FAMILY WAS.
HE STARTED OFF WITH A SMALL
TANNERY AND HE KEPT BUYING MORE
BUSINESSES.
>> HE ARRIVED IN LOUISVILLE AS A
YOUNG MAN IN THE MID-1800S.
TWO DOLLARS IN HIS POCKET AND
JUST FINISHED HIS APPRENTICESHIP
AND MADE THE WAY TO LOUISVILLE
AND TOOK THE $2 AND TURNED IT
INTO AN EMPIRE.
BY THE END OF THE CENTURY, HE
WAS ONE OF THE WEALTHIEST MEN IN
THE CITY AND THIS WAS BUILT AS
HIS RETIREMENT HOME.
>> IT COST ABOUT $75,000 WHICH
WITH CONVERSION WOULD HAVE BEEN
CLOSE TO A MILLION DOLLARS.
SO THIS WAS AN ADVANCED
BEAUTIFULLY CONSTRUCTED HOME IN
THE LATE 19TH CENTURY.
WE HAVE AT LEAST 120FLEURIS DE .
LIS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO
COUNT.
THE THROW BACK TO THE TIME
THAT'S LIVED IN FRANCE.
WE WE HAVE A LOT OF UNIQUE
FEATURES ABOUT THE HOUSE.
A NUMBER OF THINGS WE HAVE A
CHANDELIER IN THE LIBRARY THAT
MRS. CALDWELL HAD CREATED AFTER
CHANDELIER IN A HOME IN EUROPE
SHE SAW THAT SHE REALLY LIKED
AND WE HAVE A FIREPLACE IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE HOUSE WHICH A LOT
OF PEOPLE WOULD QUESTION.
THE FLU ACTUALLY DESIGNED SO
THAT IT KIND OF LEAVES SIDEWAYS
AND GOES UP.
SO THAT'S VERY UNIQUE.
>> ONE DAY IN 1905, HE WAS GOING
UP THE BACKSTAIRS AND COLLAPSED
AND DIED.
>> AND WE BELIEVED HE LAID IN
STATE IN THE ROOM THAT HE WAS
SITTING IN WHICH IS THE PARLOR.
AND THERE IS A HE WANTS TO MAKE
SURE THAT THE HOME IS TAKEN CARP
OF AND WE'RE DOING EVERYTHING
THAT WE CAN TO KEEP THE DOORS
OPEN AND KEEP INTERESTED IN HIM.
>> AFTER HE DIED, SHE DID NOT
WANT TO STAY ON IN THE HOUSE SO
SHE SOLD IT TO FRIEND, THE
CALDWELL FAMILY.
>> AND THEN WILLIAM CALDWELL
PURCHASED IT IN 1905.
LE THE OTHER THAN OF THE
CALDWELL COMPANY WHICH IS NOW
KNOWN AS THE CALDWELL TANK
COMPANY WERE THERE WERE VERY
WEALTHY, VERY EVIDENT BY JUST
THE ATTENTION TO DETAIL IN THIS
HOME.
HE AND HIS WIFE SPENT ABOUT TWO
YEARS REHABBING THE HOUSE OR
MODERNIZING THE HOME.
MRS. CALDWELL SPENT SOME TIME IN
EUROPE AND WANTED EVERYTHING TO
BE AT THE TOP OF THE LINE.
>> SO THEY LIVED IN THE HOUSE
FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS.
AND THEN, IT BECAME THE ROSANNA
HUGHES HOME FOR PRESBYTERIAN
WIDOWS AND SO THEY MAINTAINED
THE HOME FROM SOME TIME IN THE
40s UNTIL 1987 WHEN ST. JAMES
COURT HISTORIC FOUNDATION
PURCHASED THE HOME TO TURN IT
INTO A MUSEUM.
>>
>> THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO DIED IN THE HOUSE.
NOT SURPRISING BUT THERE ARE A
NUMBER OF GHOSTS SAID TO HAUNT
THIS PLACE TODAY.
ONE SEEMS TO BE Mr. CONRAD
HIMSELF.
WHEN PEOPLE GO IN FOR THE
REGULAR TOUR AS THE ARE OFFERED,
PEOPLE WHO SNEAK OFF AND WANT TO
OPEN DOORS AND DRAWERS AND
THINGS LIKE THAT AND SEE WHAT
THEY CAN FIND.
THOSE ARE THE ONES THAT HAVE THE
ENCOUNTERS WITH Mr. CONRAD.
THEY SAY HE'S A VERY SHORT MAN.
HE SORT OF APPEARS AS A MISTY
APPARITION AND IT TAKES THE
SHAPE OF A MAN WITH A GOATEE AND
A HAT.
AND HE NEVER SAYS ANYTHING TO
ANYONE.
HE JUST SHOWED UP AND STIRP
STERNLY LOOKS AT THEM AND DOES
THIS AS FAST TO SAY, YOU
SHOULDN'T BE DOING THIS AND THEN
HE DISAPPEARED.
AND THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEARS,
LOTS OF PEOPLE REPORTED THIS
APPARITION.
JUST ONE OF MANY APPARITIONS
THAT ARE SUPPOSEDLY AFOOT.
,.
>> SO THEY BELIEVE THEY STILL
INHABIT THE OLD ROOM ON THE
SECOND FLOOR WHICH IS THE
SITTING ROOM.
IF WE MOVE THINGS, THEY TEND TO
GET A LITTLE UPSET AND SO
THEY'LL OPEN DOORS, OR MOVE
THINGS SO WE'VE HAD THAT IN
STINTS AND ONE OF OUR -- WILL
SAY HELLO TO THEM IN THE
MORNING, TO MAKE SURE THAT SHE
HAS TALKED TO THEM.
SOMETIMES I THINK THAT THERE IS
A GHOST IN THE ELEVATOR WHEN IT
GOES UP BECAUSE IT IS A HUGE
NOISE RIGHT IN MY OFFICE AND IT
STARTLES ME.
>> MY FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH
GHOSTS HERE, WAS I WAS GIVING A
TOUR ON THE THIRD FLOOR, AND OUT
OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I SAW A
BALL OF LIGHT.
AND THEN I THOUGHT MAYBE THE
PEOPLE IN MY GROUP WERE SWINGING
PURSES OR UMBRELLAS AND I TURNED
AROUND AND THEY WERE ALL
STANDING THERE.
AND MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD OTHER
EXPERIENCES HERE, I ONCE HAD A
LADY WHO CAME THROUGH FOR A TOUR
AND SHE ASKED TO SEE THE PIANO
IN ONE OF THE ROOMS.
AND WE WERE WALKING THROUGH, SHE
SAID DO YOU HAVE -- AND I SAID
YES, THINK WE PROBABLY DO SHE
SAID THERE IS A LADY STANDING
RIGHT BEHIND YOU WEARING AN
IVORY DRESS AND HER ARMS OUT
LIKE SHE'S ENCOMPASSING THE
WHOLE HOUSE.
ONE TIME I WAS ON THE SECOND
FLOOR, AND I SAW A GREAT SHADOW
FIGURE DARTING ACROSS.
I THOUGHT IT WAS OUR ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR.
AND I CAME DOWN AND ASKED HER
WHY HE WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF MY
TOUR.
AND SHE SAID, I WASN'T THERE.
WE HAD A HOUSEKEEPER HERE IN THE
HOUSE AND APPARENTLY, IT WAS
RAINING OUTSIDE.
SHE WAS THE ONLY ONE HERE.
SHE HEARD A VOICE START SAYING
HURRY, HURRY, CLOSE THE WINDOW,
IT IS RAINING OUTSIDE.
SHE WENT UPSTAIRS AND THE WINDOW
WAS OPEN, IT WAS RAINING.
>> I LOVE WHEN PEOPLE WALK IN
AND JUST EXPLAIN, WOW, THIS IS
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PLACE.
JUST GETTING TO WORK WITH THE
VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE EXCITED TO BE
HERE EVERY DAY AND TO TELL THE
STORIES THAT WE DO.
YOU KNOW, JUST MAKING AN IMPACT
AND TRYING TO KEEP HISTORY
ALIVE.
>> THE DUPONT MANSION WAS BUILT
AROUND 1882 BY THE DELAWARE
DUPONTS.
IT IS ONE OF LOUISVILLE'S GRAND
MANSIONS.
WE HAVE HAD GUESTS WHO HAVE FELT
THE PRESENCE, AND THEY HAVE
SMELLED CIGAR SMOKE THAT WILL
COME LATE AT NIGHT IN THE ROOM.
AND WE'RE A NON-SMOKING
FACILITY.
THE STORY GOES THAT, IT IS
INDEED Mr. DUPONT.
>> ON THE THIRD FLOOR, OF THE
DUPONT MANSION, THERE WAS A BALL
ROOM.
THREE GUEST ROOMS ON THE THIRD
FLOOR NOW AND FROM TIME TO TIME,
THEY HEAR BALL ROOM MUSIC AND I
THINK THAT IT IS JUST ANOTHER
DIMENSION.
THEY ARE ACCUSTOMED TO BEING IN
THESE PLACES, IT WAS THEIR HOME
AND YOU WANT TO SEE WHAT'S GOING
ON.
>> FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST
SCIENTIST A BEAUTIFUL
NEOCLASSICAL SCIENTIST SO WE
HAVE THE LADY OF STAIRS, ALWAYS
A FLOWING WHITE GOWN AND DOWN IN
A GIBSON GIRL HAIRDOO AND THEY
USED TO SEE HER PACE BACK AND
FORTH ACROSS THE HUGE SET OF
STEPS IN THE FRONT OF THE
STRUCTURE.
THEY SAY YOU CAN HEAR HER SOBS
IN THE WEE HOURS OF THE NIGHT.
IT WAS A YOUNG WOMAN SHE CALLED
Ms. GEE.
PROMINENT LOCAL FAMILY FROM
BARDSTOWN.
THE STORY IS HER FAMILY ARRANGED
A LUCRATIVE MARRIAGE.
THEY PRESENTED THE MAN AND SHE
SAID NO THANK YOU BECAUSE SHE
HAD MET SOMEONE.
FELL IN LOVE WITH MISS G AND
PROMISED THAT HE WOULD RETURN
AND THEY WOULD BE MARRIED.
WHEN THE PARENTS FOUND OUT THEY
SENT HER TO LOUISVILLE, TO LIVE
WITH AN AUNT AND UNCLE ON THIRD
STREET.
BACK THEN, THE STEPS OF THE
CHURCH WERE KIND OF RENDEZVOUS
SPOT SO SHE WOULD SNEAK OUT AT
NIGHT AND MEET HER BOYFRIEND AND
AFTER SEVERAL WEEKS OF SNEAKING
AROUND THEY DECIDE THEY'D WOULD
RATHER RUN AWAY AND GET MARRIED.
IT CAME TIME TO MEET AND THE
YOUNG MAN NEVER MADE IT.
HE WAS ONE OF SEVERAL HUNDRED
SOLDIERS WHO WERE STRUCK WITH
THE FLU AT CAMP ZACHARY TAYLOR.
THAT'S WHEN WE HAD THE SPANISH
FLU OUTBREAK.
SHE WAITED TOP STAIRS AND
FINALLY DID GIVE UP THINKING
THAT SHE HAD BEEN GUILTED NOT
KNOWING THAT HER BOYFRIEND WAS
ON HIS DEATH BED.
SHE WENT HOME AND CONTRACTED THE
FLU AS WELL AND THEY NEVER FOUND
OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO EACH OTHER.
WITHIN TWO DAYS, THEY WERE BOTH
DEAD AND BURIED.
THEY SAY MISS G'S GHOST HAUNTS
THE STAIRS WAITING FOR THE YOUNG
MAN.
>> THIS WAS BUILT ABOUT 1887 BY
RUSSELL HOUSTON
>> ALL THE WAY DOWN THE FIRST
FLOOR THAT STAIRCASE SPATIALLY
TAKES UP ESSENTIALLY A ROOM.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW THE
ARCHITECTS AND THE OWNERS OFTEN
SACRIFICED FUNCTIONALITY FOR
FEATURES AND LOOKS.
IMPORTANT THING TO THEM IN
BUILDING THAT STAIRCASE, WAS NOT
EFFICIENCY TO GET UP AND
DOWNSTAIRS, IT WAS TO CREATE A
SPECTACLE.
THE WOODWORK IN THE VARIOUS
ROOMS.
AND, EACH OF THOSE ROOMS ARE
PANELED OR TRIMMED WITH A
DIFFERENT LUXURIOUS WOOD.
SUPPOSEDLY BACK IN THE 1890s
NOT TOO LONG AFTER THE PLACE WAS
BUILT, HIRED AS A TUTOR FOR THE
CHILDREN OF THE FAMILY.
SUPPOSEDLY ONE OF THE CHILDREN
WAS DEATHLY ILL.
SHE WAS TRYING TO CONTACT THE
SPIRIT OF THE DOCTOR SHE WAS
CONDUCTING A SEYENS.
THE DOCTOR WHO SHE THOUGHT WAS
ABLE TO CURE THIS CHILD HAD JUST
DIED THE DAY BEFORE SO SHE
REACHED OUT AND TRIED TO CONTACT
HIM ON THE OTHER SIDE.
>> SHE WENT OVER TO THE CORNER
OF PARK AND SIXTH STRAIGHT OVER
ONE BLOCK FROM WHERE SHE HAD
BEEN LIVING.
SHE MET AN OLD WITCH AT THIS
TREE KNOWN AS THE WITCH'S TREE.
>> THE ROGUE SPIRIT INTERCEPTED
THE MESSAGES AND ENDED UP
KILLING ANNIE WHIPPLE AS A WAY
OF TEACHING HER A LESSON FOR
DABBLING IN THE BLACK ARTS.
>> THE GUESTS THAT HAD STAYED
HERE HAVE RECORDED A NUMBER OF
DIFFERENT EVENTS AND ONE OF THE
GUESTS THAT I HAD AMONGST
BUSINESS GROUPS, BEGAN
EXPLAINING A CERTAIN THING HE
SAW ON THE SECOND FLOOR.
HE DESCRIBED IT AS A TRANSPARENT
WOMAN.
THE OTHER GENTLEMAN AT THE
BREAKFAST TABLE AND HIS EYES
WIDENED LIKE SAUCERS, AND HE
SAID, "THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT."
GUESTS HAVE HEARD NOISES, THE
MOST OFTEN REPEATED NOISE IS,
THE WHIRLPOOL TUB IN THE MASTER
SUITE HAS BEEN TURNED ON IN THE
MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WITH NO
WATER RUNNING, NO PEOPLE IN
THERE.
A WOMAN HAS BEEN SEEN COMING
DOWN THAT SWEEPING STAIRWAY.
DRESSED IN WHAT APPEARED TO BE
VICTORIAN GARB, OF 1880 TO
1890s ERA.
THE WOMAN DISAPPEARED AS SHE
NEARED THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS.
>>
>> THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE
TRAGIC ONES IN OLD LOUISVILLE.
THE ICE BOY HAUNTS A BUILDING
KNOWN AS THE St. JAMES FLATS.
PEOPLE FEARED THAT AN APARTMENT
BUILDINGWOULD BRING DOWN THE
VALUE OF HOUSING IN THE AREA AND
THE RESIDENTS OF STAY --
ST. JAMES COURT TOOK THE OWNER
TO COURT.
HE WON THE CASE ON THE ARGUMENT
THAT THE HOUSING WAS NEEDED IN
OLD LOUISVILLE, AND, SO HE
PROCEEDED TO BUILD THE St.
JAMES COURT FLATS.
THEY EXISTED IN HARMONY WITH THE
REST OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD UNTIL
THE NIGHT OF FEBRUARY 6, 1912.
THAT NIGHT, THE BUILDING BURST
INTO FLAMES AND THE TOP THREE
STORIES WERE COMPLETELY
CONSUMED.
BECAUSE IT WAS SO COLD WHERE THE
FIREMEN TRIED TO PUT OUT THE
FLAMES, THE WATER FROM THE HOSES
HAD FROZEN ON THE HOUSE.
AND SO THEY WERE GREETED BY THIS
RUIN OF ICE AND SOOT.
I WAS WRITHING UP LIKE A IS THAT
LAG MIGHT.
THEY WERE GLAD THAT NOBODY HAD
PERISHED IN THE FIRE.
BUT THAT'S WHEN THE STORIES
STARTED TO SURFACE ABOUT THIS
LITTLE BOY THAT COULD BE SEEN IN
FRONT OF THE HOUSE OR IN THE
FOUNTAIN AT THE ST. JAMES COURT.
AND, IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS
LITTLE BOY WAS THE RESIDENT OF
THE CAB BANK PATCH NEIGHBORHOOD.
HE WAS A GROCERY DELIVERY BOY
TRYING TO MAKE EXTRA MONEY FOR
HIS FAMILY AND THAT NIGHT IT WAS
SO COLD, BEFORE HE WENT OUT ON
ANOTHER DELIVERY, HE WANTED TO
WARM UP FOR ONE MINUTE ON THE
FIFTH FLOOR OF THE HOUSE.
AND THAT IS WHEN THE FIRE BROKE
OUT.
HE WAS TRAPPED UP THERE AND THEY
FOUND HIS BODY HUDDLED IN A
CORNER.
PEOPLE THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE HE
WAS NOT FROM A WEALTHY FAMILY
THEY COULD BURY THE STORY AND
NOBODY WOULD KNOW THE
DIFFERENCE.
AND SO THAT IS WHEN THE RUMORS
STARTED TO SURFACE ABOUT THIS
LITTLE ICE BOY HAUNTING THE
COURT.
THEY SAY THAT MAYBE HE DOES IT
BECAUSE HE WANTS US TO KNOW THAT
HE'S HERE.
HE TENDS TO APPEAR IN DECEMBER
OR JANUARY AND FEBRUARY,
NIGHTSWHEN THERE IS ICE AND SNOW
ON THE GROUND THAT'S HOW HE GOT
HIS NAME.
>> EVEN THOUGH I CAN'T
PHYSICALLY SEE ANOTHER DIMENSION
OR A GHOST, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT HAPPENS.
IF THERE WERE GHOSTS, THEY WOULD
CERTAINLY BE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD
THAT'S 130 YEARS OLD AND HAS A
LOT OF STORIES TO BE TOLD.
>> DO YOU BELIEVE IN THE GHOSTS
OF OLD LOUISVILLE?
CAN THE STORIES ALL BE EXPLAINED
AWAY?
WHETHER YOU BELIEVE OR NOT,
THOSE STORIES HAVE A WAY OF
BRINGING THE PAST BACK TO LIFE
SO I'M HAPPY TO KEEP AN OPEN
MIND.
AND AN EYE OVER MY SHOULDER.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING TONIGHT.