‘Haunted’ mansion celebrates 170 years with ghost hunt
By Kendra Simpson
The Beattie Mansion is celebrating its 170th anniversary this weekend with a few events for all who are brave enough to enter.
The mansion, located at 1120 Main St. built in 1854, has housed thousands of children, adults and, according to those who have resided there, paranormal spirits. To honor its anniversary, the public is invited to join a ghost hunt and paranormal investigation to connect with the spirits who walk the halls.
The house has long been regarded as one of St. Joseph’s most haunted locations. Starting as a home for Armstrong and Eliza Beattie, the mansion has gone through several transformations, including becoming St. Joseph’s first orphanage, a memorial home, a rehab center and even a fraternity house.
”We had a lot of wild goings on there,” in-house medium and historian Mary Ann Podrasky said. “And I like to think all of these different things … meshed and overlap each other and that’s why we’re so active paranormally.”
While those who work at the mansion all claim spirits reside there, they also note they are friendly, including original resident Eliza Beattie herself and orphan Mabel Iden. Michael Burkart, the owner of the Beattie Mansion, said the home has a quiet comfort surrounding it.
”I just felt like there was this, like, big embrace. I’ve never felt it anywhere else, any place, but I just felt like I’m home. And it was the weirdest feeling,” he said. “Every time I come back, I just fall in love with it all over again. And it’s just a feeling I don’t get anywhere else. And it’s the strangest thing.”
The ghost hunt will go from 7 p.m. Friday to 2 a.m. Saturday with special guest Kelly Matthews from the shows “My Horror Story” and “Paranormal Lock-Down” leading it. The bravest can join the paranormal investigation from 5 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday with Short Bus Paranormal, which will lead the investigation with some special tools to interact with the ghouls of the mansion. Both investigations will continue at the same times Saturday evening.
There also will be an open house tour from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday for those who need daylight to brave a haunted home.
To purchase tickets, email thebeattiemansion@gmail.com or call Podrasky at 816-261-6678.
