Real Haunted Houses: Crenshaw House
Real Haunted Houses
Crenshaw House is a historic residence in Equality Township, Gallatin County, Illinois. Constructed in the 1830s, it was the family home of John Crenshaw, his wife and five children.
John Crenshaw leased salt works owned by the state. He was allowed, as per the law in force at the time, to use slaves at the salt works since apparently “no free men wanted to do this” as the job was so harsh. Either way, due to this caveat in the law, Crenshaw at one point owned (and I use the word loosely here) over 700 slaves.
Needless to say, Crenshaw was a wealthy man and he used this fortune to build Crenshaw House. It was constructed in classic Greek style with large columns and a balcony. Abraham Lincoln even visited the house once, during a ball. However, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses.
Crenshaw, being extremely greedy although having already amassed a vast fortune, decided to use his mansion as a “station” on the Reverse Underground Railroad that transported escape slaves and kidnapped free men and woman to sell them as slaves in the slave states. The third floor of the house, the attic flour, houses 12 rooms that were reportedly used by Crenshaw as a slave jail.
This isn’t just speculation, by the way, because Crenshaw actually got convicted of this offense multiple times in the 1820s and 1840s.
The kidnappings and terrible fates people suffered in the attic of Crenshaw House is the reason why today it is considered as haunted. The house was open to the public for quite some time and visitors have reportedly heard cries, rattling of chains, or felt cold chills or feelings of immense sadness.
Unfortunately, the house is currently closed to the public. Hopefully, one day it will reopen again and share its secrets with the world.
Previously in this series:
- Real Haunted Houses: Franklin Castle
- Real Haunted Houses: Villesca Axe Murder House
- Real Haunted Houses: The Sallie House
- Real Haunted Houses: LaLaurie House
- Real Haunted Houses: The Bell Witch Farm
- Real Haunted Houses: Ann Starrett Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Sturdivant Hall
- Real Haunted Houses: Whaley House
- Real Haunted Houses: House of Seven Gables
- Real Haunted Houses: Woodruff Fontaine House
- Real Haunted Houses: Cedar Grove Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Sauer Castle
- Real Haunted Houses: The Pink Palace
- Real Haunted Houses: House of Death
- Real Haunted Houses: Joshua Ward House
- Real Haunted Houses: The Lemp Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Los Feliz Murder Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Winchester Mystery House
- Real Haunted Houses: Bliss Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Croke-Patterson Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Thornewood Castle
- Real Haunted Houses: Drish House
- Real Haunted Houses: Old Shelby Hotel
- Real Haunted Houses: Barker’s Slave Quarters
- Real Haunted Houses: Winter Place
- Real Haunted Houses: Sweetwater Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Oakleigh House
- Real Haunted Houses: Bragg-Mitchell Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Jemison – Van De Graaff Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Redmont Hotel
- Real Haunted Houses: Cedarhurst Mansion
- Real Haunted Houses: Gaineswood
- Real Haunted Houses: Kenworthy Hall
- Real Haunted Houses: Schweppe Estate
Enjoyed this article? Read Fractured!
When Piper discovers an old antique mirror on the attic of her new home, she has no idea what terror she unlocked.
Eerie shadows lurking in the night and estranged voices crying out for help are only the beginning. As Piper’s world comes crumbling down, she realizes everything that she believed was imaginary, might have been real all along.
Something is very wrong with that mirror. And if she doesn’t find out what, the mirror might end up killing her.
With some help of old and new friends, Piper tries to get to the bottom of the mystery. One thing is for certain: the mirror preys on the guilty. But what exactly is she guilty of?
Release Date: September 16, 2013
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