Haunted Lizzie Borden House

Lizzie Borden House

The murders of Andrew and Abby Borden in 1892 are two of the most gruesome in American history.

The Borden’s lived in Fall River, Massachusetts with Andrew’s two daughters, Emma, and Lizzie from a previous marriage.

Lizzie Borden

The two were discovered “hacked to death” with an ax. Lizzie became the authorities primary murder suspect and was tried and acquitted in a two-week sensationalized trial.

No one else was ever accused, and these murders remain unsolved. But to this day many believe that Lizzie actually did murder her father and stepmother.

Much of the evidence that pointed to Lizzie being the murderess, for some reason, was ignored or even found to be inadmissible during her trial.

Lizzie did not appreciate her frugal father, and she and her sister had an open disdain for Abby—calling her “Mrs. Borden.”

Lizzie Borden House today.

The sisters just before the murders had fought with their father over money matters—they were due to inherit over seven and a half million dollars—in today’s value-- at their father’s death.

Lizzie was seen burning one of her dresses, by a friend, that she claimed to be paint-stained, just days after the murders. The suspected murder weapon, a broken hatchet, was found hidden in the home’s basement.

The police, when they questioned Lizzie after the murders, found her statements to be “inconsistent,” and she provided several changing alibis.

Andrew and Abby Borden

The day of the murders, Emma was away from the Borden house, and the family maid, Maggie was outside cleaning windows. Lizzie was home—she claimed to be in a barn in back of the house looking for fishing tackle and eating pears.

The police found this barn so hot—they felt no one could have stayed in it for twenty minutes, let alone for an hour and a half.

The Borden house is not that large, but Lizzie claimed not to hear or see anything.

There were ninety minutes between the two murders, and the police found that it was odd that a murderer would stay around for this long-- and then not to have been seen by Lizzie or the maid?

But most of this was not taken into account at the trial. When the Borden’s crushed skulls were exhibited, Lizzie fainted. The all-male jury was sympathetic—after all, how could a petite, Sunday school teacher do this?

Today the Lizzie Borden house is a museum, and a bed & breakfast. Visitors can take day tours or stay overnight. Tour guides, visitors, and paranormal teams all feel it is haunted.

Bodies of Andrew and Abby Borden found murdered.

Andrew Borden was murdered as he napped on the settee in the family parlor. Abby was killed in the family guest room upstairs—she had nineteen blows to the head.

Strange mist captured on camera
in Borden guest room.

These two rooms have a lot of activity. Most who enter this house, that has been restored to its 19th-century appearance, report feelings of overwhelming sadness.

Tour guides mention being touched by unseen hands. Many report something tugged at their clothes.

There have been reports of people seeing the apparitions of Andrew, Abby, and Lizzie in the home. Strange mists have also been observed. 

There are also reports of something unseen whispering in people's ears.

One of the strangest phenomena to happen occurs by the bed in the guest room where Abby Borden was killed.

A strange image caught in a mirror
at Lizzie Borden house.

Countless people have closed their eyes and stood on the spot where she died. They all report feeling as if someone shoved or pushed them on the back. Others feel a force coming through the floor that tries to tip them.

Witnesses also mention hearing children’s laughter in the homes attic rooms.

One folktale belief is that the spirits in the house can be “bribed” to leave the living alone.

Visitors often place a few coins on Mr. Borden’s bureau. While the young spirits respond best to small toy offerings.

The following video is a good summary of the tensions in the Borden family, as well as an explanation for why there are young spirits in the house.