Haunted DE Governor's Mansion
Woodburn, Built by Charles Hillyard III, Has Paranormal Activity
Jun 18, 2008
The house at 151 King’s Highway in Dover was built in 1790 and served as a stop on the underground railway for escaping slaves. Woodburn, a historical landmark, has a rich history. Tours are available. Phone: 302-739-5656 for an appointment.
Ghosts
- Charles Hillyard III: The first documented Woodburn ghost appeared around 1815. Dr. and Mrs. Martin Bates, the owners, were entertaining Mr. Dow, a Methodist preacher. One morning, Mrs. Bates asked Mr. Dow to begin breakfast with prayer. He hesitated and asked if they should wait for the other guest in the house. Mrs. Bates explained, there were no other guests. Mr. Dow described the gentleman he met on the staircase. The older man wore a powdered wig, knee britches and a ruffled shirt. He had described her father, Hillyard. He has been seen by others. Hillyard enjoyed drinking. If a glass of wine was left downstairs during the night, the empty glass was found in the morning. Governor Charles L. Terry Jr. told a reporter they used to fill bottles of wine for the ghost, which were empty in the morning. A servant said he saw an old man drinking wine at the dining room table. Frank Hall, another owner, saw him on the stairs and described him as others had. When George P. Fisher lived in the house, he invited a fellow college student there for the Christmas holiday. They retired to bed. While Fisher was undressing, he heard a thud in the next room. When he investigated, he found his friend had fainted. When the man regained consciousness, he told Fisher what happened. When he entered the room, he saw an old man sitting in a chair. The man rose and walked toward him. That’s all he remembered. Both searched the room and found nothing. It had been Hillyard’s bedroom.
- Small girl wearing gingham dress and bonnet: She carries a candle and walks the grounds around the reflecting pool.
- Screaming slave: “The dead man’s tree” stood on the south lawn near the porch. Legend says that a slave trying to escape his pursuers hid in the tree trunk. His head was trapped and he died. Supposedly, his screams are still heard, especially at Halloween, although the tree was removed in 1998 due to its condition.
Other Things Paranormal
Guests at the house have reported seeing fleeting silhouettes and strange lights, hearing rattling chains in the basement, and the sensation that something is tugging at their clothing.
In 1985, Governor Michael Castle allowed three sixth grade girls and their teacher to spend the night at Woodburn. He told them about what happened on his inaugural party at the mansion. Several women said they felt something pulling at their clothing, but no one was there. Another felt the presence of a young girl. Another time, a second floor window kept opening by itself, setting off the burglar alarm. The guests brought a Ouija board, video camera and monitor and a tape recorder. The board and recorder failed to operate. The camera which had been working perfectly wouldn’t focus, although pictures were clear on the monitor. When they filmed themselves with items they brought, the objects were normal, but the guests appeared transparent. The following morning they said they hadn’t been scared, but felt uneasy by a woman’s portrait that smiled at them while they were investigating.
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Source:
Haunted America, Michael Norman & Beth Scott, (Tor, 1994)
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