You’ll find Lake View House in South Chittenden, Vermont, where the Eddy Brothers transformed their family farmhouse into a spiritualist destination in the 1870s. The property gained national attention for séances, spirit materializations, and unexplained phenomena that attracted visitors nationwide. Later becoming the High Life Ski Club, the site’s paranormal legacy continues with reports of mysterious lights, shadowy figures, and connections to the infamous Bennington Triangle disappearances. The grounds harbor deeper mysteries tied to ancient Abenaki sacred lands.
Key Takeaways
- Lake View House was established in South Chittenden, Vermont during the mid-19th century as part of the Eddy family property.
- The Eddy Brothers transformed their farmhouse into the Green Tavern inn, becoming famous for séances and spirit materializations.
- Paranormal activities include glowing orbs, shadowy figures, and mysterious lights, documented from the 1870s through modern times.
- The property’s connection to the Bennington Triangle links it to multiple unexplained disappearances between 1945 and 1950.
- The site currently offers guided ghost tours and paranormal investigations, featuring EMF meters and thermal cameras for visitor experiences.
Historical Origins of Lake View Ghost Town
As Vermont achieved statehood in 1791, waves of settlers established small communities across its diverse terrain, including the future ghost town of Lake View House in the Chittenden area.
You’ll find the site’s farmhouse history began as part of the Eddy family property in mid-19th century South Chittenden, surrounded by pristine ponds and agricultural land.
The property’s spiritualism origins emerged when William and Horatio Eddy returned to their family home around 1870.
The Eddy brothers’ homecoming in 1870 marked the beginning of their family property’s transformation into a spiritualist sanctuary.
These brothers, known for supernatural claims since childhood, transformed the farmhouse into a hub for séances and paranormal activities.
The farmhouse would later become the High Life Ski Club, marking a significant transition from its spiritualist past.
While some settlements in Vermont failed due to harsh terrain or poor soil, Lake View House’s decline paradoxically coincided with its peak fame as a destination for worldwide spiritualism seekers.
Historical accounts from nearby residents describe experiencing bone-chilling cold spots and unexplained knocking sounds within the walls of surrounding properties.
Native American Beliefs and Sacred Grounds
While the Eddy family brought spiritualist fame to Lake View House, the land’s sacred history extends far deeper through its Abenaki roots.
You’ll find ancient petroglyphs near Bellows Falls depicting life-sized faces that remain spiritually significant to Abenaki descendants today. The area served as both a crucial fishing ground and ceremonial site where Native medicine people worked to maintain spiritual balance within their communities. Sacred spaces like these were visited regularly by shamans seeking spiritual guidance. National Park Service funds are helping document and preserve these vital cultural carvings.
Traditional burial mounds dot the landscape, including one that now lies beneath modern infrastructure.
You’ll discover that Abenaki spirituality views these sacred landscapes not as mere historical artifacts, but as living spaces where ancestors’ spirits dwell. Even now, tribal members visit these sites to communicate with their forebears and strengthen their cultural identity, demonstrating the enduring connection between the Abenaki people and their ancestral grounds.
Tales From the Eddy Brothers Farmhouse
Born in 1832 and 1842 respectively, William and Horatio Eddy’s paranormal legacy began during their infancy at their family farmhouse near Rutland, Vermont.
You’d find the brothers vanishing from their cradles, only to reappear elsewhere in the house. Their father’s brutal attempts to suppress their abilities through beatings and starvation proved futile.
After their father’s death, they transformed the farmhouse into the Green Tavern inn, where they conducted free séances despite charging $8 weekly for lodging. The brothers turned their home into a spiritual haven for those seeking supernatural experiences.
Despite making guests pay for rooms, the Eddy brothers offered their supernatural abilities freely during séances at their Vermont inn.
The Eddy Brothers’ séances attracted nationwide attention, featuring spirit materializations and levitations. When Henry Olcott investigated in 1874, he couldn’t find evidence of trickery, despite thorough examinations.
The brothers endured violent opposition, including shootings and stonings, yet their paranormal phenomena continued, establishing their farmhouse as the “Spirit Capital of the Universe.” Before settling at their farmhouse, they spent fourteen years touring North America and Europe as traveling mediums.
The Mysterious Bennington Triangle Connection
You’ll find the earliest signs of the Bennington Triangle’s dark history in the Abenaki tribe’s ancient warnings about Glastenbury Mountain, where they believed malevolent forces dwelled at its cursed peak.
The mountain’s sinister reputation intensified when, between 1945 and 1950, five people vanished without a trace while engaging in outdoor activities near Lake View House, leaving behind minimal evidence like Middie Rivers’ single rifle cartridge. The area’s mystery deepened when an eighteen-year-old student disappeared while hiking alone on the Long Trail.
These disappearances, combined with reports of strange lights, unexplained sounds, and sightings of the legendary “Bennington Monster,” have cemented the area’s status as a focal point for unexplained phenomena. The haunting legacy gained wider recognition when author Joseph A. Citro coined the term Bennington Triangle in 1992.
Strange Disappearances Begin Here
During the late 1940s, Lake View House’s proximity to the infamous Bennington Triangle placed it at the epicenter of one of Vermont’s most baffling series of disappearances.
You’ll find six documented cases between 1943 and 1950, starting with Carl Herrick’s mysterious death and culminating in Frieda Langer’s vanishing. The pattern’s most puzzling aspect emerged when James Tedford disappeared from a bus near the area, followed by 8-year-old Paul Jepson vanishing along the same highway where Paula Welden had gone missing. A massive $5,000 reward was offered for information about Paula Welden’s whereabouts, but no evidence was ever found.
While disappearance theories range from natural causes to supernatural phenomena, the area’s dense wilderness and abandoned ghost towns created perfect conditions for unexplained phenomena. The region’s reputation for paranormal activity dates back to 1873.
Bloodhounds traced victims’ scents to highways before losing them entirely, suggesting these weren’t typical cases of people getting lost in the woods.
Mountain’s Ancient Warning Signs
Long before modern disappearances plagued Lake View House, indigenous Algonquin tribes recognized Glastenbury Mountain as a place of malevolent spirits and supernatural danger.
The ancient warnings, passed down through oral traditions, spoke of a cursed stone that devoured the unwary and supernatural guardians who protected the mountain’s secrets.
Physical evidence of these early concerns remains visible today through five mysterious cairns scattered across the mountain’s slopes.
The most notable is a barrel-shaped structure standing 3’7″ tall and 8’3″ wide, dating back centuries.
These stone markers may have served as boundaries between the safe and forbidden zones.
When early settlers arrived, they too recorded the natives’ apprehensions, lending credence to the mountain’s reputation as a place where reality itself seemed to shift.
Paranormal Activity and Local Legends
You’ll discover that Lake View House’s paranormal history began with the Eddy Brothers’ séances, which attracted spiritualists and skeptics who reported witnessing inexplicable phenomena during the 19th century.
Through the years, visitors have documented strange lights, unexplained sounds, and shadowy figures appearing at night around the property, particularly near the areas where the brothers conducted their infamous sessions.
The site’s mysterious energy continues to draw modern-day ghost hunters and paranormal investigators, who’ve recorded similar patterns of supernatural activity as those described in Henry Olcott’s detailed accounts from the 1870s.
Unexplained Night Sightings
As night falls over Lake View House, visitors frequently encounter unexplained phenomena that have fueled local paranormal legends for generations.
You’ll witness glowing orbs hovering near the ruins, their intensity changing unpredictably before vanishing without trace. Shadowy figures, often dressed in 19th-century attire, dart between abandoned structures and disappear when approached.
- Mysterious lights defy explanation, moving erratically across the landscape
- Temperature drops suddenly near collapsed buildings
- Disembodied voices and footsteps echo through empty halls
- EVP recordings capture fragments of unexplained communications
- Electromagnetic field changes accompany physical sensations of being touched
These experiences connect to local lore about restless souls from the town’s tragic past, with some believing the phenomena stem from protective ancestral spirits or victims of disease and accidents who still linger at the site.
Historical Haunting Patterns
The haunting patterns at Lake View House weave together multiple historical threads, from Timothy Follett’s tragic demise to Native American spiritual beliefs about the cursed land.
You’ll find that these haunting narratives span centuries, beginning with indigenous tribes who refused to settle the area due to its perceived spiritual significance as burial grounds.
The ghostly traditions intensified when Timothy Follett lost his fortune and sanity, dying in a sanitarium in 1857. His wife Lorraine’s spirit reportedly manipulates lights in the house to this day.
These accounts connect to Vermont’s broader paranormal landscape, particularly the mysterious Bennington Triangle region.
The property’s current use as a real estate office hasn’t diminished reports of unexplained phenomena, as visitors continue to experience strange occurrences that echo the building’s troubled past.
Notable Residents and Their Haunting Stories
Several notable residents have left an indelible mark on Lake View House’s paranormal legacy, particularly during the spiritualist movement of the late 19th century.
The Eddy Brothers captivated audiences with their seances, drawing journalist Henry S. Olcott who documented their mysterious abilities.
In the smoky shadows of their séance room, the Eddy Brothers mystified even seasoned skeptic Henry S. Olcott with inexplicable manifestations.
Meanwhile, Dr. Henry Baxter‘s tragic history at nearby Highgate Manor, where his children died under mysterious circumstances, continues to fuel local ghost stories.
- Renowned New York journalist couldn’t debunk the Eddy Brothers’ supernatural claims
- The Eddy Brothers’ farmhouse still generates reports of unexplained phenomena
- Dr. Baxter’s medical practices and family tragedies haunt Highgate Manor
- A 1970s unsolved murder with a severed foot adds to the area’s dark history
- The properties remain significant stops on Vermont’s haunted history tours
Architectural Remnants and Structures
Standing in stark contrast to its haunted reputation, Lake View House’s physical structures tell their own story of decay and abandonment.
You’ll find the architectural decay most evident in the moss-covered roofs and rotting wooden frames, where Vermont’s harsh weather has taken its toll over decades. The main building, once a symbol of traditional Vermont vernacular design, now stands with broken windows and graffiti-marked walls.
While nearby historic buildings have seen preservation efforts, Lake View House continues its slow descent into ruin.
You can still spot remnants of 19th-century craftsmanship in the stone foundations and wooden window frames, though many are now crudely barricaded. Nature steadily reclaims the property, with tree roots and vegetation weaving through walls, while bat colonies have made the stagnant interiors their home.
Impact on Vermont’s Cultural Heritage
Despite its crumbling facade, Lake View House has profoundly shaped Vermont’s cultural heritage through its rich tapestry of folklore and ghostly legends.
Standing in majestic decay, Lake View House weaves ghostly tales and folklore into the very soul of Vermont’s enduring heritage.
You’ll find this historic site’s impact woven deeply into the region’s cultural narratives, from tales of Native American curses to settler experiences that echo through time.
The property’s ghostly folklore has become a cornerstone of Vermont’s paranormal tourism, drawing visitors who seek connections to the mysterious past.
- Unexplained disappearances near Glastenbury Mountain fuel the “Bennington Triangle” mysteries
- Local ghost tours showcase the site’s blend of historical fact and supernatural fiction
- Stories of cursed lands reflect complex settler-native relationships
- Economic impact through paranormal tourism and guided historical tours
- Preservation of social memory through documented personal tragedies and hauntings
Modern-Day Exploration and Ghost Tourism
Today’s visitors to Lake View House can explore its haunted history through organized ghost tours and paranormal investigations that have transformed the site into a modern tourism destination.
You’ll find guided experiences that combine historical storytelling with opportunities for ghostly encounters, often utilizing EMF meters and thermal cameras to detect unexplained phenomena.
The site reflects current tourism trends in Vermont’s ghost town exploration, offering both daytime photography sessions and nighttime investigations.
You’ll benefit from well-maintained access roads and nearby accommodations, including themed stays at historic inns.
Local preservation groups maintain the grounds and structures, ensuring safe exploration while protecting the atmospheric qualities that draw paranormal enthusiasts.
Remember to follow posted guidelines, as some areas may be privately owned or structurally unsafe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Safety Precautions Should Visitors Take When Exploring Lake View House?
You’re both adventurous and smart, so pack first aid supplies, carry emergency contacts, explore with others, wear protective gear, and respect posted warnings while maintaining safe entry points.
Are There Any Seasonal Changes That Affect Paranormal Activity Levels?
You’ll notice stronger haunting patterns during fall and winter, when darker nights and colder temperatures intensify paranormal activity. Seasonal shifts like autumn fog and spring thaws can amplify ghostly encounters.
How Do Weather Conditions Impact Accessibility to Lake View House?
You’ll find weather patterns severely restrict access, with winter snow blocking roads, spring thaws creating mud, autumn rains causing floods, and summer providing ideal conditions despite occasional thunderstorms limiting seasonal accessibility.
What Photography Equipment Best Captures Potential Paranormal Phenomena at the Site?
You’ll want infrared cameras to detect heat anomalies, plus remote triggers to prevent vibrations. Audio recorders can capture EVPs, while full-spectrum cameras help document phenomena beyond visible light.
Can Visitors Camp Overnight Near Lake View House’s Remaining Structures?
Like moths to flame, you’ll find no sanctioned spots nearby. Camping regulations prohibit stays around the structures without permits, and safety concerns make overnight camping inadvisable. Seek established campgrounds instead.
References
- https://vermontmaturity.com/feature-stories/vermont-ghost-stories/
- https://obscurevermont.com/weird-chittenden/
- https://www.vermonter.com/scary-locations-vermont/
- https://usghostadventures.com/burlington-ghost-tour/
- https://vermontvacation.com/haunted-vt/
- https://urbanpostmortem.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/weird-chittenden/
- https://www.vermonter.com/ghost-haunting-northeast-kingdom-vermont/
- http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~gtusa/history/usa/vt.htm
- https://www.vermonter.com/vermont-ghost-stories/
- https://obscurevermont.com/tag/weird/page/7/
