The legendary S.K. Pierce Mansion in Gardner, Massachusetts, known for its haunting allure, has hit the market with a price tag of $1.2 million. This Victorian home, constructed in 1875, spans three floors and includes seven bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms. Its claim to fame includes a ranking of the second most haunted house in Massachusetts and ninth in the United States, according to its own website listing.
The house's past is steeped in both the macabre and the historic. Sylvester K. Pierce, the original owner, was a wealthy businessman whose furniture company propelled Gardner to prominence as "Chair City." Over the years, the mansion has been associated with various spirits, including Pierce, his two wives, and his three sons. The "red room," where Pierce's first wife died, and a bedroom where a Finnish immigrant met his end in a fire, are among the locations reputed to be particularly charged with spectral energy, as reported by MassLive.
However, this mansion's historical significance isn't limited to paranormal encounters. It has served various roles, including an inn during its heyday hosting prominent figures like President Calvin Coolidge and artist Norman Rockwell, as noted by Boston.com. The S.K. Pierce Co. chair manufacturing legacy is closely tied to the home's identity.
Brenda Albert of LAER Realty Partners, who holds the listing, described the dichotomy of the house's visitors: "There are two different kinds of people that go in," she said, "There are people who are there to see the woodwork and the detail, and then there are those who are looking for the haunted factor." The home also has practical updates including new heating systems, AC on the top floor, and modernized utilities, making it "completely turnkey," a phrase Albert used as quoted by Boston.com.
Ideal for a variety of uses, from private residence to bed and breakfast, or even an event space, the S.K. Pierce Mansion also sits on the National Register of Historic Places. Its future owner should be prepared for curiosity seekers, as it's already scheduled for tours through the end of October, as MassLive reported. Furthermore, the mansion's haunted reputation has been bolstered by features on television shows such as “Ghost Hunters” and “Ghost Adventure.”
