Library of the Occult
This amazing manor's exterior was used for the 1999 remake
of The Haunting starring Liam Neeson and Catherne Zeta-Jones.
The home was built between 1832 and 1844 for Gregory Gregory.
He died one year prior to final completion of the home
and being unmarried with no heirs the home went to an elderly
cousin. From there it was passed on to distant members
of the family until Pearson Gregory died in 1935 at which
time it was abandoned and fell into disrepair. Just as
it was about to be demolished it was purchased for the
sum of $78,000 to Mrs Violet Van der Elst who set about
restoring it and adding improvements to it such as the
chandalier pictured below.
Mrs Van der Elst was a firm believer
in the occult and an avid paranormal book collector.
She regularly held seances. As her wealth declined she
was forced to sell the manor to the Jesuits who made
it a seminary until 1966. Today it is the British Campus
of the University of of Evansville, Indiana.
The most haunted room in the house is
claimed to the the Van der Elst Room (the library of
occult books). One of the ghosts, a gentleman is often
seen as an outline in the doorway. This outline can appear
for up to 1/2 hour at a time but eventually fades into
the walls. People sleeping are also often approached
by a man in a black cloak who tends to hang around at
the foot of people's beds. 
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