Located in downtown Cortland, the 1890 House Museum stands as a tribute to the Wickwire family and has long been rumored to be haunted.
Built in 1890, the house was the residence of Chester Wickwire, his wife Ardell, and their children. Inspired by the Bailey House in New York City, the 1890 House was designed by S. B. Reed, and combined aspects of the Chateauesque and Romanesque styles.

Chester Wickwire and his brother Theodore obtained their riches through a matter of luck and ingenuity. While running a hardware store, the Wickwires obtained a loom while bartering with a customer. Charles soon realized that the loom could be modified to weave wire into a form of cloth. This metal fabric turned out to be in high demand, leading the brothers to open a successful factory.

After the deaths of Chester and Ardell, the house remained empty from 1915 to 1923, at which time their son Frederic moved into the house, and heavily renovated it. His family remained in the home until 1973, when Frederic’s wife Marion passed away. The house and its contents were auctioned, and a generous donation allowed the Landmark Society of Courtland County to purchase the home. Their goal has been to restore the home to how Chester and Ardell had it decorated.

The 1890 House Museum is highly reported to be haunted. People have reported seeing figures, floating orbs, and hearing ghostly voices. It is highly believed that the Wickwires still remain in the house. In 2013, Syfy’s Ghost Hunters investigated the location, and heard a lot of strange noises, such as furniture being moved.

Watch the Complete Haunts and Legends Season 1 via this Youtube Playlist

Watch the complete first season of the Haunts and Legends of New York including our explorations of the Happy Valley ghost town near Syracuse, the Lost Village of Delta near Rome, Utica's Secret Underground Waterways and the Hidden Vault at Bagg Commemorative Park in Utica.

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