Ring in the spooky season at one of Alton, Illinois’ scariest places- The McPike Mansion!

The McPike Mansion, both a historic and haunted Alton property, sits on the once 15 acre estate of Henry Guest McPike. The grand Italianate Victorian home was built in 1869 by the prolific Alton architect Lucas Pfeiffenberger and is composed of 16 rooms, a basement, and a vaulted wine cellar.

The mansion and grounds are considered to be one of the most haunted places in the United States and possibly the most haunted location in Illinois. The mansion is on the National Register of Historic Places and has been investigated by many historians and paranormal investigators over the years. The property and home have long been an important landmark for the City of Alton and a sincerely spooky place for visitors seeking paranormal thrills.

Group visits include a guided tour of the grounds and the McPike crypt reviewing the history and hauntings of the home. Guests will then descend into the McPike wine cellar- supposedly the most haunted room of the house- and participate in a dark room session with McPike’s medium, Sandy Little Lizard. The tour lasts approximately 1 ½ hours. Adult tickets are $20/ Teens $10/ Child $5

Visitors and owners alike have witnessed paranormal activity in the form of orbs, balls of light, shadow figures, strange mists, and even full-bodied apparitions peering from the mansion’s windows, in photos, or in person. Several of the spirits purportedly haunting the McPike have been identified from old photographs and documents, including sightings of McPike’s wife, Eleanor, and Henry McPike himself.

Strong cigarette smoke- attributed to Paul Laichinger who smoked heavily- has been smelled and even seen in the building- which has been smoke-free for decades and Sharyn Leudke, one of McPike's current owners, had an encounter while gardening of a man watching her from the windows- a photo found later identified the man as Laichinger- still wearing the same suit and tie!

Other spirits said to reside in the home include a young girl named Sarah who smells of lilac perfume, a woman in a green dress with long hair on the stairwell, and the McPike children. Scraping doors, children’s disembodied laughter, unexplained footsteps, and objects disappearing and appearing in different locations also are relatively frequent occurrences at the property.

The McPike has appeared on multiple television programs and is featured in books, urban exploration videos, and paranormal sites. Take a tour or, if you’re brave enough, stay the night on one of the haunted mansion’s overnight camping adventures! Tours and camping dates are listed on the McPike Mansion’s website and peak during autumn. It is recommended to buy tickets in advance as they sell out quickly!

The McPike is not open to the public outside of scheduled events. Check out the Mineral Springs Mall for more paranormal thrills or schedule one of Alton's ghost walking tours by visiting altonhauntings.com or check out Rivers and Routes' events page to see more tours!

*Fall McPike Tours all occur on a Friday or Saturday and run from September – October