McRaven House: The Most Haunted House in Vicksburg

Late one afternoon last week, my husband and I visited McRaven House — also known as "the most haunted house in Mississippi," and "the third most haunted house in America."

While researching its history before our visit, I was disappointed to discover that the house is for sale and is no longer open for tours. However, I am a firm believer in the philosophy of "where there's a will, there's a way," so I called the listing agent and requested permission to tour the grounds and take pictures.

When we arrived at McRaven, we found that the entrance was overgrown and blocked by an elegant old gate which was padlocked.
I was totally enthralled before we ever laid a foot inside the gate. Just look at the details of the grape clusters and leaves (you can click on the photos to enlarge them, if you'd like).
Padlocked gate or not, I knew I had to see more and, since we had permission to explore the grounds, we climbed over this beautiful ornate iron fence that was connected to the gate ...
We were there in late afternoon, and the grounds were shrouded in shade from the towering oak and magnolia trees.

The original pre-war strolling gardens dating from 1849, are overgrown now, but the old brick paths still meander in all directions, with faded Hydrangeas, Azaleas, Aspidistras, Crape Myrtles, and Grape Ivy gracing the walkways.
This is the path I chose to follow, because I couldn't wait to see the house ...


I was delighted with this most unusual door knocker on the front door, and would love to know its history.
The pierced columns on the front porch are interesting, too.

McRaven has seen its share of Vicksburg history, serving as a hospital during the Siege of Vicksburg, as well as the Union headquarters after the surrender. Occupied for many years by sisters Annie and Ella Murray, the house is currently owned by Leyland French, whose ancestor brought us French’s Mustard.

Totally unchanged since civil war days, battle scars and shell fragments still remain. It was a little unsettling to walk around the grounds where so much history had taken place. A somber reminder of that history was evident on the east lawn which was used as a Confederate encampment during the War.



Many a soldier met his Maker on the grounds of McRaven. A field hospital was set up during the Siege, and several minie balls dug up on the grounds bear teeth marks to witness the pain and suffering of those fallen comrades. This simple memorial commemorates the men who gave their all for the cause they believed in so strongly.


The Haunted History of McRaven House:

It is believed that at least five of the house's inhabitants over the years died in or near the house. One of these five was John H. Bobb, who built the last section of the house. He died violently at the hands of Union soldiers outside McRaven.

Mary Elizabeth Howard's spirit is said to grace the home also. She is believed responsible for antics of the lamp which sits beside the bed in her bedroom. [Note: While we were there, we noticed a light on upstairs and I'd like to think it was Mary Elizabeth just letting us know she was there.]

Her figure has also been seen on the flying wing staircase, and in the dining room. The wedding shawl which belonged to Mary Elizabeth has been known to cause strange occurrences — to some people it emits heat, and in some instances, it will almost jump out of a person's hand.

One of the first spirits seen by the present owner, Leyland French, belongs to William Murray who acquired McRaven in 1882. William Murray was seen on the staircase. As soon as he was recognized, French ran back up the stairs into the Bobb bedroom and locked the door. The next day he contacted the local Episcopal priest and had the house blessed. Murray's daughters, Ella and Annie, are other spirits that have been seen, both inside and outside on the grounds.

There have been many investigations conducted by experts in paranormal phenomena, during which pictures, videos, and recordings were captured revealing manifestations of energy forms at McRaven. Although quite visible on film, nothing was visible to the naked eye at the time the photos were taken. Perhaps, that is why I felt uneasy while we were there.

And speaking of feeling uneasy, I really had a feeling of uneasiness as I approached this old cistern and leaned over to take a picture of the bottom of it.

I'm not sure what I was expecting, but, thankfully, there was nothing in it but dirt and some old boards and broken bricks.

Next, I walked around to the west side of the house ...

There was a brick patio, more brick paths, and this old well, which I think at one time may have been home to gold fish.


I loved the way the light played on the leaves in the water ...

The Grape Ivy was as big as my hand ... It seemed that everywhere I looked, I saw lagniappe, and this beautiful old fountain was the best lagniappe of all.

This old pot was sitting on a shelf on the porch. I'd love to know who put it there and when ...

I couldn't help but wonder if "anyone" was standing in these windows looking back out at me.

As I said at the beginning of this story, McRaven House is currently for sale (for a mere 1.4 million dollars), and I hope someone with that kind of money will come along and give it the tender, loving care it needs to restore it to its former glory and grandeur.

This tour of McRaven House is the last in a series of five posts I've written this week featuring stories about and photo tours of some of the antebellum houses in Vicksburg that have "ghost stories" associated with them. If the truth be known, most of the older houses in the historic district probably have "spirits" that share the houses or grounds with their owners — they're just not as well known as their counterparts who live in the "grander mansions."

I enjoyed my visits with the owners and some of the staff members of three of those "grand mansions" in Vicksburg -- Anchuca, Cedar Grove, and Duff Green Mansion. It was truly fascinating to hear the stories of their personal encounters with some of the "spirits" who share their homes. For some reason, these spirits, who seem to mean no harm, have chosen to stay in, or are unable to leave, the houses they loved and lived in over 150 years ago. May they rest in peace knowing their beautiful homes are being enjoyed by so many today.


Anchuca Historic Mansion and InnCedar Grove Mansion Inn
The Duff Green Mansion

The Haunted Antebellum Houses of Vicksburg: Duff Green Mansion

Duff Green Mansion

In preparation for my fourth in a series of posts featuring some of the "haunted" antebellum houses of Vicksburg, I visited the lovely Duff Green Mansion and enjoyed meeting its owner, Mr. Harry Sharp, and Chad Bockman, Innkeeper and Tour Guide. Chad also "introduced" me to Missy, who is a sweetie.

I appreciate Chad taking the time to share a few stories about his personal encounters with the "spirits" who have made their presence in the house known.

Before I share these stories, it's important that I provide a little background about Duff Green's history and introduce a few of the "characters" who may still be rambling around the house and grounds today.

For over 150 years, the Duff Green Mansion has stood majestically in the center of the historic district of Vicksburg. Built in 1856, by successful businessman Duff Green, as a wedding gift for his bride Mary Lake, the mansion was well known for the many lavish parties that set the standard for hospitality and good taste.

When the Civil War made its way to Vicksburg on May 18, 1863, the house came under fire. After five cannonballs fired by Union troops hit the mansion, the Greens had little choice but to hoist the yellow flag, signaling that the mansion could be used as a hospital. It quickly started to fill with both Union and Confederate soldiers and the Greens retreated to a cave on the property. In one of those caves, Mrs. Green gave birth to a son and named him William Siege Green.

Both Union and Confederate wounded were moved to the Mansion. The Union troops were placed on the top floor (in case their allies fired additional cannonballs), with Confederates housed on the main floor. The kitchen on the bottom floor was converted to an operating room where hundreds of soldiers were treated.

After the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, the Mansion was leased to the United States Government for use as a Soldiers' Home where wounded soldiers could recuperate before their respective journeys home.

In 1866, after all the soldiers had left, the Greens moved back into the home where they continued to live until Mr. Green's death in 1880. The mansion would change hands over the years and would serve as an orphanage, retirement home, the headquarters of the local Salvation Army, and a home for transients in need.

In 1985, the mansion was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Harry Sharp of Coral Gables, Florida. The Sharps completely restored the Mansion to its former glory over a two-and-one-half year period, and Duff Green Mansion is considered to be one of the finest examples of Palladian architecture in Mississippi. As many as 27 layers of paint were removed, 13 fireplaces restored, and 15 bathrooms added. Magnificent chandeliers grace the 15-1/2-foot tall public reception rooms which are painted in vivid historic colors. The entire mansion is decorated with period antique furnishings, and it now serves as a bed and breakfast inn.

The Front Entry Hall

Guest Rooms

The Dixie RoomThe Confederate Room

The Magnolia Room

The Camellia Room

To find out more information about the inn and its amenities, you can visit the website by clicking on this link: Duff Green Mansion.

The "Spirits"

It seems that the Sharps share their lovely mansion with a few "otherwordly" spirits that have made their presence known countless times, to the Sharps, the staff of the inn, their guests, and investigators of paranormal activity. Probably one of the most well known spirits is that of a Confederate soldier who has been seen in the Dixie Room of the house, which was used as a surgery room in the midst of the Siege. The figure, who has one of his legs missing, is usually seen sitting by the fireplace.

There is also a picture that was taken by a policeman which clearly shows the figure of what appears to a Confederate soldier on the steps at the front of the house.

A spirit believed to be that of Mary Green (the original mistress of Duff Green) has been seen on several occasions as well.

One of the breakfast cooks told a story about when she came to work one morning, upon entering the house she heard music coming from the ballroom, and when she looked in the room she saw "swirling figures" that appeared to be a couple dancing.

It is said that Mary Green loved the house so much that she couldn't bear to leave it. Perhaps she and Mr. Green loved to dance, too?

This beautiful marble mantel is in the Ballroom. I love the contrast between its elegance and its primitive brick hearth.

This oil painting depicting Duff Green Mansion in all its glory hangs in the Ballroom ...

The spirit of the Greens' daughter has also been seen and heard on several occasions, running up and down the staircase and playing with a ball.

Chad related a story about one evening he and Mr. Sharp and Mr. Sharp's one-and-a-half year old granddaughter Lydia were having dinner in the ballroom (at the table shown below), and Lydia kept looking at the corner of the room and saying, "Ga-ga, ball," over and over. Mr. Sharp said "ga-ga" was Lydia's word for baby, so perhaps she saw the spirit of the little girl playing with her ball.

Another "sighting" of the little girl was related by a guest whose three-year-old son was making motions like he was throwing a ball, and when his dad asked him what he was doing, he said, "I'm throwing the ball to Annie."

Another personal experience Chad shared involved a champagne flute. Chad said that he and Dorothy, one of the breakfast cooks, were washing dishes and heard the sound of a glass breaking in the ballroom. When they walked into the room, they saw what remained of a champagne flute sitting on a table. The bowl part of the glass had broken completely off and was on the floor, but the stem was left standing perfectly straight on the table.

Chad also told of a night he spent in the Confederate Room and was awakened when he felt the bed covers (which had been pulled back) moving up his leg and settling just below his knees.

The Confederate Room

He said he kept perfectly still for about 20 minutes before he could muster enough nerve to get out of the room.

Mr. Sharp has also clearly seen the figure of woman standing in the dining room and looking out the window on the left ...

Here are a few more pictures of the lovely dining room ...

I love this beautiful placesetting ...

Other odd events include a strange smell (sometimes of ether), and lights and/or disembodied footsteps walking up and down the halls. And beneath its high ceilings and richly decorated walls of cardinal reds, deep blues and rich greens, the polished floors of Duff Green Mansion still show signs of the bloodstains from the soldiers' wounds of over 150 years ago.

Chad showed me a place in front of the mantel in the Library where two boards were replaced in the floor because of damage caused by a minie ball hitting the fireplace.

Mr. Sharp is a fifth cousin, twice removed, of Robert E. Lee, and the library is graced with this picture of General Lee, and decorated with Civil War memorabilia.

I love the tile hearth of the fireplace in this room:

The library is also home to this exquisite 1799 Italian alabaster chandelier ...

This is the downstairs sitting room that separates the guest rooms ...

Duff Green's front verandah beckons you to "come sit a spell."

I would be torn between the verandah and the pretty brick courtyard ...

If you are planning a trip to Vicksburg, I hope you will visit Duff Green Mansion and experience its history and amazing stories for yourself. Who knows ... perhaps you'll be able to play ball with Annie, or see the Greens dancing in the ballroom.

If you would like to read my posts featuring some of the other "haunted" antebellum houses in Vicksburg, you can click on the links below:

Anchuca
Cedar Grove Mansion
Lakemont