EDINBURGH MANOR

History

Originally the town of Edinburgh was the County Seat for Jones County. In June 1840 a section of land was granted to the County by President Buchanan for the purposes of building a Courthouse. Shortly thereafter the County Seat was moved to Anamosa but Jones County kept the land and build a Poor Farm.

Poor Farms (Almshouses) were created to help the less fortunate of society who were expected to work on the farm for food and shelter. Most of them ended up with a population of the severely mentally ill and elderly people who were discarded by families. After the Social Security Act of 1935 most Poor Farms were no longer needed and closed down.

Most of the Poor Farms either became so-called Insane Asylums or had many of their residents transferred to asylums. The Poor Farm in Jones County was torn down in 1910 and replaced with the building now known as The Edinburgh Manor.

The Manor housed the mentally ill and unwanted for nearly 100 years until 2009. At that time, it was closed due to reports indicating terrible living conditions for the patients.

There were very few details of what was happening inside the walls of Edinburgh Manor. However, the facility the patients were transferred too was closely monitored. Quickly there were reports of physical and sexual assault as well as Medicaid fraud. Within 5 years the new facility was closed.

Edinburgh Manor probably had the same issues combined with other problems that contemporary institutions such overcrowding, understaffed and terrible treatments such as lobotomies and insulin shock.

In 2014 the building was sold to a Land Trust in hopes of converting it to a bed and breakfast. This plan failed but the renovations brought the building up to the fire code.

The current owners bought the building to save it for its historical value but quickly began to experience paranormal events. They have offered paranormal investigators a chance to do investigations since 2012.

Paranormal Activity

This location is considered to be the most haunted building in the Midwest; some would say in the entire USA.

The activity can be catalogued by Floor.

Basement

One of the more well known ghosts of the Manor has been named the Joker and he haunts the basement. He spends most of his time in both the Boiler Room and a former padded room in which he was imprisoned and committed suicide in. He is also known for throwing dishes in the basement dining room and is considered a malevolent presence. Joker is also thought to be responsible with decreasing the temperature – especially in the Boiler Room.

People have felt an inexplicable heavy weight on the chests making breathing difficult.

An apparition in a cowboy hat and long duster coat has been seen in the kitchen area. He shows up in the early afternoon between Noon and 2pm.

The doors on the stairway open and close on their own and attraction the attention of the owner’s dog.

1st Floor

The first floor hallway and Room 106 are the playground of Susie. Susie is a little girl who was dropped off at the Manor. She had been heard playing and laughing.

In Room 105 it is said that a violent rape took place resulting in powerful empathic surge of negative energy. People have also heard disembodied voices and witnessed poltergeist activity here.

A man who is said to have hung himself haunts Room 121 and is thought to travel the halls between there and Room 108.

2nd Floor

The apparition of a woman in white has been seen at the top of the stairs to the second floor. White mist has also been seen drifting in the same area.

This floor seems to have the most reports of unseen presences touching the living. This includes holding people’s arms to their sides – which has also has happened in the basement – as well as cold and warm touches to the back of people’s neck.

Other activity: other apparitions; shadow figures; disembodied voices and laughter; objects moving on their own; light anomalies; phantom footsteps and feelings of heaviness; not being alone; not being wanted and being watched.