Glensheen Mansion
Congdon family phantoms, and ghostly remnants of bloody murder, may haunt this Minnesota manor
Ghost Stories of
Glensheen Mansion
- A white mist has been spotted in the library
- Two apparitions are seen watching visitors from mansion windows
- A cold spot has been encountered on the stairs
- Feelings of unease or panic have been noted in certain areas
- Lights flicker around the house for no known reason
- Shadow figures have been spotted around the mansion
- Small objects around the house are moved by unseen forces
- Unexplained positive feelings have been felt in the mansion
History & Homicide at
Glensheen Mansion
Duluth, Minnesota’s London Road has no shortage of upper-scale homes and expansive estates. But one sprawling, old world manor puts them all to shame. Glensheen Mansion has been the sturdy, opulent centerpiece of its woodsy, waterside property for over a century.
In that time, Glensheen has been the home of one of Duluth’s most prominent families, as well as the site of a brutal double murder.
Now owned by the University of Minnesota, Glensheen remains a well-preserved piece of northern Minnesota history. It has also become one of the state’s most popular museums.
Tourists can come to learn about the family who once called this Midwestern palace home. They’re able to see original family furniture and other artifacts throughout the house. But, Glensheen ghost stories suggest not every family member has left the home behind. Could phantoms of former residents still walk the manor’s halls?
Timeline of Glensheen Mansion's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Glensheen Mansion through the years
1892
In 1892, the Congdon family moved to Duluth. Chester Congdon and his wife, Clara, had already found considerable success in life. Chester had spent years as an attorney, and remained well-off despite some money-losing investments in the late 1800s. The Congdon’s moved to Minnesota for Chester’s new job as a lawyer for the Oliver Iron Mining Company. The company flourished, and made the Congdon’s even more wealthy. Once Chester opened his own iron company in 1901, the family’s fortunes truly grew.
1903
In 1903, Chester and Clara bought a stretch of property on Lake Superior’s shoreline, just a few miles from downtown Duluth. The couple hoped to bring an expansive family mansion to life on the lakeshore. Construction began in 1905, and went on for three years until work on Glensheen Mansion finished in 1908. The brick mansion took its name from two different sources. The first half, ‘glen,’ was taken from a Scottish word for a ravine. The second half, ‘sheen’ is believed to reference the Congdon’s ancestral home in England: Sheen.
1916
Chester and Clara lived the rest of their lives at Glensheen, growing their family along the way. Chester died in 1916, while Clara managed the home for over three more decades. After Clara died in 1950, ownership fell to the Congdon children. One of the couple’s younger daughters, Elisabeth, took over the direct management of the massive estate after Clara’s death. Elisabeth lived in and cared for Glensheen Mansion into the 1970s. But, in 1977, lethal trouble paid a visit to the Congdon’s Minnesota manor.
1977
One of Elisabeth Congdon’s adopted daughters, Marjorie, spent much of her life living lavishly and burning through money. After Elisabeth suffered a stroke in the mid-70s, she could no longer fund her daughter’s lifestyle. It is believed that Marjorie, hoping for a large inheritance, hatched a plot with her husband, Rodger Caldwell, to kill Elisabeth. On June 27, 1977, Rodger made his way to Duluth, waited until nightfall, and broke into Glensheen. There, he beat a night nurse to death and smothered Elisabeth while she slept.
1979
While first considering it a botched robbery, local authorities soon uncovered Marjorie’s financial troubles and looked into her and Rodger. The couple’s story fell apart, and Rodger was convicted of Elisabeth’s murder, though Marjorie was acquitted. In the aftermath of Elisabeth’s murder, the Congdon’s hold on Glensheen Mansion fell away. The home had previously been donated to the University of Minnesota for their use after Elisabeth’s death. So, upon her murder, the college took control of the mansion, opening it to the public in 1979.
Is Glensheen Mansion Haunted?
Ever since it first opened as a museum, Glensheen Mansion has been one of Duluth’s most popular historic destinations. Today, a tour through the house and grounds offers a one-of-a-kind, up-close look at the opulent world of high-class living in the early 1900s.
In recent years, Glensheen has developed an additional reputation as one of Duluth’s most haunted homes.
Countless visitors share ghost stories from the mansion today. And any tour you take may come with some extra, supernatural experiences.
Ghosts of the Glensheen Murders
Many of Glensheen Mansion’s paranormal claims purportedly stem from the 1977 double homicide that took place in the home. Elisabeth Congdon and her at-home nurse, Velma Pietila, are said to still linger through the mansion in spirit.
Velma’s haunting is most often noted as a cold spot lingering on the staircase landing, where her body was found all those years ago. Visitors have also reported seeing Velma’s shadowy form traverse through the home’s long halls.
Elisabeth’s Haunting Entity
Elisabeth’s spirit is commonly encountered in a few different areas of Glensheen Mansion. One of her suggested hotspots is her old bedroom, where she was murdered. Visitors report intense, overwhelming feelings while touring through the room. Witnesses describe the feeling as an unexplainable wash of sadness, one that will leave them just as soon as they step out of the room.
More than just sudden feelings of unease, Elisabeth’s ghost sometimes materializes as a white mist. This mist is regularly reported in the home’s library, said to be one of Elisabeth’s favorite rooms in the house. Her misty manifestation can be seen lingering through the library stacks, as if she’s looking for a good book to spend her day reading.
The Mansion’s Watchful Wraiths
The specters of Elisabeth and Velma are not often encountered in the same places or at the same time. But there are a few possible exceptions. One common report is the sighting of the two women in certain windows from outside. The ghostly frames of Elisabeth and Velma will purportedly stand close together, keeping a close eye on tourists as they navigate Glensheen’s grounds.
The duo of spirits may also be responsible for some other conjured up feelings and washes of emotion. While the areas of each murder in Glensheen are known for feelings of sadness or panic, many other spaces are noted for their oddly positive vibes. Some chalk these points of positivity up to Elisabeth and Velma. Their spirits seem to do what they can to keep the home’s familial atmosphere alive, rather than simply linger aimlessly around their crime scenes.
Black Masses & Electrical Oddities
Some paranormal reports at Glensheen Mansion have people wondering if there are more than just two ghosts haunting the house. Many of the mansion’s ghost stories stem from Elisabeth and Velma’s unfortunate tales.
But, other claims have uncertain sources.
Small objects around the house are infamous for moving around the mansion with no known cause. Lights around the mansion flicker at strange times, though no electrical problems have yet been found.
Down in the basement, tourists frequently note encounters with a mysterious, black mass figure in the hallways. Another manifestation of Elisabeth or Velma, or could this be another Congdon family phantom checking in on the house?
Experience Glensheen Mansion’s
Eerie Opulence
With the popularity of Glensheen Mansion’s regularly scheduled tours, it’s not often you’ll find many extra tour offerings. Many workers and volunteers are also quite tight-lipped about the property’s supposed hauntings.
But you don’t have to wait for a full night of ghost hunting to encounter something strange at Glensheen. Plenty of ghost stories from the house come from daytime tourists, who spotted a shadow figure or ran face-first into a cold spot during their tours.
There is much to enjoy at Glensheen Mansion, from the opulent and preserved interiors to the sprawling landscape. In a home with so much beauty to love, it is unlikely ghost stories will ever be a central part of Glensheen Mansion’s tale. But, the reports of haunted happenings add a special, simmering uniqueness to a property that already needs to be seen to be believed.
Even if you don’t happen into Velma’s cold spot on the stairs, or find Elisabeth’s mist in the library, you might still spot their figures in an upstairs window as you depart. Are they watching you leave, or hoping you’ll come back?
