Mackay Mansion
Silver mining specters and vault robbing wraiths may forever haunt this Virginia City landmark
Paranormal Reports at
Mackay Mansion
- Figures of little girls are seen around the house
- Footsteps and laughter can be heard on the third floor
- Ghosts of burglars are sometimes encountered in the mansion
- A maid’s figure is spotted in the house
- Potential EVPs are recorded by visiting ghost hunters
- A bedspread in the mansion is repeatedly messed up with no known cause
- The apparition of John Mackay has been spotted at times
- Ghost hunters report potential spirit communication through ITC devices
Mackay Mansion:
A Historic Nevada Cornerstone
There’s no ghost town more alive than Virginia City, Nevada. It’s never been abandoned like rusty, dusty ghost towns in the American Southwest.
But the bustling tourist center of Virginia City still certainly owns the title of ghost town. Anywhere you look in the old mining community, you’re likely to spot a famous haunted place.
Many of Virginia City’s most famous haunts, from the Silver Queen Hotel to the infamous Washoe Club, sit on the town’s main drag of C Street. But on D Street, just one block beside and a few steps from downtown, stands an inviting mansion with some truly eerie paranormal tales.
Mackay Mansion was once home to some of the most powerful people in Virginia City. It now stands as a monument to the town’s past. But the phantoms of former residents, and even the ghosts of a few burglars, may still linger in the mansion’s walls.
Timeline of Mackay Mansion's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Mackay Mansion through the years
1859
When Mackay Mansion was first built in 1859, Virginia City’s destiny rose with it. Around this same time, the Comstock Lode was discovered in the region. This was the largest lode of silver ore ever uncovered. The revelation brought throngs of prospectors and businessmen into Virginia City. George Hearst, the builder of the mansion, immediately started using it as offices for his mining business. Hearst’s business made him wealthy very quickly, and his mansion office became the heart of local industry.
1871
Hearst moved away from Virginia City in 1871. He sold his mansion office to local mine businessman John Mackay. Mackay was an enterprising immigrant hoping to strike it rich in the region’s mines. He and his partners soon struck a vein of silver ore so big it came to be known as the ‘Big Bonanza.’ Mackay’s bonanza strike made him one of the richest men in town. All the while, he continued working out of the D Street mansion. He also moved his family into the house after the 1875 Virginia City fire destroyed most other homes in town.
1950
Into the 1900s, Mackay Mansion’s mining office stayed busy and its vault stayed filled with gold and silver for reselling. The house would remain a fixture of Virginia City mining life for as long as the mines themselves stuck around. But as the 20th century developed, mines in the region ran dry. As most mining companies moved out, Mackay Mansion’s offices went dark. The last piece of bullion was sold out of its vault in 1950. At that time, it seemed like the end was near for both Mackay Mansion and Virginia City.
1961
After mining interests left Virginia City, many places in town faced uncertain futures. Mackay Mansion was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961 with the rest of the city, helping preserve it from demolition. But, its future use remained in question. As the 1900s went on, Virginia City slowly transformed from a mining town to an Old West tourism community. In turn, Mackay Mansion started becoming a point of interest for visitors. It soon transformed into its own tourist attraction.
1995
By the 1990s, Virginia City had come alive again. Its population started to rise as tourists flooded in. Mackay Mansion capitalized well in this era. It even became a filming location for the 1995 Johnny Depp film, Dead Man. In the years since, both Mackay Mansion and Virginia City have remained successful tourist draws. The mansion is now a historic house museum with numerous Victorian-era artifacts. And local lore says there may be a few invisible artifacts in the museum as well: the ghosts of John Mackay and lost Virginia City citizens.
Is Mackay Mansion Haunted?
John Mackay is said to be one of the Mackay Mansion’s most active ghosts. In many ways, it makes sense his spirit would stick around. Mackay both lived and worked in the house during Virginia City’s greatest boomtown era, after all.
A portrait of Mackay hangs in the mansion today, and many people will mention encountering the man in that portrait. Mackay’s vivid apparition is often seen sauntering through the hallways and rooms of his old mansion and office. Some witnesses note he is sometimes followed by a woman’s figure in a maid uniform.
Mackay’s Robber Wraiths
The ghost of John Mackay now purportedly shares his home with some rather unscrupulous specters.
The ghosts of two unfortunate burglars are also said to haunt Mackay Mansion. The story goes that, sometime in the late 1800s, these two men approached the mansion in the night. They hoped to break in and rob the office vault of its bullion.
See Spirits By The Safe
What they did not know was that the mining company stationed an armed guard at the office, who shot both burglars on sight.
Now, the burglar phantoms are said to still haunt the halls of the mansion where they died. Visitors often note shadowy figures of two men lingering around the old vault. Maybe the ghosts are still trying to finish the robbery from beyond the grave?
Little Girl Ghosts in the Mansion
Along with all the adult ghosts and lingering shadow men, ghostly little girls are also said to haunt Mackay Mansion.
Child-like giggles and laughter are regularly heard throughout the house, most often on the third floor. Oddly, the laughter always seems to come from empty rooms. The sound of small footsteps can also be heard in the third floor hallways, as if the girls are playing around up there.
Even Stars Get Scared Here
And their ghosts get into more fun than just running in the halls. In one bedroom, the sheets are frequently found mysteriously undone, like children had just been jumping on them.
The ghostly little girls also purportedly gave Johnny Depp a scare during his visit in the 1990s. Local lore says Depp was scared in the night while staying at Mackay Mansion after waking to find a little girl’s apparition at the end of his bed.
A Ghost Hunter’s Favorite Mansion
Mackay Mansion’s ghost stories have made it a frequent visit for Nevada ghost hunters.
Ghost hunters who tour the home report capturing potential evidence of the home’s ghosts. This evidence includes EVP recordings of potential spirit voices.
Visitors and staff have also used ITC tools like spirit boxes in the house, reporting odd responses, including voices with distinct stutters.
Mackay Mansion has also appeared on several paranormal TV shows, including Ghost Adventures and The Dead Files.
Mackay Mansion:
Virginia City’s Haunted House
Today, Mackay Mansion is as much of a proud survivor as the rest of Virginia City. It’s one of the few buildings to survive both the 1875 fire and the early-1900s loss of the mining industry. Mackay Mansion now displays many artifacts and stories that would have otherwise been lost to time.
And while history is the main attraction at Mackay, the mansion’s ghosts are a cornerstone of its past.
The mansion museum hosts numerous programs throughout the year. It offers both guided tours and private paranormal investigations. Anyone interested in a tour or ghost hunt needs only to check their website and book an experience.
Virginia City, Nevada today is as rich in ghost stories as it once was in silver. A town so haunted, a ghost might have trouble standing out. But, the haunted mansion on D Street proves itself to be an A-list Virginia City hotspot.
