The Molly Brown House

JohnHart · Mist Joined: 18 Mar 2008 Posts: 35

The Molly Brown House

Location: Denver, Colorado

History: Isaac and Mary Large became rich through the silver mining industry. They bought the property at 1340 Pennsylvania Street for $4,000. In 1886, they hired the famous architect William Lang to design their new home. The house was extremely modern for the times; it had electricity, indoor plumbing, steam heat, and telephones.

Shortly after the house was finished, the Sherman Silver Act was repealed; the Larges lost their fortune and were forced to sell the house. On April 13, 1894, James Joseph "J. J." and Margaret "Molly" Brown purchased the home for $30,000.

In 1898, James transferred the title of the home to Molly. The Brown's spent the majority of their time traveling. In 1902, while they were on an around the world trip, the Brown house served as the Governor's mansion for Governor James Orman. From 1911 to 1918, the house was rented to the Cosgriff Family while their mansion was under construction.

During the Great Depression as the neighborhood was losing much of its appeal, Molly was forced to turn the house into a boarding house. After her death in 1932, the house was sold for $6,000. The house was in terrible condition and it went through a renovation, to create twelve separate spaces for renters.

In 1958, Art Leisenring purchased the house and used it as a gentlemen's boarding house; two years later he leased the house to the city of Denver as a home for wayward girls.

On December 11, 1970, Art Leisenring and a group of concerned citizens formed a group called Historic Denver Inc. and purchased the house for $80,000 and began restoring it.

Haunting: The Molly Brown House has its share of active spirits. The ghost of a woman dressed in Victorian clothing has been seen and even photographed sitting at the dining room table. She has also been known to move the chairs around the table.

Many visitors and employees have reported smelling pipe and cigar smoke, even though the museum is a non-smoking building. This is believed to be from the ghost of J. J., when he was living in the house J. J. was fond of smoking.

The ghost of Molly Brown is believed to haunt the house as well. There are cold spots in her bedroom; visitors to the home have seen the apparition of Molly disappearing around corners.

J. J. and Molly had a daughter name Catherine Ellen, the window blinds in her room raise and lower on their own and the reflection of Molly's mother, Johanna has been spotted in the window.

The reflection of an angry man dressed in butler's clothing has been spotted in a mirror near the stairs.
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John Hart
Vintage Computer Collector