George Stickney House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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George Stickney House
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Bull Valley, McHenry County, Illinois |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003115 |
| Added to NRHP | May 14, 1979 |
The George Stickney House is a unique old mansion in Bull Valley, Illinois. It's also known as the Stickney House or Stickney Mansion. This historic home was built way back in 1865. Today, it serves as the police headquarters for the village of Bull Valley.
The house is famous for its unusual design. This design was partly inspired by the beliefs of its first owners, George and Sylvia Stickney. They were interested in something called Spiritualism. This was a belief that people could communicate with spirits of the dead. The house has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979.
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Meet George and Sylvia Stickney
George and Sylvia Stickney built their home in 1865. They chose a quiet, isolated spot in the countryside. This was perfect for their spiritual activities. Both George and Sylvia were said to be "mediums." This meant they believed they could talk to spirits.
They wanted to host parties and special gatherings called "seances" for their friends. A seance is a meeting where people try to communicate with spirits. The Stickneys had ten children, but sadly, only three lived to be adults. Some people think they turned to Spiritualism to try and connect with their children who had passed away.
The family held their seances on the second floor of the house. This floor had a large room called Sylvia's ballroom. Over the years, after the Stickney family no longer owned the house, new owners have reported strange things happening there.
A House with No Corners
The design of the Stickney House is very unusual. It has two stories. The entire second floor was designed as a huge ballroom. This house was quite large for its time, the 1800s.
The Stickneys asked their architect to add special features to the house. They believed these features would help them during their seances. They thought that spirits could get trapped in sharp 90-degree corners. Some also believed that evil spirits were attracted to corners.
Because of this, the inside of the house was designed without any 90-degree angles between the walls. Instead, the corners are rounded. There's a rumor that one 90-degree angle does exist in the house. The rumor also says that George Stickney died in that exact spot. However, this isn't true. Experts have checked the house and found no 90-degree angles. Also, no one knows how George Stickney died, as his death was never officially recorded.
Strange Happenings at the Mansion
Today, the George Stickney House is used by the Village of Bull Valley and its police department. Many people who work there have reported strange events.
In 2005, the Bull Valley Police Chief, Norbert Sauers, shared his experiences. He said that village employees have heard many sounds that are hard to explain. For example, he described hearing footsteps in the second-floor ballroom. This room is now used for storing village records, but it was where the Stickneys held their seances. The footsteps sometimes even extend out onto the stairwell.
Other strange things reported include hearing human-like noises or voices. Sometimes, people hear toilets flushing when they are completely alone in the house. The Chief himself said he has seen objects move on his desk. Lights have turned off by themselves. Doorknobs have turned, and doors have opened, seemingly on their own. He even heard a loud shout right in his ear once, when no one else was around. Another police officer claims to have seen an apparition, which is like a ghost, of Stickney's father-in-law.
Images for kids
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Stickney House 2016
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Stickney House 2016
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Back of the house, look at the rounded corners. (2016)
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The entrance of the house. (2016)
