A 1905 West Palm Beach structure that served as funeral parlor and city manager's home before relocation to Yesteryear Village — and a 2008 Ghost Adventures episode that confirmed its violent reputation
9067 Southern Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33411
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Yesteryear Village is on the South Florida Fairgrounds; admission pricing varies by event. History & Haunts tours require reservations — contact the village for current schedule and rates.
Access
Limited Access
Historic wood-frame structure; original staircase; attic access may be restricted
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1905 · Built with Flagler-era lumber; connected to early Palm Beach development · Served as funeral parlor and cemetery gatekeeper cottage · Home of West Palm Beach's first city manager · Rescued from demolition and relocated to Yesteryear Village, 1995 · Featured on Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures (2008)
The Riddle House was built on July 1, 1905, at 327 Acacia Street in West Palm Beach, constructed from leftover lumber by workers employed on Henry Flagler's hotel development projects in the region. The small wood-frame structure was originally known as the Gatekeeper's Cottage and served as both a residence for the caretaker of Woodlawn Cemetery and as a funeral parlor — a combination that was not unusual for small structures adjacent to burial grounds in early twentieth-century Florida.
The City of West Palm Beach purchased the property in 1914 and repurposed it as 'City House,' transitioning it to municipal residential use for employees. In 1920, Karl Riddle — the city's first manager and superintendent of public works — acquired the building and made it his home, attaching his name to the structure. Riddle was recalled by voters in 1923 and vacated the property; it subsequently served as housing for other city employees.
In 1972, artist Mary Ann Hayes purchased the house and operated it as an art school. Palm Beach Atlantic College later used the structure as a dormitory before the college's expansion plans put the building in line for demolition. Rather than raze it, the college donated the structure to the Yesteryear Village committee at the South Florida Fairgrounds. Between August 12 and 13, 1995, volunteers dismantled and relocated the building, saving approximately $50,000 compared to professional moving costs. A $450,000 state historical grant funded the restoration of the house to its 1920s appearance. The building now stands at the South Florida Fairgrounds as part of the Yesteryear Village open-air history museum.
Sources
The most specific ghost claim at the Riddle House involves a former employee — referred to in paranormal accounts only as Joseph — who hanged himself in the attic after suffering personal misfortune and financial hardship. His presence in the attic is described across multiple independent accounts as hostile, in contrast to the generalized residual hauntings reported elsewhere in the building. The attic reportedly became severe enough in its reported activity that access was at some point restricted.
The 2008 Travel Channel episode of Ghost Adventures brought significant national attention to the property. During the investigation, the crew documented unexplained banging noises, voices captured on EVP recordings, and a general sense of what they characterized as malevolent energy concentrated in the attic. The footage is publicly available and remains the property's most widely cited evidence in paranormal circles.
Beyond the Joseph narrative, investigators and visitors report temperature drops on the ground and second floors, items moving across surfaces and flying from shelves, and accounts of visitors being scratched or pushed by unseen forces. Children's laughter and crying have also been reported on the second floor, though no historical record of child deaths at the property has been identified. Local ghost hunting groups conduct investigations at the site, and Yesteryear Village runs periodic 'History & Haunts' evening tours that include the Riddle House.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Reservations required for the History & Haunts evening tours at Yesteryear Village, which include the Riddle House and other historic structures on the fairgrounds campus. Tour dates are announced on the official website. Contact Yesteryear Village for current schedule and pricing.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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