HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
Bloomington's 1907 Classical Revival mansion where the 'Lady in Red' appears in a second-floor mirror
1207 North Main Street, Bloomington, IL 61701
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Illinois Wesleyan University campus; visitor access to campus grounds is free. Building is residential student housing — interior is not open to the public.
Access
Limited Access
Residential building on campus with steps; interior not publicly accessible
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1907 · Classical Revival Architecture · Illinois Wesleyan University History · International Student Housing
The mansion at 1207 North Main Street in Bloomington was constructed in 1907 in the Classical Revival style, one of several substantial private residences built along the North Main corridor in the early twentieth century. Researcher M.A. Kleen's 2019 account confirms the 1907 build date and documents the DeMange family's brief occupancy.
A. E. DeMange and his wife moved into the new home shortly after construction was completed. Mrs. DeMange died in 1908 — within approximately a year of taking up residence in the mansion. The cause and circumstances of her death are not detailed in the sources available for this build. The house subsequently passed through other ownership before being acquired by Illinois Wesleyan University.
IWU converted the building into Kemp Hall International House, a student residence that serves the university's international student population. The building retains significant architectural features from the 1907 construction. The university's awareness of the building's haunted reputation is at least implicit — the IWU student community has documented and discussed the Lady in Red sighting across campus media and community wikis.
Sources
The Lady in Red apparition at Kemp Hall is one of the more precisely located hauntings in central Illinois: the sightings are consistently associated with a specific object in a specific location — the large mirror positioned at the top of the second-floor staircase. Witnesses describe a woman in red appearing in the mirror as if reflected, dressed formally as one would be for a ball or event, pausing as if adjusting her appearance before the image disappears.
M.A. Kleen's research identifies the Lady in Red as Mrs. A. E. DeMange, who died in 1908 roughly a year after moving into the newly built mansion. The identification rests on circumstantial association — DeMange died in the house young and shortly after arrival — rather than any documentary or direct witness statement naming her. The Handwiki entry for the Lady in Red independently cites the Illinois Wesleyan University Kemp Hall connection, corroborating the location if not the identity.
The Bloomington-Normal LocalWiki documents the Kemp Hall haunting as part of a broader entry on haunted Illinois sites, indicating that the legend has enough community currency to merit inclusion in a collaboratively maintained local reference. Among IWU students, the Lady in Red is the university's most widely known campus ghost story.
Notable Entities
Kemp Hall is an active student residence on the Illinois Wesleyan campus. The Classical Revival exterior, including the original 1907 facade, is visible from North Main Street. Interior access is not available to general visitors.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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