An 1810 Federal-style mansion that served as a Civil War field hospital — its basement morgue and decades of neglect have drawn investigators and TV crews
220 S Main Street, Harrodsburg, KY 40330
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Private historic property; not regularly open to the public. Exterior viewing from street is possible.
Access
Limited Access
Historic residential property; access limited to exterior observation from public street
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1810 · Built 1810 by Judge James Haggin — Pioneer Kentucky Family · Civil War Field Hospital After Battle of Perryville (1862) · Temporary Morgue in Crawlspace After Perryville Casualties · Adjacent to Fort Harrod — Kentucky's First Permanent Settlement · Listed on National Register of Historic Places (NRHP #80001718)
Captain John Haggin arrived in Kentucky in spring 1775, among the first wave of settlers after Daniel Boone's early explorations. He established a cabin at the location where Rocky Point Manor would later stand, adjacent to the stockade that became Fort Harrod — Kentucky's first permanent English-speaking settlement. His son James Haggin became a prosperous land attorney and circuit judge, and in 1809 purchased the property to construct the manor house.
Completed in 1810, the two-story Federal-style mansion with residual Georgian features was considered a grand home for its era, its grounds spanning approximately 400 acres at construction. The house stood as a landmark in Mercer County through the antebellum period.
When the Battle of Perryville erupted on October 8, 1862 — the largest Civil War battle fought in Kentucky — the fighting happened in fields a few miles from Harrodsburg. The aftermath fell on structures like Rocky Point Manor. The basement was converted into an emergency field hospital treating casualties from both armies. A crawlspace along the wall served as a temporary morgue while the overwhelmed military medical system processed the dead and wounded. Artifacts from that period were later discovered in the crawlspaces and dug from the backyard.
Ownership of Rocky Point Manor changed many times across the 20th century. In the 1940s, the structure was partitioned into apartments. By the 1980s, needed repairs had not been made, and water damage was extensive. The James Harrod Trust purchased the building in 2001 for $75,000, but by 2002 the Kentucky New Era described it as decaying and repeatedly threatened with demolition. The building's survival into the 21st century, despite decades of vacancy and deterioration, placed it on paranormal investigators' radar before any organized investigation took place.
Sources
Ghost Adventures investigators arrived at Rocky Point Manor in 2011, producing an episode that aired on the Travel Channel and established the manor's national profile in paranormal circles. The episode is rated 7.0 on IMDB, reflecting viewer engagement with the investigation.
Accounts from occupants who have spent time in the building since it changed hands multiple times describe a consistent cluster of activity. Shadow figures are reported moving through the upper floors — shapes that appear peripheral and vanish when directly observed. Full apparitions — figures that appear solid before disappearing — have been reported by multiple independent witnesses. Doors in the building are described as unlocking and opening without mechanical cause, a phenomenon noted specifically in rooms with no apparent draft or structural explanation.
The basement carries the heaviest documented reputation. As the site of the 1862 field hospital, it treated wounded from both armies in the hours and days after Perryville. The crawlspace used as a temporary morgue remains part of the building's structure. Investigators and occupants consistently report the basement as the location of the most intense unexplained sounds — described as movement and voices emanating from the space.
Battle artifacts, including items dug from the backyard and found in crawlspaces, reinforce the building's documented connection to the Perryville aftermath. Whether those objects — and the events they represent — contribute to the reported activity is a question the investigation record leaves open.
Media Appearances
Rocky Point Manor's two-story Federal-style facade is visible from South Main Street, adjacent to historic Fort Harrod. The building's documented history as a Civil War field hospital and its paranormal reputation make it a notable stop on informal Harrodsburg history walks.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
Louisville, KY
The Pink Palace is a three-story Victorian mansion with a French chateau-style turret at 1473 St. James Court in Old Louisville. Built around 1891, it operated initially as the St. James Court Gentlemen's Club and Casino and was acquired in the 1910s by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, which painted the red brick exterior pink. It is a private residence and a fixture of Old Louisville ghost walks.
Pikeville, KY
The York House at 209 Elm Street was built in 1918 by Augusta Dils York, a prominent Pikeville family, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Creekmore family later occupied the mansion, which gave rise to the local legend that defines its current reputation.
Huntsville, AL
Built in 1823, Cedarhurst Mansion is one of Huntsville's oldest surviving antebellum homes. It became associated with ghost stories in the 19th century following the death of Sally Carter, a 15-year-old who died in the house on November 28, 1837. Alabama Heritage Magazine's 2024 critical analysis traces the legend's documented provenance back to pre-Civil War accounts.