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Campus exterior viewing
View Fenwick Hall and its clock tower from the Holy Cross campus. Interior access is restricted to college business.
- Duration:
- 30 min
Other Dark Tourism Site
Fenwick Hall (College of the Holy Cross)
The 1843 original academic building at College of the Holy Cross and the locus of the campus's most enduring legend, the 'Exorcism Tower' and its Stairway to Nowhere.
1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 3sources
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Active college campus; exterior is accessible to the public.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Hillside campus; building entry varies.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1843 · Original (1843) academic building of the College of the Holy Cross · Founded by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, second Bishop of Boston · Oldest standing structure on campus · Cornerstone laid June 21, 1843; rebuilt after 1852 fire
The College of the Holy Cross was established in October 1843 on Mount Saint James in Worcester, founded by Benedict Joseph Fenwick, the second Bishop of Boston, who named the new college after his cathedral church, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston. Fenwick Hall, the inaugural academic building, had its cornerstone laid on June 21, 1843.
In 1852 the building was completely destroyed by fire. It was rebuilt and reopened in 1853, and stands today as the oldest structure on campus. Wikipedia's article on the college describes Fenwick Hall as 'the college's flagship building.' The building is now used for administrative and academic offices and houses the campus's prominent clock tower, which dominates views of the hillside campus.
A closely adjoining building, O'Kane Hall, contains the so-called Exorcism Room high in its upper floor; the rooms above the fourth floor are reached via a 20-step interior stairway. According to a feature in Holy Cross Magazine, a pre-1854 artist's rendering of Fenwick and O'Kane halls indicates the 'Stairs to Nowhere' were originally intended to lead to an observatory that was never built, leaving the staircase to end at a sealed wall.
Holy Cross is the oldest Catholic college in New England and remains a Jesuit liberal-arts institution. The Fenwick/O'Kane complex is both the architectural and the folkloric center of the campus.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/College_of_the_Holy_Cross
- https://magazine.holycross.edu/stories/why-we-love-fear
- https://thepulsemag.com/wordpress/2015/10/worcesters-haunted-colleges
Folkloric history of exorcism in the tower (no contemporary phenomenal reports cited)Stairway to Nowhere as folkloric anomaly
Holy Cross's signature legend centers on the so-called Exorcism Tower in the upper floors of O'Kane Hall, attached to Fenwick Hall. Per Holy Cross Magazine's feature 'It Scares Us to Death – And We Love It' and the school's own coverage, the supposed former tower entrance is reached on the fourth floor by a 20-step 'Stairway to Nowhere' that ends abruptly at a sealed wall.
The most-told version of the story, recounted in The Pulse Magazine's 2015 'Worcester's haunted colleges' article and in Holy Cross Magazine, involves two Jesuit priests who attempt to exorcise a demonically possessed young woman in a room above the fourth floor. In this telling, one priest is thrown through a window and falls to his death, while the other priest and the young woman are never seen again. Variations have a bolt of lightning striking the tower or the clock breaking from the released spirits.
The legend's actual origin is more recent than the building. Holy Cross associate professor of theatre Scott Malia, quoted in Holy Cross Magazine, observes that the story 'has to be 50 years old or less because before that we weren't a coeducational institution,' suggesting it emerged after the college became coeducational in 1972. The school's official history 'Thy Honored Name' contains no mention of an exorcism, and a pre-1854 architect's rendering shows the Stairway to Nowhere was originally intended to lead to an observatory that was never built.
Holy Cross has embraced the folklore with what the magazine calls 'genial amusement,' offering occasional alumni tours of the Exorcism Room (which is now used for storage and remains locked the majority of the year) and inviting visitors to sign its walls. The lore is unusually well-attested in college-owned sources for a campus legend.
Notable Entities
Unnamed possessed young woman (folklore)Two Jesuit priests (folklore)
Media Appearances
- Holy Cross Magazine: 'Myths and Legends: Tall Tales from Mount St. James' (2006)
- Holy Cross Magazine: 'It Scares Us to Death – And We Love It'
- The Pulse Magazine: 'Worcester's haunted colleges' (October 2015)
Plan Your Visit
1 way to experienceSources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fenwick Hall (College of the Holy Cross) family-friendly?
Active Jesuit college campus; family-friendly exterior viewing. Overall family fit: High.
How much does it cost to visit Fenwick Hall (College of the Holy Cross)?
Active college campus; exterior is accessible to the public. This location is free to visit.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Fenwick Hall (College of the Holy Cross) wheelchair accessible?
Yes, Fenwick Hall (College of the Holy Cross) is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Hillside campus; building entry varies..