HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
A circa-1768 Nutley manor listed on the National Register of Historic Places, where a Prohibition-era speakeasy operator was found shot dead in December 1936—and where paranormal investigations have recorded disembodied voices in the basement.
3 Kingsland Street, Nutley, NJ 07110
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
Ticketed museum visits and paranormal investigation events. Check kingslandmanornutley.org for current pricing.
Access
Limited Access
18th-century manor with stairs and uneven original flooring; basement speakeasy access via stairs.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1768 · National Register of Historic Places listing · One of Essex County's oldest surviving 18th-century colonial structures · Site of Prohibition-era speakeasy operation · Scene of Bernard McGinnity's unexplained 1936 shooting death
Kingsland Manor was constructed around 1768 on what was then agricultural land in Nutley Township, Essex County, New Jersey. The structure is one of a small number of 18th-century colonial homes remaining intact in the immediate region and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural and historical significance.
The manor's most dramatic chapter came during Prohibition, when Bernard 'Bus' McGinnity operated a speakeasy in the building's basement. McGinnity used the property for illegal liquor sales and distribution during the 1920s and early 1930s, a period when the manor's rural setting offered some cover from enforcement. The basement space where the speakeasy operated remains intact.
On December 9, 1936, McGinnity was found shot in the head outside a barn on the property. He was 37 years old. The shooting's circumstances were described at the time as murky — the death was never definitively ruled a homicide or suicide, and no one was charged. McGinnity is buried in a local cemetery; his connection to the property ended with his death.
The manor has been maintained as a museum and is operated in cooperation with the Township of Nutley. The municipality has hosted formal paranormal investigation events at the property, and the site's documented history — colonial origins, Prohibition-era crime, an unexplained shooting death — has made it a consistent entry in regional paranormal guides.
Sources
The paranormal record at Kingsland Manor is concentrated in two areas: the basement that once served as McGinnity's speakeasy and the main house hallways. Investigators and museum staff have described disembodied male and female voices recorded in the basement — voices that respond, in some accounts, to direct questions from investigators. Shadow figures have been observed in the main hall and on the staircase, and unexplained footsteps have been reported throughout the building when it is otherwise empty.
The association of specific phenomena with McGinnity is speculative but persistent: the basement where he operated is also where the most concentrated activity has been recorded. Whether the female voice corresponds to a specific historical figure at the manor has not been established.
The municipality of Nutley's decision to host official paranormal investigation events distinguishes Kingsland Manor from sites where activity is reported only informally. The township has advertised and ticketed investigation nights, which have been catalogued through the municipality's events calendar — an unusual level of institutional acknowledgment of a property's paranormal associations.
Notable Entities
Where this legend is told
Tours of Kingsland Manor cover the circa-1768 structure and its history as one of Essex County's oldest surviving colonial homes. The tour includes the main house rooms and the speakeasy basement where paranormal events have been documented.
The Township of Nutley has hosted formal paranormal investigation nights at the manor, allowing participants to explore the property with equipment and guides. Events are announced through the municipality and the Kingsland Manor website.
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