The 1863 mansion of New York's 22nd governor, now a local history museum that runs Halloween Spirit Tours led by a resident paranormal investigator.
67 Washington Street, Jamestown, NY 14701
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$
General museum admission applies during regular hours. Spirit Tours and special events are ticketed separately; check the museum's site for current pricing.
Access
Limited Access
Multi-story 1863 Italianate villa with a four-story tower; upper floors via period staircases
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1863 · 1863 Italianate villa built for New York Governor Reuben E. Fenton · Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 · Home of the Fenton History Center museum since 1964
The mansion at 67 Washington Street in Jamestown was completed in 1863 as the home of Reuben Eaton Fenton, a businessman and politician who served as Governor of New York from 1865 to 1868 and afterward in the United States Senate. Built in the Italianate villa style, the house is distinguished by a four-story tower and was among the most prominent residences in Chautauqua County.
The city of Jamestown acquired the property in 1919 for $35,000, intending it as a war memorial. Over the following decades the building declined, and demolition was at one point under consideration. A local historical society organized in 1962 and 1963 to save the mansion.
The Fenton History Center has occupied the building since 1964, operating it as a museum dedicated to the history of Jamestown and the surrounding Chautauqua County region. The mansion was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 18, 1972.
Today the Fenton History Center runs regular museum hours along with public programming. Among its seasonal offerings are evening Spirit Tours of the mansion, led by a board member who works as a paranormal investigator, which present the building's history alongside accounts of reported activity.
Sources
The Fenton History Center's paranormal programming centers on its seasonal Spirit Tours of the 1863 mansion. The tours are presented by Kaycee Colburn, identified in the museum's materials and in Post-Journal coverage as a Fenton board member, artist, and paranormal investigator who leads visitors through the building after hours.
The Spirit Tours are framed as both entertaining and educational about the paranormal rather than as a scare attraction. Participants are asked to bring a flashlight, dress warmly, and approach the experience with an open mind. The museum has reported good responses to the tours and has run additional Spirit Tour dates beyond Halloween, though it has not offered the overnight investigations that some participants have requested.
The Post-Journal documented the museum's paranormal offerings in its 2024 coverage of the Spirit Tour program. The combination of a well-preserved nineteenth-century mansion and a resident investigator has made the Fenton a regular stop for visitors interested in the area's haunted history.
The Fenton History Center occupies the 1863 Italianate villa built for New York Governor Reuben E. Fenton. Exhibits cover the history of Jamestown and Chautauqua County. The mansion has been home to the museum since 1964 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.
A ticketed seasonal evening tour of the mansion presented by Kaycee Colburn, a Fenton board member and paranormal investigator. The tour mixes the building's history with paranormal accounts; participants are encouraged to bring a flashlight, dress warmly, and keep an open mind. Run on selected fall dates.
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