Chester Wickwire's 1890 Victorian stone mansion in Cortland where pipe smoke, shadow figures, and a woman in a long skirt at the top of the stairs have been reported since opening
37 Tompkins Street, Cortland, NY 13045
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Adults $15; seniors $12; students/military $10; children 5–18 $5; under 5 free. Ghost hunt pricing via partnered investigators.
Access
Wheelchair OK
First floor fully wheelchair accessible; second and third floors partially accessible via stairs
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1890 · Cortland County industrial history · Chester Wickwire — wire manufacturing pioneer · Victorian stone mansion architecture · NY Haunted History Trail member
Chester Franklin Wickwire was a Cortland industrialist whose wire cloth manufacturing operations grew into a regional enterprise in the 1880s. He built the stone Victorian mansion at 37 Tompkins Street in 1890 as a showpiece of his success, incorporating period features typical of high-end residential construction in upstate New York: stained glass windows, a formal billiard and smoking room on the third floor, elaborate parlors, and servant quarters.
Wickwire died of a stroke at the dining table in 1910. His death in the house is noted by museum staff and investigators as one of several events that contribute to the building's paranormal reputation. His wife Ardell died in 1915. Frederic Wickwire, who occupied the house after his parents, is described in museum accounts as less welcoming to visitors than his father — a personality contrast that shapes how investigators interpret activity attributed to him. Frederic's wife Marian reportedly saw Ardell's image in mirrors.
The mansion operates as a house museum from May through December, with guided tours Thursday through Sunday. The exhibits cover three interconnected histories: the Wickwire family's prosperity, the servants who ran the household, and the workers at Wickwire Wire Mills who produced the family's wealth. The museum's research library supports educational programs.
The building was featured on Syfy's Ghost Hunters in 2013. Monthly public paranormal investigations using the Estes Method — a sensory-deprivation technique involving a spirit box — now run alongside the regular tour schedule.
Sources
Paranormal investigators who have worked the 1890 House describe three distinct Wickwire presences, each with a consistent reported character. Chester Wickwire — who died at the dining table in 1910 — is said to present as curious during Estes Method sessions and does not discourage visitors. Frederic, his son, comes through as protective of the property and less welcoming to outsiders, a characterization that maps onto historical accounts of his personality. Ardell Wickwire, who died in 1915, was reportedly seen by Marian Wickwire in mirrors during the family's own residence.
The museum secretary, Nicelee Hollenback, documented an account from her niece who witnessed a figure in a long skirt standing at the top of the main staircase. When the figure disappeared, the lights that had been switched off throughout the house came back on simultaneously. Footsteps on upper floors when the building is empty after closing are reported routinely by staff.
The aroma of pipe smoke appears consistently on the staircase near what was the family's bachelor retreat and smoking room on the third floor. Visitors between the second and third floors describe a sensation of clothing being gently tugged, particularly when asking aloud about the hauntings.
Monthly investigations use spirit radios and the Estes Method. Investigators report that Chester and Frederic respond with distinct enough characteristics that investigators unfamiliar with the family can describe their personalities accurately in retrospect.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Guided tours of the 1890 Victorian stone mansion covering the Wickwire family, the wire manufacturing empire that built it, and the servants and factory workers whose labor sustained the household. Tours include the main staircase, parlors, and third-floor billiard and smoking room.
Monthly public paranormal investigations conducted with partnered investigators using spirit radios and the Estes Method. Private late-night rentals also available. Contact the museum for current scheduling and pricing.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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