The Small Town In Minnesota That May Be Teeming With Ghosts
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Betsy Rathburn
Author
Mantorville, Minnesota, is a small town with a population of just 1,200 people. But there may be a few souls who escaped the last census. Though there are haunted spots in towns and cities across Minnesota, this little town has a higher than usual concentration of spooky locales. It has so many, in fact, that this small town just might be teeming with ghosts. Read on to learn about Mantorville’s history, including that of some of its most haunted buildings.
Nestled in the beautiful rolling hills of southeastern Minnesota, Mantorville is about as picturesque as you can get. Its location along the Middle Fork of the Zumbro River only adds to the town's beauty.
Lined with large, historic buildings downtown Mantorville is beautiful. Some of those buildings were even built using Mantorville limestone, which was quarried not far from town.
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The town was founded in 1854, though settlers had arrived at least by 1853. There is even a Mantorville Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Dodge County Courthouse, located in Mantorville, is the oldest working courthouse in Minnesota. It was built out of Mantorville limestone in 1856.
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One place where more than a few ghosts have been imagined in Mantorville? The Mantorville Opera House. Built in 1918, this little theater has been dazzling visitors with music and theatrics since before the Prohibition era. Naturally, more than a few spooky-themed performances have been put in over the past 99 years.
Today, the theater is said to be haunted by a ghost named Ellen, who has been known to move objects and make strange noises. Perhaps a visit to the Opera House is in order to see if it's really true.
Today, the theater is said to be haunted by a ghost named Ellen, who has been known to move objects and make strange noises. Perhaps a visit to the Opera House is in order to see if it's really true.
The restaurant was first built in 1854, though it was latter added to and improved upon a few years later. It has hosted many famous guests over the years, including Ulysses S. Grant and Mickey Mantle. The rumors of its haunting likely began after two people died in the restaurant, one in an accident, and one by suicide. Guests and employees have reported cigar smells, flickering lights, and music that came on after being turned off. In such an old building, it's hard to say what could be the cause. But why not ghosts?
The Restoration House, built in 1856, is almost as old as the Hubbell House. This building once served as Dodge County's first courthouse, complete with a basement jail cell. Today, that rusty cell hasn't housed a criminal in decades. But it still stands as a part of Mantorville's early history - and perhaps as a home to its lonely ghosts.
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Many of us have passed an old cabin near the edge of the road or deep in the woods and felt a chill pass over our bodies. If you visit the Old Log Cabin in Mantorville, you may feel the same chill. But this time, you might just have a reason for it. Others who have passed by this 1850s-era building have felt the same cold wash over them. Is it a ghost, or simply an imagination gone wild? The only way to know for sure is to visit.
Do you believe in Mantorville’s ghostly past? If you like reading about Minnesota’s haunted destinations, check out the haunted hike in Minnesota that will send you running for the hills.
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