The Historic Adams House is a hidden treasure with a heartbreaking past. The home was built in 1892, and over the decades, it’s seen its share of tragedies.
The Adams House was the talk of the town when it was completed.
Featuring gorgeous oak trim and stained glass windows, as well as a telephone and indoor plumbing, the home cost around $10,000 to build and was considered one of the most beautiful examples of Queen Anne-style architecture in the Black Hills.
Harris and Anna Franklin, the home’s original owners, spared no expense when it came to furnishing their new house.
The dining table was set with 18-carat gold chargers, monogrammed silverware and the finest crystal goblets.
The Franklin family lived in the home for years, then W.E. Adams and his wife, Alice purchased the home in 1920.
After just five years, Alice was diagnosed with cancer. She went to California to visit her daughter Helen, who was expecting a baby. While she was there, Alice passed away, and Helen went into premature labor. Both Helen and her baby girl died. The distraught W.E. was the only one left in the Adams family. His oldest daughter, Lucille, had died in 1912, and now his wife, younger daughter and infant granddaughter were all gone. He donated $35,000 to Deadwood to create the Adams Museum in order to honor his family.
W.E. met and married a young widow, Mary Mastrovich Vicich. W.E. was 73 years old; Mary was just 29.
The two were married for seven years when W.E. Adams passed away of a stroke at age 80.
There are rumors that Mary believed her husband’s spirit haunted the home immediately after his death.
She reportedly heard W.E. walking around on the second floor on several occasions, and she soon closed it up and left it for 50 years. Mary was in such a rush that she left many items just sitting, including a cookie jar full of cookies. Though she occasionally returned for short visits, the house was mostly vacant for five decades.
In 1987, the home was sold, and restoration efforts began with the intent to preserve it. In 2000 the home was opened up to the public, and stories of hauntings quickly surfaced.
New staff members often report seeing, hearing, and even smelling unexplained phenomena. They report seeing furniture move on its own, footsteps going down the hallway on the second floor, and even the smell of cigar smoke in one of the second-floor bedrooms.
You’ll find the Historic Adams House at 22 Van Buren Street, Deadwood.
Starting in April, you can visit seven days a week from 9 AM to 5 PM. Admission is $10 for adults; $5 for children ages 6-12. Children 5 and younger get in free.
Have you visited the Historic Adams House? We’d love to hear what you thought about it!
Did you know that Deadwood is one of the most unique towns in all of the United States? Check out this article!
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