New York City’s ‘House of Death’
The Greenwich Village is one of the most historic areas in all of New York City. Commonly referred to as the ‘West Village’ or ‘The Village’ by those familiar with the arbitrary boundaries of Manhattan neighborhoods, the area covers a radius of less than half of a mile and hosts some of the most expensive zip codes in all of New York. With its reputation as an “urban bohemia,” the West Village not only encompasses prestigious universities like NYU and The New School, but historical landmarks such as the Stonewall Inn, where the Stonewall Riots took place.
With such a storied history, this Manhattan enclave is bound to have some haunts. The ‘House of Death’ is located at 14 West 10th Street. According to TimeOut, this unassuming brownstone ranks as the 4th most haunted house in America right after the infamous Lizzie Borden House. Built in 1856, the House of Death has been home to notable tenants, the most famous being Mark Twain.
Although Mark Twain only lived there for a little more than one year, tenants that have been wealthy enough to live in the property since his death report seeing his ghostly apparition. One tenant, author and actress Jan Bartell moved into the House of Death in 1957. In her memoir titled Spindrift: Spray from a Psychic Sea, she recounted the terrifying experiences she faced during the seven years she lived there. She claimed to see apparitions, hear voices, and even thought she was possessed. Just months after moving out of the house and one month before her book was finally published in 1973, Bartell was found dead in her new home. There’s some speculation that it was a suicide, while other reports claim it was a heart attack. Regardless of the manner of her death, she was only 51 years old. Was her untimely death just a coincidence? We will likely never know.
A musician named ‘Dennis’ who spoke to the New York Post under the condition of anonymity, lived in the building next door to the House of Death for more than 20 years. Though he didn’t live at 14 West 10th St, he shared the walls while living at 16 West 10th St. He reported seeing shadow figures, flickering lights, and even an apparition of a cat. Curiously, in her memoir, Bartell also recounted seeing a ghostly cat while living in the residence.
Because it remains a private residence, the house is not available for ghost tours or paranormal investigations, adding to the intrigue and mystery. However, if you find yourself in New York City, it’s worth walking past it…maybe you’ll even see a ghostly figure in the window.
