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Truth Seeker: Thurber House holds tragic tale

The parlor of the Thurber House

There are times when I go on day trips that I end up doing one thing and end up not being able to check out locations that are believed to be haunted. But one thing is for certain, I do try each time I am away. Last month I had this opportunity again on a trip to Columbus, Ohio. Although I was only planning on being there until mid-afternoon I was able to do some searching as well.

After searching different sites I found out about a home that was built on the property of the former Central Ohio Lunatic Asylum. The asylum itself was burned down in 1868 and the Thurber House was built around 1873. I was pleased to find out it was still around and excited to find out it was now a museum. Since it was only fifteen minutes away from where I was I had no other place in mind to go other than to this museum. I parked out front of the museum and my son and I made our way up to the building … only to feel disappointment by looking at the sign saying they would not be open until shortly before the time I had planned on leaving town.

As we walked back toward the car a man said to try knocking on the back door since the office was back there. I was much surprised to find a young lady working there that took time to talk with me.

After talking for some time she decided to go a head and give us a private tour of the home due to my circumstances. She led us toward the front but stepped away for a moment. But that moment was all we needed to know this home did have activity.

Both of us felt something tragic happened in one part of the front parlor.

A few minutes later she came back into the room and began the tour of this beautiful home. As we went from room to room she told us about the history and what the home is today. Not only is it a museum but authors have the ability to rent out the upper part to focus on their works. The information she gave us was very educational. But, not only did we hear the history I asked her to tell us the paranormal stories as well.

She began telling us a few things that have happened there including the clock that opened on its own, long with people claiming to have seen a gentleman standing behind them with a white collar when they look in the mirror above the fireplace in the parlor.

This story gained my interest fast because that is where we felt something tragic had happened earlier. After listening to the lady telling us what happened in the parlor it all made sense. Turns out a man by the name of Thomas Tracy Tress, who lived there, one day began joking around with his gun. He would point it at his wife and insisted that it was not loaded. Then he pointed it at his own chest and made the comment of “look at me” pulling the trigger. Little did Thomas Tress know the gun indeed was loaded. Thomas died in April 1904 at the age of 39.

Could this be what caused us to have the feelings that we experienced or something else? Is this the man people see standing behind them in the mirror? Find out for yourself and visit the Thurber House.

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