While every house has a history, some of these backstories can delve into creepy or horrifying. These historical buildings could have been home to otherworldly disturbances or real-life crimes, but they all have one thing in common: they are strange. If you want to learn more about six historical buildings with the strangest backstories, continue reading here.
6. Villa de Vecchi
Starting our list of historical houses is Villa De Vecchi, located near Lake Como, Italy. Also known as the “House of Witches,” the building dates back to 1854-1857 and was built as a summer house for Count Felix De Vecchi. The family only spent a few years there due to tragedy. An architect died a year after construction, and in 1862, Count De Vecchi came home to his murdered wife and his daughter missing. Unable to find her, De Vecchi died by suicide a year later, leaving the house to his brother. It has been vacant since the 1960s.
5. Los Feliz House
Next up on our list is the Los Feliz House, located in one of L.A.’s coolest neighborhoods that also features several historical buildings with gruesome pasts. Seemingly a happy home to Dr. Harold Perelson and his family, in 1959, Perelson murdered his wife in her sleep with a hammer and went after his children. Fortunately, the children managed to avoid the attack, and Perelson ended his life by drinking acid. Since the event, the house has been bought and resold several times.
4. Elda Castle
Fourth on our list of historical buildings is the Elda Castle, built in the 1920s by David T. Abercrombie, the co-founder of Abercrombie & Fitch. The New York mansion sits on 50 acres and was inhabited by David, his wife Lucy, and their four children. Right after the house was completed in 1928, a series of tragedies struck. Their daughter Lucy died in an accident at her dad’s factory, and then the patriarch passed away from rheumatic fever in their home. The house soon fell into disrepair, with several owners trying to revive the home before falling on hard times themselves.
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3. Lucy House
Rounding out the top three historical buildings is the Lucy Murder House. Once a beautiful home, it holds quite a horrific past. In January of 1994, the remains of 13-year-old Allan Lucy were found buried underneath the front porch. Allan lived with his adoptive parents until he disappeared without a trace in May 1985. In the following months, Jason Lucy, the biological son, told classmates that his father killed Allan and buried him, but no one believed him. Today, the house remains empty and overgrown.
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2. Lennox Castle
Second on our list of historical houses is Lennox Castle in Scotland. Built for an important Scottish family in 1812, the castle was later converted into an asylum for the mentally ill in the 1930s and a hospital during WWII, where existing patients were transferred to other buildings on the property. Fights among the patients were common, and in one instance, the ward was significantly damaged. It was vacated in the 1980s and officially closed in 2002.
1. John List House
Last but not least on our list of historical buildings is the John List House, which probably has one of the most horrifying backstories. In November of 1971, John List killed his entire family in their New Jersey home, including his wife, mother, and two children. He then went and watched his teenage son play a soccer game before killing him, too. Lining up the family in the ballroom, List turned on all the lights and fled. The family wasn’t discovered until a month later, and John List was never caught until 1989. The house was burnt down in 1974, but the new house built on the property looks eerily similar to the original.
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