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| Photograph ©Dian McGown |
Constructed in the opulent year of 1902, this majestic mansion stands as a testament to the grand vision of James Grant, a prosperous figure who held the prestigious position of the third governor of Colorado from 1883 to 1885. Beyond its architectural splendor, the mansion's history takes a fascinating turn with a series of events that have left an indelible mark on its halls and surrounding environs.
In 1911, tragedy struck when James Grant passed away, prompting his wife, Mary, to relinquish ownership of the estate to Albert Humphreys and his spouse, Alice. However, the narrative takes a mysterious turn when Mr. Humphreys met an untimely demise in what was described as a suspicious shooting accident on the mansion's third floor.
Adjacent to this splendid mansion lies Cheesman Park, a locale overshadowed by the haunting legacy of the Mount Prospect Graveyard. With over 2,000 interred souls, this cemetery, initially named City Cemetery in 1873, served as the final resting place for transients, criminals, and victims of devastating disease epidemics. In a rather unsettling turn of events, city officials, in 1893, declared their intent to repurpose the grounds, providing a mere 90 days for the relocation of all bodies.
This ambitious endeavor, however, resulted in a macabre spectacle. While church and temple members successfully moved sections designated for Catholic and Jewish burials, numerous bodies were left behind. The process of exhumation was marred by looting of graves, intentional breaking of bodies to fit into smaller containers, and the inadvertent mixing of body parts—a disheartening and disgraceful episode in the history of the cemetery.
The consequences of this tumultuous relocation reverberated throughout the surrounding homes and buildings, with apparitions making their presence known. In the Humphreys Mansion alone, at least five ghosts have been reported, casting a spectral veil over its storied halls.
Among the lingering spirits, Mr. Albert Humphreys himself is said to traverse the mansion's corridors, an unsurprising manifestation considering the tragic circumstances of his demise. The identities of the other apparitions remain shrouded in mystery, but conjecture suggests a connection to the chaotic events that unfolded in the ill-fated cemetery.
The Humphreys Mansion, standing as a silent witness to the intertwining of history and the supernatural, invites us to contemplate the lingering echoes of the past within its walls, where the stories of its former inhabitants continue to unfold in spectral whispers and ghostly apparitions.
Address:
770 Pennsylvania Street
Denver, Colorado 80203
(303) 894-2505