The Hampton Lillibridge House
Too Creepy For Occupancy
The most haunted house in Savannah, according to old-timers, is the Hampton Lillibridge House at 507 East Saint Julian Street on Washington Square. The home was originally built by Rhode Islander, Hampton Lillibridge in 1796.
When Hampton Lillibridge died, his widow remarried and disposed of the property. The home passed from owner to owner, and eventually became a boarding house. A sailor hung himself in one of the third story guest rooms during that period.
A Fateful Move
No one would live in the house for a number of years after that until it was finally purchased by intrepid antique dealer Jim Williams in 1963. The house was rapidly deteriorating. Williams also purchased the house next door, with the intent to restore both. However, a laborer was crushed to death during the move of the second house, another victim of the curse attached to the structure.
Workers involved in the 1963 relocation, conceivably stumbled on the source of the paranormal activity associated with Savannah's most haunted house. To their horror, workmen uncovered an ancient crypt as they were preparing the foundation to move.
Judging from the crypt's tabby construction, it dated back to early colonial times. Workers reported that the crypt was empty and so they had simply sealed it up and reburied it. Williams now suspects this to be the source of the haunting and regrets not having investigated more thoroughly at the time.
The Others
There is an abundance of macabre events associated with the Hampton Lillibridge house. Tools and equipment of men working on the restoration mysteriously disappeared or were relocated. Mocking laughter and footsteps were reported on several occasions.
Jim Williams himself reported numerous abnormalities during his tenure in the house. For example, he once followed a shadowy figure to the end of an upper story hall where it mysteriously disappeared through a door. Williams tried to open the door himself, but it was locked tight.
On December 7, 1963 the distraught Williams at last conducted an exorcism of the haunted house under the auspices of an Episcopal bishop. Unfortunately, the cleansing was ineffective as the paranormal activity resumed within a week.
There are no willing buyers because of the many true scary stories associated with the most haunted house in Savannah. Neighbors report shadowy figures in the windows and eerie music and laughter as if some paranormal party is underway at one of Savannah's most haunted places.
by Dennis Woods
About the Author
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