Ghost Stories at the Armstrong Mansion

Hello from us all at the "Armstrong".

Fall is here and October just around the corner, brings out the snoop and the spook in all of us.
Since you have asked if we have ghosts, here are some sightings at the Mansion – you decide.

A cleaning woman in 1999 told some very scary stories.

Virgie would often come flying down the stairs, hair flying, her shrill voice vibrating off the walls.
One day as I was cleaning up breakfast she bumped into me and I heard her say; "I hate when she does that.."

I remember asking her "When who does what…?" She then started into her strange story.

When Virgie started to work at the Mansion, Florence Armstrong (sleeping quietly in her grave for many years) found a kindred soul in her.

"She taunts me daily" Virgie said, "and finds it quite entertaining to walk right through me…I hate that!"

"Sometimes when I go into a room to clean I find her there just swooshing around…."

When Virgie left Florence became quiet.

I must admit that I still feel a little uneasy going upstairs when the house is empty…I really do not care to make friends with Florence.

Are you too scared to continue?

Well here is another. One day our guests staying in the July room had been out shopping and stopped at the front desk to visit.

It was around 5 o’clock in the early evening and they asked us if the maids were cleaning their room soon. I assured them the maids had been long gone at least 4 hours ago. They had a puzzled look on their face,…

"Who was that in our room?" they asked.

It seems that they were interested in finding the July room’s window so were standing outside looking up towards the house when they found someone standing in the window facing the east, looking right down at them.

1. The tub is in the gable of the east window in the July room.
2. Because the tub is in that area, no one could stand on the floor by the window except they were floating.
3. No one else had keys to their room so no one was in the room.

The guests later pointed out Florence’s picture as the person in the window.

Enough?

One morning early I was awoken by the fire alarm resounding through the halls and stairways. I dressed and quickly raced to the top floor to see if I could find the fire or the problem causing the alarm to sound.

I met several couples filing down the stairs vacating the home. As we met the last couple coming from the August room, the wife apologized and admitted that they were the ones that made the ghosts mad and there was nothing wrong with the fire alarm. When the halls were once again quiet I sat down with the couple and they told me this fun story.

The husband started early in the evening trying to scare her, making noises and blaming it on the ghost. Finally he gave up and they settled down to sleep, imagine their shock when they where awaken by the door handle moving back and forth….to the closet.

The next morning he had been starting once again to tease her when the alarm went off. She said "I guess the ghost had had enough."

Buy the way, there is nothing quite as scary as a good murder. We actually have had several murders here at the Mansion, and you can help us solve the mystery of "WhoDunnit". Gather 12 to 14 of your friends together and come and enjoy a great evening of fun. You are the actors and the suspects.

Check us out on the web or call us for more information.

ALSO! Our first ever "Scary Movie Night at The Mansion" will be October 31st. Come and get a room and meet us in the parlor, don’t for get to let us know what your favorite scary movie is – maybe we will show it. Make sure it is PG-13 at least. Treats will be served.

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!

Judy Savage, Innkeeper
The Armstrong Mansion - Salt Lake City, Utah

The Mansion is rich in history

The story of Isabelle and Francis was truly one of romance. Francis was in his twenties and Isabelle was barely 15. You must realize that the hardship of the long trek across the plains made the children grow up and accept the challenges of their hard lives. Isabelle was the oldest child and so did much of the work around the house. When Francis met her he was attracted by her sense of humor and her ability around the dance floor was noted by others also, even Brigham Young.

Francis asked her father for her hand in marriage and father was thrilled. Francis was quite a catch and he felt that he would go far. However, Isabelle’s father had remarried and Francis was encouraged by the father to “talk to her”. He was told that Isabelle did all of the work and she could not allow her to leave. Francis brought the step-mother $200.00 and suggested that she buy a maid because “Isabelle was getting married.”

They made a contract with an owner of a wood mill to work-to-own a mill up in the canyon. Having not much money they were forced to borrow a carriage to get to the church and Isabelle cooked a dinner for her “reception” after.

During the next 10 years, Isabelle cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner for the workers that lived and worked at the mill and had her 10 children.

Francis promised Isabelle that he would build her the most beautiful home in the valley, and thus the “Mansion” was born in the heart of Isabelle.

In the early 1900’s the dress and style of the day was still Victorian here at the “Mansion”. The dinner parties were galas with much excitement and of course much preparation for those invited. Dignitaries, famous personalities and friends alike mingled together to share an evening of anticipation and pleasure. Women dressed in the style of the day glided through the “Mansion” with grace and enchantment and the men with their secrecy and romance always drew the evening into one of fascination.

In the month of October we recreate the atmosphere and mystery of those wonderful evenings with our “Mystery Dinners”. At a time when costumes and magic abound we invite you to gather together with 12-14 friends and enjoy a wonderful evening with us at the “Mansion”.
All will receive a formal invitation with the profile of your character well in advance so you can dress in character. You are the invited guests and so are the suspects in the murder investigation that takes place in the 2 hour adventure. A full 5 course dinner is served and as you delve into the investigation you also find you just might have ”Done It” yourself.
At the end of the evening two awards are given, one to the “Best Actor/Actress” and one to the “Best Costume”, so we encourage you to really play your part.

In July the Horton family from Salt Lake had a family reunion here with us at the “Mansion”. John and Anne had a wonderful adventure planned for each day and topped it off with the “Mystery Dinner” as the final big event of their stay. I am sure that they won’t mind if I tell you that they were all “HAMS”, and it was difficult to decide the awards at the end.

It was a fun evening we will all remember. What a wonderful way to really get to know your relatives.

The Mystery Dinners can be organized for any big event that you want to remember - birthdays, anniversaries, graduations or just the get-togethers that we can really reminisce about for years to come.

Watch for the specials to come for the month of October (Mystery Dinner & any room - $200.00 per couple Monday through Thursday) and remember that we need at least a 3 weeks in advance to set it all up for you and your guests.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE “MANSION”!

Judy Savage, Innkeeper
The Armstrong Mansion - Salt Lake City, Utah