Mackay Mansion hosting “Creature Feature” for Halloween

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -

The Mackay Mansion is hosting a “Creature Feature” on Halloween weekend.

“We basically scare you and we make you feel like you’re in a scary movie,” said caretaker and tour guide Halen Dessaussois.

It’s a building already known as a paranormal hotbed full of ghost stories.

“We’re well known here in Nevada to be one of the most haunted buildings,” added Dessaussois.

It was built back in 1859, and later sold to John Mackay shortly before the Bonanza silver strike in Virginia City.

“This was the first mining office for the Gould and Curry Mine across the way here, so this building was a really big deal,” continued Dessaussois.

And a lot of spirits are said to still roam the halls.

“Mr. Mackay was one of them, he still comes to this building to this day,” added Dessaussois.

Other apparitions are also reported, including a maid who fell down the stairs and died. Two robbers who were shot dead near the vault, and two little girls who died of illnesses.

“Upstairs sometimes it’ll sound like furniture’s dragging and dropping,” explained Dessaussois. “We have two little girls here named Emma and Lilly, and we hear like little girl giggling.”

The Rocking Horse room is where spirits are often encountered, including a disembodied voice once captured on cell phone video.

“It said, ‘Get out’,” said Dessaussois. “It’s where I get a lot of my activity. We also call it our haunted doll room.”

That’s because it’s filled with dolls that are said to have spirit attachments; some of them sent to the mansion by people who no longer wanted them inside their own homes. There’s also been a “shadow man” captured during a tour downstairs.

“We lightened the video to try and de-bunk it, and it (shadow man) was the only thing that did not get brighter,” added Dessaussois.

If you do happen to see or hear something, Dessaussois points out it’s usually harmless.

“When they do show themselves to you, more than likely they just want to either tell you something or they want to get to know you.”

But you are urged to be respectful.

“I had a gentleman steal a candlestick here from the Mackay, and he returned to me a few weeks later and he handed me the candlestick and he said, ‘Look I’m really sorry I took this from you guys.’ And I said, ‘They followed you home, didn’t they.”

The Mackay Mansion has been featured on “Ghost Adventures” and “The Dead Files”, and it is open for tours. The “Creature Feature” is happening October 29th - 31st. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for kids 11 and under. You can get more information and buy tickets at www.therealmackaymansion.com

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