By Kristen Anderson, @chillinkristen
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Sure, you listen to true crime podcasts. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’re up on all the documentaries. (Night Stalker was rough!) But have you gone on a true-crime-themed getaway?
Enter the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast. Operating in the actual former home of the tragedy-ridden Borden family of Massachusetts, co-owners Donald Woods and Leeann Wilber lovingly run this hotel/museum combo alongside a dedicated staff. They go to great lengths to make sure that guests are satisfied and they have enough understanding about the home’s grisly history in order to account for any bumps that happen in the night.
In 1892, the small Fall River community was rocked when husband and wife Andrew and Abby Borden were found murdered in their house—the victims of more than a dozen hatchet wounds each. Their bodies were discovered by Lizzie Borden, Andrew’s daughter and Abby’s stepdaughter, who soon became the prime suspect. Perhaps you’ve heard the twisted children’s rhyme:
“Lizzie Borden took an ax
Gave her mother forty whacks.
When she saw what she had done,
She gave her father forty-one.”
There’s also a lesser-known second verse:
“Andrew Borden is now dead,
Lizzie hit him in the head.
In the heavens he will sing,
On the gallows she will swing.”
Lizzie was charged, tried and acquitted, which shocked the townspeople, most of whom were sure Lizzie was guilty. She and her sister, Emma (who was out of town when the murders occurred) didn’t return to the family home, but moved into another house in the same town. Emma seemed satisfied with Lizzie's innocence; however, after living together for 12 years, Emma abruptly moved out. The sisters never saw each other again.
But just because the sisters never returned to the Borden family home doesn’t mean it’s remained uninhabited. Nearly 100 years after the murders, the house was turned into the bed and breakfast it is today. It’s aim is to provide an authentic, themed experience around what the home was like at the time of the murders while providing a comprehensive overview of the crime itself.
The Borden home’s overall decor reflects its original 19th century time period down to the last detail. Owners Woods and Wilber hired upholsterers to copy the fabric and style of the furniture that was originally in the home, and the floral patterns that were in favor in the 1800s are well represented. There are crime scene photos hanging on the walls in the locations the murders occurred—a genuine photo of deceased Andrew Borden on the couch hangs up over a replica couch, and a picture of Abby Borden rests on a dresser next to the spot she was killed in the upstairs guest room.
The hotel features themed rooms for its guests, including the room in which Abby Borden was killed, now known as the John V. Morse Room, named after Andrew Borden’s brother, who stayed in it the night before the murders. There’s also the Andrew and Abby Suite, comprising the couple’s bedroom and Abby’s sewing room, as well as the Lizzie and Emma Suite, where the sisters slept. Among other guest rooms, you also have the option to stay in the Bridget Sullivan room, the former living quarters of the Borden family maid. (Sullivan was the only other person on the premises on the day of the murders, leading to speculation about what she may have known and not said).
The team at the bed and breakfast knows exactly what draws people there, and they smartly play into it. Not only are there daily historical tours open to the public, but overnight guests have access to a supply of various Ouija boards in the drawing room, a TV with recordings of television specials about the Borden murders, and complimentary dowsing rods for ghost investigations. They serve hatchet-shaped cookies with breakfast in the morning. Guests are also treated to a free nighttime tour, which includes not only information about the murders, but the paranormal experiences that people have had on the property since then.
Because of this, it’s become a popular destination for ghost hunters. Most of the reviews on TripAdvisor reference staying up late trying to capture something, often teaming up with other guests. However, some reviews mention experiencing ghostly activity they weren’t looking for.
“[My husband] said he woke several times in the night, each time he would look around the room and fall back asleep quite quickly. The last time this happened, he looked around the darkened room as before, but this time as he turned back to rest his head he distinctly felt the bed vibrate near where his feet where [sic] as if someone put their hands on the bed and were pushing on it rapidly. He said he couldn't move his body after that, sleep paralysis had taken over although he wanted to look to see what was making the bed move. He remembered if you move your fingers it usually helps with sleep paralysis and tried that, but suddenly sleep overcame him and he fell asleep, and like that it was morning. My husband has a theory that he might have startled a spirit since he was looking into the darkness for a while that last time. Perhaps Mr. or Mrs. Borden thought he saw them?”
“I am not a believer in the paranormal, but am willing to consider that it could exist. All that being said, as I stood in the doorway of the parlor during our tour I felt a cold rush go through me--nobody else felt it (and I asked!)”
To get the experience these folks did, you might want to make plans to get there soon. The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast is up for sale, and the current owners hope that the new ones keep it in operation but of course, there are no guarantees. (Also for sale by the same owners is Maplecroft, the estate where Lizzie and Emma lived after the murders.) The realtor for the properties is a tour guide at the museum, proving that running the B&B is a family affair of sorts. Sadly, so were the murders that took place there.