Visit Marietta’s Haunted Mansion This Fall

When the sun sets over Marietta, the historic facades of Harmar Village begin to glow from within. One stately structure rises above the others on George Street, and this one is said to hold spooky secrets within its walls. 

Douglas Putnam and his wife, Eliza, built Anchorage Mansion in 1859, and the sandstone villa has changed hands many times over the years. At various times, it notably served as the home of oil baron Edward MacTaggert, author Dorothy James Roberts and other prominent Marietta residents. Eventually, after stretches of vacancy and disrepair, the Washington County Historical Society bought the home in the 1990s. In 2017, the Hidden Marietta Tour Co. stepped in to help give it an afterlife. 

“[We] heard that it was going to be mothballed and decided to see if we could open our curiosity shop there and offer tours of the building,” says Karita Miller, owner of Hidden Marietta Tour Co. “Then, the proceeds from what we make from those go into [restoring] the building.” 

Since early 2018, Miller’s company has offered history tours, paranormal investigations and the opportunity to browse the curiosity shop inside the mansion. Guided Haunted History Tours explore the ghost stories associated with Anchorage Mansion in the safety of daylight, while the late-night flashlight tours are not for the faint of heart.  

Inside the mansion, the stories of the spirits said to reside here are the stars of the experience. Miller says her favorite of the cast of active spirits is Edward MacTaggert, who was the longest private resident to live in the house and likes to show that he approves of the updates that have been made to the structure. The spirits of little girls named Henrietta and Clara Belle are said to roam the house, and Miller says some have heard them giggling during tours. 

“We had one of our tour guides giving a tour. She was in a Victorian dress, and she feels something tugging on the back [of it], and she doesn’t say anything,” Miller recalls. “And then one of the guests says, ‘Well, wait. … who’s that little girl that’s with you? Is that your daughter?’… There was no child on the tour.” 

424 George St., Marietta 45750, 740/629-0033, hiddenmarietta.com

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