Welcome guests and ghosts to Chair City's haunted mansion

GARDNER — The Chair City’s most haunted residence is now officially open for ghosts and guests.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the S.K. Pierce Haunted Mansion on Thursday, the owners of the 21-room Victorian home at 4 West Broadway, announced that they have begun giving guided tours of the iconic South Gardner residence.

Public demand for the opportunity to tour the spooky home, which was built in 1875, was high to say the least, according to manager and caretaker Marion Luoma.

“Our tours are sold out already right through December,” she said.

House owner Bob Conti said he had a waiting list of nearly 7,000 people from around the world who were eager to tour the house or even spend a few nights there. There were plans to offer the residence as a bed-and-breakfast, perhaps as early as next year, according to officials.

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Over the decades, the iconic South Gardner residence has developed a spooky reputation, making it a favorite haunt for historians, architecture buffs, and paranormal enthusiasts from around the world. The mansion has been prominently featured in several popular ‘ghost-hunting’ television shows over the years,  increasing its scary reputation in the paranormal community.

The mansion was built by Sylvester Knowlton Pierce as a way to live close to his chair manufacturing business across the street.

A recent job fair for “ghost hosts,” or tour guides, was met with overwhelming response, Luoma said. Nearly 200 people applied for the position. Ten guides were hired to handle the current schedule of three daily one-hour tours, four days per week.

More: S.K. Pierce mansion owner seeking 'ghost hosts'

Among those considered brave enough to walk the spooky halls several times a day was Laura Bowler of Westminster. She said she had always had a fascination with the reputed haunted house in her community.

“I’ve always wanted to live here,” Bowler said, "but I just thought working here would still be an awesome opportunity to get inside this house.”

She was eager to educate visitors about the mansion’s colorful history, and perhaps have an opportunity to meet some of the home’s longtime residents.

“I’m looking forward to seeing if I do have any paranormal experiences,” Bowler said. “So far in my life, I haven’t experienced anything paranormal, but I think it would be interesting to see if anything happens in this house.”

Fellow tour guide Jade Smallwood of Gardner said she too had always been fascinated with the famous and home and its spooky reputation. She was ecstatic to learn she had been hired to guide the public through its rooms and hallways and share her knowledge of the home’s haunted history.

“I feel very lucky to be a part of it,” Smallwood said, adding that she was also interested in perhaps meeting a ghost at work. “I’ve never had anything paranormal happen to me, so I’m humbly waiting for something to happen.”

State Rep. Jonathan Zlotnik, who stepped foot in the house for the first time at the grand opening, said he was excited to see the mansion being promoted as a tourist destination.

“I’m not so sure I’m a believer, but there’s a lot of fascinating history and architecture work in this building to make it interesting for everybody, regardless of where you land on the ghost debate,” Zlotnik said. “There are very few places like this left, so I really think this will be a draw, just for the sort of time capsule that this place is.”

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The S.K. Pierce Mansion played a significant role in the history of the community, and City Council President Elizabeth Kazinskas said she anticipated many people would be eager to take tour of the residence.

“There’s a lot of Gardner history having to do with the chair factory that (Pierce) owned,” she said, adding that the ribbon-cutting marked the first time that she had been inside the historic home. “I’ve lived here my whole life, so I can’t believe I’m actually standing in the house.”

It was the perfect time to open the reportedly haunted mansion to the public, state Sen. Anne Gobi said.

“We’re getting into the spooky season now, and this is a great opportunity for people to walk in here and see the beautiful architecture, woodwork, and rooms,” she said. “And, if you get a ghost on the side, that’s an extra bonus.”

This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Historic and haunted S.K. Pierce Mansion in Gardner open for tours