Just a few weeks ago, we told you about the Villisca Axe Murder House, one of the most famous haunted locations in the state of Iowa. The house is open for daytime tours, and for the exceptionally brave, overnight stays. But, it's not the only haunted building in Iowa that offers tours!

A new article from the Des Moines Register outlines nine of the creepiest Iowa ghost stories, and one of them was especially interesting to me. It's titled, 'The Joker,' and here's what the article says:

"Monticello is home to the 150-year-old Edinburgh Manor. The home is rumored to be haunted by a ghost named The Joker. The Joker is a violent spirit known to choke visitors."

As an Anamosa native, Brain has mentioned Edinburgh Manor to me several times over the past few years, but he's never mentioned "The Joker!" I obviously had to know more about the building's haunted history.

The story begins back in 1850. According to Edinburgh Manor's website, the land that the Manor sits on was once home to the County Poor Farm. The site reads:

"Described as a 'comfortable retreat for the lazy, able-bodied and willingly dependent applicants,' the Poor Farm housed the poor, incurably insane and disabled."

Over the course of the 60 years the Poor Farm was in operation, over 150 people died on the property. It was demolished back in 1910, and that's when Edinburgh Manor was constructed. The new 12,000 square-foot building's purpose was to house "the incurably insane, the poor and the elderly." It eventually closed down for good back in 2010.

The Paranormal Investigators of Milwaukee website mentions that the spirit known as "The Joker" inhabits the basement of Edinburgh Manor, but he's not the only one on the property. There's a little girl named "Susie" who is said to haunt the first floor hallway and room 106, and there's a man that is believed to have committed suicide that wanders the hallways from room 121 to room 108, among others. Many people have reported seeing and hearing spirits, and even feeling them! The website mentions a creepy incident involving one of the owners:

"The current building owner claimed he was attempting to sleep overnight in Room 200, the room at the top of the staircase on the 2nd Floor, when he felt pressure on his big toe as if someone was squeezing it. The owner’s dog growled and barked with hair standing up when this occurred. A week later a nephew and friend investigated. An EVP was recorded that said, 'I grabbed you.'"

If you're interested in taking a tour of Edinburgh Manor, the official website says that guests can book day tours or overnight stays, but nobody under the age of 14 is allowed. You can get more information on how to book your tour HERE.

Wanna see some photos from people's visits to Edinburgh Manor? There are plenty of them on Instagram HERE!

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