Gertrude's Ghost (EJ Carpenter Mansion of Minneapolis)

E.J. Carpenter House ca 1915
Photo from the Minneapolis Historical Society

Today's post is dedicated to the people of Minneapolis who are fighting the good fight. The ice is melting. 

At 300 Clifton Avenue, in the Loring Park district of Minneapolis, MN, sits a palatial residence known as the E.J. Carpenter Mansion. The home was originally built in 1887 in the Queen Ann style by C.M. Douglas, owner of a coal delivery business. Several years later, it became home to banker Harvey Brown, who passed away there in late 1901. 

Mrs. Brown passed away several years later and the property was transferred in November 1905 to Eugene (E.J.) Carpenter, and his wife, Merrette. The two had a daughter, Olivia, born around 1898. Mr. Carpenter was a lumberman, and a rather wealthy one at that. Yet, he had an eye for the arts. In 1906, he hired architect, Edwin Hewitt, to do some massive renovations on the house. When all was said and done, the former Queen Anne was now a Georgian Revival. 

The Carpenters were instrumental in the arts in other ways, most notably with the creation of the Minneapolis Institute of Art and their own private collection of pieces, which decorated the home. This art collection plays a vital role in one of the home's most prolific ghost stories. 

According to sources, in 1911 fire broke out in the Carpenter home. Merrette's personal maid, a young lady named Gertrude, was trying to save a valuable painting and somehow ended up drowning in a cistern in the basement. Surprisingly, at the time of writing, I cannot find any documentation that this event took place. I cannot even find confirmation that a lady named Gertrude was employed by the Carpenters. In the 1910 census, the family employed multiple servants, most of whom were Swedish or Norwegian-born (see list below) but no Gertrude. However, Gertrude is believed to be the primary spirit haunting the property. 

Source: Wikipedia

Gertrude has been heard humming in the maids' quarters. She has been heard walking up the stairs at times. An original rocking chair belonging to the family mysteriously rocks, presumably by Gertrude.  On the rare occasion that she is seen, she is described as having long blond hair. 

Gertrude is also said to be a protective spirit, guiding the fate of the home. After Mr. Carpenter passed in 1922, the home went to his wife and daughter, who owned it until 1948. But after that, it went through a string of owners, including the Mack's, who broke the home up into several residences. At one point, the home was slated for demolition but was saved. Those close to the source believe it was Gertrude who saved the home. 

The E.J. Carpenter Mansion was added to National Register of Historic Places and today operates as a B&B called 300 Clifton.  In 2025, manager Norman Kulba admitted to not having SEEN the spirits, but definitely feeling and hearing them, including an incident where he was alone in the house and heard shuffling and the tinkling of glasses in an empty dining area. He also notes that guests to the B&B have seen an entire phantom family in the carriage house. 

Current owners have embraced this spooky history. Gertrude's Cistern (aka Gertrude's Haunted Lounge) is an area in the basement that guests can rent or otherwise utilize to enjoy snacks, watch horror flicks, and hopefully catch a glimpse of Gertrude herself. Those seeking a little more adventure can book a haunted trolley tour of Minneapolis, which leaves and returns from 300 Clifton. And, there are plenty of beautifully and historically decorated rooms to rent and hopefully have a spooky experience of your own. 

Sources and Further Reading:

Eugene J. Carpenter House (Wikipedia Article)

300 Clifton (Website) (FaceBook)

How to Explore Minneapolis' Haunted History This Halloween, by Shay Scanlan. 22 October 2025. The Minnesota Daily

The Most Haunted Places in Minneapolis--and Other Fun Scary Things to Do, by Meet Minneapolis Blog

List of Servants in the Carpenter Home (According to 1910 Census Records):

Hans Nichelson M/40

Emma Nichelson F/36

Kate Sullivan F/54

Carrie Kutteron F/26

Palma Frederickson F/23

Ella Carlson F/21

Milly Thompson F/25

The Minneapolis Journal
01 January 1902

Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
23 March 1922

'Get Away' From This Haunted House!

The Baltimore Sun
12 September 1915

I applaud this un-named gentleman and his bravery! Back in September of 1915, there was an old house located in Lawrence County, Ohio that had developed a reputation for being haunted. Located just outside the small town of Getaway, the home was formerly owned by Reverend Elisha Thacker, a Baptist minister who had passed away back in 1910. 

In the five years since the Reverend's passing only one family had rented the vacant home, but was so spooked they had to leave after just one night. After that, no one dared set foot in the home, either in daylight nor at night. They did, however, find the courage to throw a countless number of rocks through the window at the alleged goblins. 

But that all changed that September when finally, one guy decided to enter the house. He reported that he found no signs of ghosts or goblins in the former Thacker residence...just lots and lots and lots of rocks. 

I'm pretty sure the old 'haunted' house is gone, but you can still visit the Thackers in their final resting place at the Harmony Baptist Cemetery. Reverend Thacker, who was born in 1828, served during the Civil War as a chaplain with the Union Army. He and his first wife, Melcina/Melceda lived in Wayne County, WV before settling in Lawrence County, Ohio and establishing a church there. When Melcina died, she became the first person buried in the Harmony Baptist Cemetery. Reverend Thacker would follow on August 20, 1910, and his 2nd wife, Josephine, would be laid to rest in 1931. 

There's a funny story related to Elisha Thacker and the naming of the town of Getaway. The little town was previously known as Unionville, or even Russell's Place until one day in 1870 when a surly stranger stopped by the Thacker property to chat with the reverend, who happened to be building a fence along the road. The stranger didn't seem too impressed with the area, and when he asked the name of the location, a frustrated Thacker replied with 'Get Away!' The stranger noted that it was a fitting name for such a town, and thus, the legend of how Getaway got its name was born!

It's too bad that this haunting was 'debunked'---I have my reservations based on lack of information in the article, lol. Just because one dude says it isn't haunted doesn't PROVE anything, just the same as you can't prove that it IS haunted. Anyway, I rather enjoy the possibility of a haunted house with the ghost of an old Reverend just yelling "Get Away!!!" at passersby!

Further Reading:

The Lawrence Register

Find-a-Grave