The Lizzie Borden House Haunting

On August 4, 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally murdered with a hatchet in their Fall River, Massachusetts home. Andrew’s daughter Lizzie was tried and acquitted of the crimes, but popular opinion has long believed her guilty. The house where the murders occurred has become one of America’s most famous haunted locations, now operating as a bed and breakfast where guests can sleep in the very rooms where the Bordens met their violent ends—and where many report encountering their restless spirits.

The Murders

The Borden household consisted of Andrew Borden, a wealthy businessman; his second wife Abby; his daughters Emma and Lizzie; and a maid, Bridget Sullivan. On the morning of August 4, 1892, both Andrew and Abby were found bludgeoned to death.

Abby was killed first, struck approximately nineteen times with a hatchet while making a bed in the guest room. Her body lay undiscovered for over an hour. Andrew was killed later, struck ten or eleven times while napping on a couch in the sitting room.

Lizzie discovered her father’s body and called for help. Her behavior during and after the discovery struck many as odd—she was calm, her story shifted, and her explanations for her whereabouts during the murders were vague.

The Trial

Lizzie Borden was arrested and tried in 1893. Despite circumstantial evidence pointing to her guilt, the jury acquitted her after deliberating for only ninety minutes. The lack of direct evidence, the difficulty imagining a woman of her social standing committing such violence, and the absence of bloodstained clothing all contributed to the verdict.

Lizzie lived in Fall River until her death in 1927, ostracized by much of society but never charged again. She always maintained her innocence.

The House Today

The Borden house at 92 Second Street (now renumbered 230) survived largely unchanged. In 1996, it was opened as a bed and breakfast, offering guests the unique experience of sleeping where notorious murders occurred.

The house is preserved to look as it did in 1892. Guests can stay in the John Morse Room, where Abby Borden was killed, or other period-appropriate accommodations. Tours operate daily, and the house has become a destination for true crime enthusiasts and paranormal investigators alike.

Reported Phenomena

Guests and investigators report various phenomena:

Voices: Visitors have heard whispered conversations, the sound of a woman crying, and unexplained thuds from empty rooms. Some report hearing what sounds like an argument between a man and woman.

Apparitions: Multiple witnesses have reported seeing a woman in Victorian dress, presumed to be Abby Borden, in the upstairs area where she was killed. Others have seen a male figure resembling Andrew reclining in the sitting room.

Physical sensations: Guests sleeping in the John Morse Room report feeling pressure on their bodies, as if someone is sitting on them. Cold spots occur throughout the house, particularly near the locations of the murders.

Photographic anomalies: Photographs taken in the house frequently show unexplained orbs, mists, and what some interpret as spectral faces.

Objects moving: Staff members report items being moved overnight, doors opening and closing on their own, and electrical disturbances.

Investigation

The Borden house has been investigated by numerous paranormal groups, including teams from popular television shows. Investigators have documented electromagnetic anomalies, captured unexplained audio recordings, and experienced personal phenomena they could not explain.

One investigation recorded what appeared to be a woman’s voice saying “Get out” in the upstairs area. Another captured temperature drops coinciding with reports of feeling a presence.

The results are consistent with other haunted location investigations—intriguing but not conclusive. The evidence suggests something unusual occurs in the house, but definitive proof of ghosts remains elusive.

Psychological Context

The Borden house’s haunted reputation raises questions about psychological factors. Guests arrive knowing the history and expecting paranormal activity. This expectation might cause them to interpret normal events as supernatural.

The house’s atmosphere contributes. The Victorian décor, the preserved crime scene, and the knowledge of what happened there create psychological conditions conducive to fear responses.

Yet some reports come from skeptical visitors who expected nothing unusual, and the consistency of experiences across years and diverse witnesses suggests something more than mere suggestion.

The Victims

If the house is haunted, why would the Bordens remain? Both died violently and unexpectedly. Andrew and Abby may have unfinished business—perhaps seeking justice never delivered or attempting to communicate what really happened that August morning.

The identity of their killer, if not Lizzie, might be another reason for restlessness. If someone else committed the murders and escaped justice, the victims might linger in protest.

Legacy

The Lizzie Borden house has become both a true crime landmark and a paranormal destination. The combination of historical notoriety and contemporary haunted activity makes it unique among American sites.

The famous rhyme—“Lizzie Borden took an ax, gave her mother forty whacks”—ensures the case remains in popular memory, though Abby was her stepmother and the actual number of blows was different.

Whether the spirits of Andrew and Abby Borden walk their former home, or whether the house’s dark history creates psychological conditions that generate ghost experiences, the Borden house continues to attract visitors hoping for their own encounter with one of America’s most infamous crimes.