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LOCATION:
Forepaugh's Victorian manor, which
is now being used as a French restaurant, can be found on South Exchange
Street and Walnut, just east of Irvine Park, in a neighborhood which traditionally
has been the area where St. Paul's wealthy established their mansions,
near historic downtown St. Paul.
DESCRIPTION:
Forepaugh's Victorian mansion, now
an upscale French Restaurant with reception / banquet space, is laid out
like the Victorian mansions of the era. It is a three story mansion with
a basement, small covered porches, lovely bay windows which overlook the
park and the beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens. The ballroom
/ banquet room was on the third floor. Besides offering high quality French
food, the mansion also hosts small weddings and receptions, and banquets.
HISTORY:
Entrepreneur Joseph Lybrandt Forepaugh
made his fortune in the dry-goods business and was Senior Partner in the
J.L. Forepaugh and Company. In 1870, Joseph bought 5 lots of land and
in the center of his land, he built a ten thousand dollar Victorian mansion
with a basement, three floors and beautifully landscaped grounds and gardens
for his family. His wife Mary and their two daughters moved into a mansion
filled with the highest quality, finely crafted room furnishings.
Along with the fine living, Joseph
hired servants as well. He made the mistake of having an affair with a
young maid, Molly. When Mary, Joseph's wife, caught them in bed, she asked
Joseph to end it and he did. Molly, realizing she was pregnant, hung herself
in a third floor room by tying the rope to a chandelier and throwing herself
out the window, probably around 1865.
In 1866, Joseph Lybrandt Forepaugh
sold his mansion to Civil War veteran, General John Henry Hammond, while
Joseph and his family went to live in Europe. Joseph moved away to forget
about Molly and reestablish his ties with his wife. They came back to
the states in 1889 and built another palace-like mansion at 302 Summit
Avenue, which had a glorious view of his first mansion and the city as
well.
However, in 1892, Joseph Lybrandt
had sunk into a deep depression. Though he said he was worried about his
business, which was doing fine, Joseph really was still mourning Molly's
death. He shot himself in the park, killing himself.
Many people have owned this mansion
over the years. In 1983, the current owners bought the mansion, and began
the long process of renovating and restoring the mansion to it's former
glory. The mansion needed to earn its keep, so it became a French restaurant,
much to the benefit of the people of St. Paul, who got to enjoy the ambiance
of the rooms while eating great food!
View of the front of the mansion from
Irving Park.
MANIFESTATIONS:
The entities of Molly and Joseph Lybrandt
Forepaugh have been hanging around the mansion.
Joseph Lybrandt Forepaugh - Very pleased
with the renovation / restoration efforts of the current owners!
* His entity in solid form has been
seen by customers and staff, as he walks through the dining rooms, dressed
in 1890's dress-up clothes, looking pleased, with the attitude that
he owns the place.
* In the basement, lights turn on
and off by themselves, the living feel cold chills and hear strange
noises.
Molly - (Maid who killed herself
so long ago)
* Molly has been seen and heard
near the area where she killed herself.
* During a reception, where all
the waitresses were dressed in 19th century dresses, a woman, dressed
in a 19th century dress, unlike the other employees, was seen gliding
down the hall by staff before she melted into the wall.
* Employees opening up the restaurant,
heard distinct tromping on the third floor. The police were called,
who brought a K-9 dog to investigate. The dog refused at first to go
up to the 3rd floor, but finally did after some persuasive coaxing.
The tromping stopped and no one living was found.
* Molly is a sociable ghost. She
likes to sometimes attend weddings and receptions. The restaurant has
a wedding picture which captured her image as well.
* In the basement, lights turn on
and off by themselves, the living feel cold chills and hear strange
noises.
Still Haunted?
Definitely!
Perhaps Joseph Lybrandt Forepaugh
and Molly reunite in the basement area, being together in this existence,
since they couldn't be together during their lifetimes.
BACK TO: MINNESOTA * Sources: mnweddingminister.com * forepaughs.com
geocities.com * minnesotaparanormalinvestigators.com * theshadowlands.net
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