US Ghost Adventures to Acquire the Villisca Axe Murder House

Living Museum of Infamous Unsolved 1912 Crimes on The National Register of Historic Places

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- US Ghost Adventures, known for its entertaining, historic, and authentic ghost tours and overnight stays in America's most haunted cities and houses, is under contract to buy the infamous Historic Villisca Axe Murder House in Villisca, Iowa.

This marks the company's third historic – and haunted - location available for tours and overnight stays. US Ghost Adventures currently operates another murder house, The Lizzie Borden House, and Brickhouse Inn in Gettysburg, PA. All are recognized as some of the most haunted homes in the U.S.

The Villisca Axe Murders remain an unsettling enigma in American history. In this quaint Iowa town, eight unsuspecting victims - including six children - were bludgeoned to death as they slept. Despite a nationwide manhunt, multiple suspects and trials, the murders remain unsolved.

In the 1990s, the home was painstakingly restored by Martha and Gavin Linn at great expense and effort into a living museum so visitors could experience the home the way it was on the night of the crime, right down to the lack of electricity and running water. Thanks to their dedication, the Josiah B. Moore House is on the National Registry of Historic Places.

Since the Linns opened the house up to the public over 25 years ago, visitors have reported hundreds of unexplained experiences from the sounds of footsteps, children's voices, and moving objects. Using sensitive ghost hunting equipment, researchers have documented a range of phenomena and evidence of unexplained activity, including electronic voices, ghostly images and physical encounters not readily explained.

These encounters along with the historical significance of the crimes draw visitors from around the world to experience the power of the house for themselves.

"The house seems to haunt itself, as its own entity. From my own experiences to what guests have shared, it takes a personal approach to its mental manipulation and mirrors back to guests the inner workings of their own personal lives," said Johnny Houser, who has served as general manager of the Villisca Axe Murder House for 20 years. "It's unsettling what it has revealed to people and if the victims are haunting the house, there is something much darker over it."

Online booking for overnight stays and house tours are now available for 2024 for the first time. For travelers' convenience, self-guided tours using a mobile app will be available as well.

"I have tremendous respect for Martha Linn and her late husband Darwin, who are the ones who opened the Villisca home for the public to learn more about the horrific tragedy in Villisca and honor the victims," said Lance Zaal, President and founder of US Ghost Adventures. "I'm looking forward to serving as a steward of America's history and the legacy the Linns have built. We will serve the public that wants to learn about the story of these victims who never got the justice they deserved, while supporting the ghost hunter community."

ABOUT US GHOST ADVENTURES

US Ghost Adventures offers ghostly walking tour experiences based on authentic historical hauntings in 80 cities and operates some of America's most haunted locations, including the Lizzie Borden House and others. Visit usghostadventures.com

Media Contact:
Angelic Venegas
(847) 977-5601
[email protected]

SOURCE US Ghost Adventures