To kick off this series, I’d like folks to consider the bad economic times as a good thing….at least if you’re in the market to buy real estate. Not only is it a good time for those with a bit of cash to invest in some property, but its a fantastic time to invest in something slightly more elusive…haunted property!
Case in point is an old farm house in my home town of Waterford, Michigan. Quaintly named “Moore House”, the Plantation style house was built just before the Depression. Residents throughout the years have described the ghost of a woman who appears in the kitchen as well as the stone wall basement. She is seen in a skirt and blouse with a apron over the top. Her hair is done up in a bun with whisps of hair falling faintly to each side. She is thought to be a mild tempered ghost with the exception of the the visitation of men that she does not like. Knives have mysteriously flown across the room, books have fallen abruptly off of shelves, pictures have fallen from their hooks and glass has shattered.
Upon research, “Mrs. Moore” as I’ve named her has an interesting back ground. Moore house was a horse ranch located along the 100 years flood plain of what was then called Drayton Plains. Mr. Moore, her husband was known for his attachment to a simple, country life sans modern conveniences of the time nor elegant decor. He was a hard man and his wife was thought saintly for her dedicated years of marriage to her husband. Roughly seven years after building Moore house, Mr. Moore died. It is unknown from what.
Following his death, those few farm wives still alive whom I interviewed said that Mrs. Moore had a sudden transformation. Refusing to sell the farm, (it was illegal for women to own property), the town expected the mourning widow to seek out a new husband. Mrs. Moore proved to be a woman ahead of her time.
Instead, she hired the stragglers and thugs of town, teenage boys who hated school to work her farm. After years of silent observation, she taught her hired crew the horse trade; often bribing them her famous homemade sugar cookies and lemonade. When the farm was running like a well oiled machine, Mrs. Moore set off to better herself. She invited other farm wives in her area to join her in a correspondance course for a degree in classical studies.
A small, Lutheran college out of Oregon offered anyone interested a degree once completeing their rigorous (and very dry) course work. The Moore house has a hidden reading nook that opens into a small room, where living members of the community said that they could see the woman reading by dim light well into the night. Mrs. Moore is said to have completed her degree, built herself a small but dignified library in her study and only invited women from town who were interested in higher education for all people. (Some of the women I interviewed were thus still put out at never receiving pne of Mrs. Moore’s prestigious invites).
Sadly, the Moore house, located in the country side of Waterford Township is in foreclosure. It’s nearly three acres and large house and barn will be up for public auction. Residents say that Mrs. Moore has been active lately, keeping her eye out for new house mates. Interested in living with the amazing ghost? Check out the realty in southeast Michigan!