The Richardson House

The Richardson house is situated on a beautiful acre of land overlooking the Grand River, it is a rather large white farm house that is over 150 years old and there is a barn behind it (which we did not own, but was the original barn for the farm house on the north side of Grand Rapids, MI. I was a previous occupant when I was a teen, there are current residents.

It started shortly after we had moved in. My brothers room was at the back southern corner of the house, part of the original side (most houses of this type where added on to in the future to acomidate growing families and modern devices). My brother who was 5 at the time refused to sleep in the room, so my parents decided that it should be my room. I moved in and made my self all comfey, adorning it with your typical ( and dare I say moronic) teen items. After the first week in the room I could not understand my brothers apprehension, until the Sunday of the first week. I was sitting in bed reading like usual, the only light on was my little reading lamp. Something then caught my eye. I looked up and in the south east corner of the room an elongated pale blue light hovered, growing stronger, then fading. I looked at it for quite some time, it would slide up and down the corner. Finally, feeling brave and deciding that it MUST be a trick of the light...reflecting off something in the room or outside. I did the logical thing, drew the shade down and turned out my light. Mistake on my part, the light remained. I was horrified, and at this point too frightened to move from my bed, I think I slept with my eyes open that night.

As time drew on I became accustomed to this intruder, and even named it George (as I have a habit of doing). It was not until a while later that I found out the cause of my little ghost buddy.

I spoke with Mr.Richardson, who had grown up on the farm and was now close to 90 himself. He told me of the farm hand that had fallen from the hay loft in the barn onto a pitchfork, he did not die right away, but the wound was fatal. He was brought to the main house to be nursed and he died in that room. The mystery around it is how the pitchfork was standing tine side up in the middle of an empty barn. He died before awaking.

Note from submitter: Mr Richardson has since passed on and with him all the wonderful tales he told.

Submitted by: Marianna