The real haunted house at Reindeer Manor

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Upset by the fate of his tenants, or maybe just mad because of the loss of property, Mr. Sharp decided to build on the property again.  He decided that this time the land and the buildings would be the crown jewel of his dwellings and would include a grand Main House which would forever be the family home.  In so doing he made sure it would not succumb to something as pedestrian as fire.  Even though it nearly tripled the cost of construction, he made sure all the buildings on the property were as fireproof as possible.  This explains the unusual construction of virtually all the structures at the Manor, they are all almost entirely engineered with concrete, brick, and steel.

However, Fire was not the only tragedy looming.  Before the Main House could be finished,  Mr. Sharp suddenly perished.  Records are sketchy at best, but he either shot himself or was shot by his mistress in his bedroom at his city house in Oak Cliff.  With his wife and children still in New York awaiting the completion of their palatial estate, the only person in the house at the time of the incident was his personal secretary (who some say was also his mistress) and there is some suspicion that in fact it was she who pulled the trigger.  The details are vague because of the bare semblance of an investigation at the time; the Widow Sharp didn’t want her husband’s rumored infidelity widely known and applied pressure on the County Sheriff to quickly close the investigation and thus end the wild speculation of the press and neighbors. 

The coroners report simply states that the cause of death was due to “the loss of 2-3 ounces of brain substance” without further elaboration.

In 1917, shortly after the death of his father, James Sharp’s eldest son, James Jr. moved into the newly completed Manor, but the legacy of misfortune soon continued.  He developed quite a prosperous operation farming the land, ranching, and breeding horses for harness racing.  Between 1918 and 1928 many other buildings were added to the grounds, from servants quarters to a carriage house with various and sundry additions which a large Manor of a wealthy family is expected to have as well.  Everyone thought the Sharp Family had survived the untimely death of its patriarch and had even come out better for it.

However, James Junior’s stewardship of the property was cut short with the onset of the Great Depression in October of 1929 which thrust the once wealthy family into abject poverty.    His wife, a prominent spiritualist at the time was convinced that the family and the Manor itself were cursed and with ever falling income and creditors threatening, he began to act strangely.  As the rumors of insanity spread within the staff he receded more and more into himself, shunning those with whom he had formerly been quite open and spending more and more time with his wife in her "unholy pursuits" as the help called it. 

Constantly tormented by the whispers of a Sharp Family curse James and his wife were obsessed with finding a solution to their woes.  Strange folk were seen going into and out of the Great House... from psychics to witch doctors, Mr. & Mrs. Sharp had invited anyone with access to the occult to his bedroom in the vain pursuit of lifting the hex.  His wife held séances to contact his father from beyond the grave seeking his advice and council.  Potions were mixed and incantations were chanted to rid the home and family from the string of bad luck.   No one is sure if they were instructed by a "spirit" or simply came upon the solution on their own, but soon the couple found a way to bring the Sharp Family out of the shadows. 

The final chapter of the Sharp family in the history of Reindeer Manor ended with the discovery of James Junior’s wife dead by poisoning in the main dining room and his lifeless body swinging from a noose strung from the rafters of the barn.  To this day it is not clear who killed whom or if it was a suicide pact.  Either way the curse was lifted from the Sharp Family at the very least.

There was no heir.

After that tumultuous period the Manor fell into ruin.  Since then a few brave souls have tried to turn this house of disaster into a home, but all have failed.  The construction of the house proved too difficult to remodel and make livable and the locals were afraid of incurring the wrath of the curse themselves.  Thus, the house stood vacant and abandoned until 1974 when it became The Haunted House at Reindeer Manor.

Over the years, folks that work and visit Reindeer Manor have experienced many strange occurrences.  Unearthly noises are heard by those who spend the night during the work season.  Locals have seen eerie lights dancing in the windows of the buildings when the entire property was vacant.  And most everyone who enters the house alone feels as if someone is watching them or feels "cold spots" in some places.  Some have professed to see actual spirits or objects floating in thin air.   Recently a picture was taken of our mascot stinky for a publicity stunt... when the film was developed the face of a young boy was seen faintly in the background.  We do not know who this child is, nor have we seen him again, but some speculate that he was one of the children who perished in the fire.  Other pictures have been found to have strange things on them that werent there when the photo was taken but strangely none have survived... they all seem to either be destroyed or lost before they can be examined thoroughly

If you experience anything odd, please visit our guest book and tell us about it.  You can either send it to us privately or allow for public viewing as well as include any images which would support your claims.  Every occurrences is thoroughly investigated and your help is greatly appreciated.

For more information, Call (972) 218-RATS or visit the Press Room

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