Tag Archive: Virginia

Paxton Manor
By: Kent Daniel S. Villavicencio

Paxton Manor also known as Carlheim Manor was a 765 acre property that was purchased for $50,000 in Leesburg, Virginia. Built in 1877 by Nationally Acclaimed New York based architect Henry C. Dudley to be a two and a half story main house covering 20,000 square feet and over 32 bedrooms mimicked the look of Italian villas.The property was built to be the summer home of Rachel and Charles Paxton and their only daughter followed by her only son but ended up being the families home for nearly a century until the time of their deaths. As the years went by, Margaret’s son passed away at the age of five and shortly after Margaret passed away as well. From Mrs. Paxton’s death until the early 1950s, the residence was used as a convalescent home known as the Paxton Home for Children, where children recovering from illness or injury would stay during the summer months. From 1954 until 1980 it served as an orphanage and from 1980 until 2004 it served as a childcare center. The property was quiet from 2004 until 2009 awaiting its next chapter: the arrival of The Arc of Loudoun and its associated programs for children and adults with disabilities and their families.
The properties history goes way back to when the Algonquian Indians, who believed in the afterlife and practiced shamanic rituals. Perhaps their efforts to reconnect with the deceased are what have left portals to the hereafter still open. Two other tribes, the Catawba and the Lenape, frequently butted heads, and had a particularly bloody battle right by Leesburg. You can imagine that the spirits of these warring warriors have been unhappily disturbed by the influx of present day tourists. Leesburg’s colonial era is also marked by much black magic and bloodshed. Though Virginia was not as eager as Massachusetts to prosecute those accused of witchcraft, it too had its fair share of trials. You can be sure that the spirits of the wrongly convicted have yet to move on from the area. Ghosts of dead soldiers are also believed to be a chief source of Leesburg’s paranormal activity. In fact, the famous Civil War Battle, the Battle of Ball’s Bluff, occurred right by the Carlheim estate. It is said that the Paxton house is haunted by traumatized troops who may have sought refuge at the building. There is a possibility that ghosts of dead soldiers and the wrongly convicted potentially of witchcraft, orphans and a man accused of animal cruelty are rumored to occupy the premises of Paxton Manor. Jedidiah Carver, a man who lived at Paxton and was exiled from Leesburg after being found guilty of mutilating animals is rumored to have not left the property, he and his family secretly relocated to the massive underground lake that lies beneath it.

Evidence that can be seen on Youtube by Antietam Paranormal Investigators shows a spirit box recording EVP stating “Help Me” and “No” from an entity on the premises located during the properties annual event “Shocktober” That takes place in October every year. It is rumored that Mrs. Paxton can be seen walking through the house and peering out windows pointing to something on the property. Witnesses say that other bizarre events are still happening throughout the house, like paintings moving from room to room and furniture being rearranged.
References:
Antietam Paranormal Society
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYmsSIVXhfM
https://colonialghosts.com/paxton-manor/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…/…/10/29/AR2010102906977.html

http://virginiascaremare.com/hauntedhouse.html

http://www.paxtoncampus.org/about-us/a-history-of-paxton/