Inside the Haunted Mackay Mansion

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The Comstock Lode meant that virtually overnight Virginia City had millionaires, and some built opulent homes, including George Hearst. While small and not as grand when compared to his son’s extravagant Hearst Castle, the Virginia City home George Hearst built in 1859 is still beautiful and full of original fixtures and furnishings (including the first indoor toilet in Virginia City, complete with gold leaf detailing), allowing visitors to step back in time and see how a well-off family lived in the mid-1800s.

In 1871 Hearst felt the mines of Virginia City were beginning to dry up, and he sold his mansion to John Mackay, who struck it rich after Hearst left. In fact Mackay’s find would go down as one of the largest silver strikes in history.

Exterior of the Mackay Mansion, a two story brick building with a balcony of white around the sides.

Myself standing outside the Mackay Mansion, wearing a cream cowboy hat, fringe leather jacket, peach tie dye shirt, blue jeans and brown boots.

Word of Mackay’s wealth eventually reached the ears of two bandits who attempted to break into the mansion’s safe, but they were gunned down by armed guards in the front hall, and rumor has it they still roam the halls of the mansion today, but they aren’t the only ones. Some have spied John Mackay himself, one of their maids, and even children. In 1995 Johnny Depp stayed at the mansion while filming Dead Man, and said he saw the spirit of a little girl. Said to be one of the most haunted locations in Nevada, the home has been featured on Ghost Adventures and The Dead Files.

Among original furnishings there are also artifacts found on the site, including the skull of a woman, although her other remains have yet to be unearthed! The mirror in the living room was one of my favorite objects, as it is a diamond dust mirror, and when light hits it the diamond dust sparkles. I would love to get my hands on one one day!

In 1961 the Mackay Mansion became a National Historic Landmark, and remains one of the few buildings that you can visit that survived the massive fire of 1875.

Exterior of the Mackay Mansion, a two story brick building with a balcony of white around the sides.

A large dark wood hall tree with various hats hanging on it.

A human skull rests inside a glass cabinet.

A figure of a woman makes up the lower portion of a lamp, and is silhouetted against the light coming in from the window behind.

Overall view of the living room, which features red velvet curtains, a gold chandelier, a blue sofa, two chairs in red velvet, and a mustard chair.

A large painted portrait of John Mackay hangs. He has dark hair, a mustache, and wears a grey suit.

A large wood cabinet with glass holds books, in front of that are two chairs, one in mustard upholstery, the other in red.

Close-up of the gold chandelier.

A tall dark wood grandfather clock sits in the corner of the living room. Next to it a mannequin wearing an Edwardian dress and hat stands in front of the window.

Photograph of Mackay's wife, who has dark hair and wears a lacy dress.

Curved wood railing winds its way upstairs. A gold chandelier with blue glass shades hangs from the ceiling.

A stuffed bear hangs on the wall in the staircase.

A tall dresser is filled with dolls. A small rocking horse sits in the corner.

A dresser with a tall mirror is filled with dolls.

Close-up of the wallpaper of the children's room, which is red and features images of eagles and stars.

View of the bathroom, which features a metal tub on the right, a table with a pitcher and wash basin next to it, and on the right a toilet with a wooden seat, and detailed with a floral design of gold leaf.

Overall view of one of the bedrooms, which has a large dark wood bed with an ornate carved headboard, a red velvet couch rests at the foot of the bed, and the walls are covered in a teal green wallpaper.

Close-up of the top of the ornate carved dresser.

A detailed circular gold light fixture hangs from the ceiling.

A dark carved wood bookcase rests against one of the bedroom walls.

View of a child's room, with an ornately carved headboard, with a doll sitting on the bed, and at the foot of the bed is a rocking horse.

A red glass light fixture hangs in front of a leaded glass window made in the design of a fan.

Close-up of the face of the rocking horse.

Overall view of another bedroom, with cream colored wallpaper, an ornately carved headboard and a dresser with a marble top sits agains the wall on the right side.

Detail of a lion's head that is carved at the top of a chair.

View of the bed in one of the bedrooms, which features a tall carved headboard, at the foot of the bed is a a blue and white stripe fainting couch.

View of the dining room that has red wallpaper, a mirror over the white fireplace and a large dining room table in the middle with several chairs at it.

View of the dining room which features a tall buffet of dark wood agains the wall.

Myself standing outside the Mackay Mansion, wearing a cream cowboy hat, fringe leather jacket, peach tie dye shirt, blue jeans and brown boots.

View of the Mackay Mansion from the lawn, a simple but elegant two story brick home, with a white balcony and green shutters.

Myself standing outside the Mackay Mansion, wearing a cream cowboy hat, fringe leather jacket, peach tie dye shirt, blue jeans and brown boots.

View of the hills and valley from the lawn of the Mackay Mansion.

Myself standing outside the Mackay Mansion, wearing a cream cowboy hat, fringe leather jacket, peach tie dye shirt, blue jeans and brown boots.

I didn’t have a ghostly encounter during our visit, nor does it look like I captured anything in our photos, but that doesn’t mean you won’t have a paranormal experience if you choose to visit when you’re in Virginia City. Take a tour of the Mackay Mansion at 291 S. D Street. For more information (including booking your own paranormal investigation or hosting your wedding there) please visit their website.

What’s Nearby?

Silver Queen Hotel & Saloon

The Way It Was Museum

Sources
“About.” The Mackay Mansion.
“Mackay Mansion Museum.” Travel Nevada.

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