McPike Mansion

The McPike Mansion in Alton, Illinois, was built in 1869 by Henry Guest McPike, one of the town’s most prominent residents. Also known as Mount Lookout, the mansion was designed by German-born architect Lucas Pfeiffenberger and served as the McPike family’s country home until 1936. 

The entrepreneurial McPike, a horticulturist, worked to perfect his wine grapes on the 15-acre site, eventually gaining a strong reputation for his Pinot Grigio-style grapes. His grapes even won awards at the famed 1904 World’s Fair. A color lithograph of a McPike Grape from a 1900 seed catalog is part of the Smithsonian Gardens Horticultural Artifacts Collection.

After McPike died in 1910, the family moved out of the mansion. The structure eventually became a boarding house, then a business college,  but in the 1950s, the building became vacant and fell into disrepair. Without occupants, weather took its toll, and looters stripped the interior. 

Enter Sharyn and George Luedke. In 1994, the couple purchased the property at auction with the goal of restoring the mansion back to its original Victorian charm and opening a bed and breakfast. But the “spirits” had another idea. 

Countless reports of unexplained orbs of light, bizarre noises, mists, human-like outlines appearing in windows, and other ghostly sightings occur in person and show up on photos frequently. The Luedkes, while they still work on restoration, now spend their time sharing these mysterious experiences with others. 

Sharyn, who says she avoids scary shows and calls herself as a “big chicken,” has had many experiences, mostly loud bangs and booms when obviously nothing had fallen or been moved. Though she considers all of the manion’s spirits friendly, whenever they do feel negative energy—sometimes brought in by a guest—they smudge the house.

Tours of the mansion include a history of former residents, highlights of the paranormal experiences that have occurred there, how to use a dowsing rod to help communicate with the spirits, a tour of the grounds, and a cellar “dark room” session with a medium. A tarot-card reader is also on hand for free readings. 

With what the owners estimate to be roughly 15 spirits, the house has been featured on several TV shows, including the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures. Everyone who visits takes home a pen and a button that reads, “I survived McPike Mansion.”