Haunted S.K. Pierce Mansion in Gardner just listed for $1.2 million

Spring House Hunt

The legendary S.K. Pierce Mansion in Gardner just hit the market.

If your real estate taste leans more spooky than stylish, the legendary S.K. Pierce Mansion in Gardner is officially on the market for $1.2 million.

The nine-bed, three-and-a-half-bath home at 4 West Broadway, which is zoned for residential or commercial occupancy, was built in 1875 in the Second Empire style. But it’s the haunted happenings that lure paranormal enthusiasts from around the globe to Gardner and score the home plenty of attention these days. 

“There are two different kinds of people that go in,” said Brenda Albert of LAER Realty Partners, who has the listing. “There are people who are there to see the woodwork and the detail, and then there are those who are looking for the haunted factor.”

Before the property became known as a hotspot for paranormal investigators and haunted house enthusiasts, it was the home of Sylvester Knowlton Pierce, who rose to success in Gardner as the man behind SK Pierce Co., a prominent chair manufacturing company. According to historic documents, the property became a gathering place for his notable friends, including showman P.T. Barnum, who “visited the mansion every time he visited Massachusetts and spent much time playing billiards with Mr. Pierce on the third floor.”

After Pierce’s death, the property had several uses, including an inn that welcomed visitors including President Calvin Coolidge, Norman Rockwell, Milton Hershey, and Bette Davis. By the time the Depression hit, it became a boarding house. 

These days, you’re more likely to recognize it from various ghost-obsessed television programs, like “Ghost Adventures,” which featured the property in a 2013 episode. It’s known for several unsavory historic rumors, ranging from murders and prostitution to a man spontaneously combusting. (There’s even a book written about all the creepy tales that took place inside.)

Now sitting on the National Register of Historic Places, the mansion functions as a haunted attraction drawing people from across the world. But it could easily function as anything from a bed and breakfast to an event space. Sitting on a corner lot, the property welcomes you with 11-foot ceilings and plenty of historic grandeur. While the home maintains its traditional features, recent updates allow it to function in the modern world. 

“In the last 10 years, they made this house turnkey,” Albert said. “New heating systems, AC on the top floor, new kitchen, new electrical, new plumbing. They took this house to the point that now it’s completely turnkey.”

If you are eager to snag the home, get ready for visitors to come by: It’s already booked for tours through Halloween.