A historic mansion sits abandoned but recently a ghost tour was allowed inside.  Check out incredible photos of the Birdsell Mansion.

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Abandoned Places

There is something so incredibly eerie about abandoned places.  I think it's because it's almost a bit jarring to see a place that was once so full of life left to let nature slowly take over.  Abandoned places are devastatingly beautiful. Recently paranormal fans were allowed to take a ghost tour of an abandoned Indiana mansion, and the photos shared from the tour are absolutely stunning.

Historic Birdsell Mansion

The Birdsell Mansion sits abandoned in South Bend, Indiana.  This stunning piece of history has recently made the list of Indiana Landmarks 10 Most Endangered due to its deteriorating condition.  At one point in time, the Birdsell Mansion was a vision of opulence and prestige, but after sitting vacant for more than a decade the historic mansion has definitely succumbed to the march of time.

According to Indiana Landmarks, the Birdsell Mansion was built in 1898 and belonged to J.B. Birdsell.

Born into a manufacturing dynasty, J.B. “Ben” Birdsell was one of the city’s industrial titans. His father, agricultural inventor John C. Birdsell, moved to South Bend from New York in 1864 to produce an innovative machine for threshing and hulling clover – an important crop at the time.

Eventually, J.B. took over operations at the company and commissioned the city’s leading architectural firm, Parker & Austin, to design a suitably prominent home for his family. With hardwood paneling, ornate fireplaces, and a third-floor ballroom, the new house fit the bill. From their mansion, J.B. and his wife, Olive, entertained South Bend’s high society.

 

A Look Inside

Recently Amy Lant-Wenger was able to participate on a ghost tour of the old abandoned mansion.  The photos she took inside are absolutely stunning, and she has allowed me to share them with you here!

It's quite sad to see how the elegant interiors that were once adorned with exquisite furnishings have fallen into disarray.   At the same time, you can still see the beauty of this historic home beneath all of that dust.

Check out Amy's photos below, and once again a huge THANK YOU to Amy for allowing me to share these photos!