Is The Peel Mansion Haunted? Arkansas Mysteries
The haunted Peel Mansion is a 19th-century Victorian stunner in Bentonville, Arkansas, which may look pretty, but don’t let the landscaping fool you.
Once the home of Colonel Samuel Peel, this mansion is known for being haunted as all hell.
This is your guide to the haunted Peel Mansion in Arkansas:
A Brief History of Peel Mansion
Built in 1875 by Colonel Samuel West Peel, the Peel Mansion was originally set on a 180-acre apple farm. Today, it stands somewhere between local Bentonville eateries and Walmart’s headquarters.
Now known as the Peel Museum and Botanical Garden, the home is filled with period furniture and artifacts from the 1800s that showcase the Peel family’s history. Added to the the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, the Peel Mansion has been lovingly preserved and renovated.
Beautiful Beginnings
At its building, the Peel Mansion was an extravagant display of architecture, with a central, hipped-roof tower, large arched windows, 8 fireplaces, and 14 rooms. In the library, a rare Anglo-Japanese mantel was installed, and the parlor was trimmed with Greek Revival molded trim.
This beautiful home was the meeting place for many prominent politicians and lawmakers starting in the 1880s when Peel was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The 3 Ghosts of Peel Mansion
Is the Peel Mansion haunted? A couple of members of the Peel family (and others) liked the property so much that they decided to stay. These are the most common manifestations at the haunted Peel Mansion:
Colonel Peel
The Colonel himself makes his presence known in various rooms throughout the house, but he can primarily be heard in his study, where he spends the majority of his time. Guests have seen a dark shadowy figure or hear loud, unexplained sounds and footsteps.
Minnie Belle
The other Peel family ghost is one of the daughters, Minnie Belle.
She is described as a playful young woman wearing white. Minnie was quite musical and would play the piano for her father, so it only makes sense that her ghost would do the same. Tour guides and visitors report hearing the piano playing in the empty room, but if you enter, she’ll stop suddenly.
Not Dead Margery English
The third ghost in the Peel Mansion is a member of the English family, who bought the Peel Mansion in the 1920s. One of their children, Margery, suffered a ruptured appendix.
A local doctor and nurse performed surgery in her upstairs bedroom, and due to the severity of the infection, she didn’t even close the incision.
Margery died 10 days later…or so they thought.
As Margery lay in her bedroom covered with a sheet, her sister Elizabeth noticed the sheet moving. It turns out she wasn’t dead but had experienced herself leave her body and move toward a bright light. Margery survived the surgery, grew up, and eventually married.
Margery’s intense suffering is believed to have left a residual haunting at the Peel Mansion, primarily through the sounds of a little girl crying in the bedroom where Margery’s surgery was performed.
Why is the Peel Mansion in Bentonville Haunted?
If you’re wondering why the Peel Mansion is haunted, the most popular story is that of Margery English, who came back to life after her spirit left her body.
Margery described her experience with death as being slowly lifted and passing through a wall, eventually finding herself floating above the meadow ground. A bright light beckoned her, but something wouldn’t let her go any further.
Although she came back to life, the tenant workers on the farm believed her spirit couldn’t find its way back to her body due to it being under the sheet.
When Margery English eventually returned to the Peel Mansion to show her husband her childhood home, she found the room where she had her surgery locked. The owners locked it because it was “haunted by a little girl crying.”
Many believe that Margery’s residual energy left a haunted impression in the mansion.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Peel Mansion Haunted?
The Peel Mansion is said to be haunted by a little girl crying in the room where Margery English had her surgery, died, and then came back to life 5 hours later.
Can you tour the Peel Mansion?
Tours of the Peel Mansion are available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday from March through December. Tours are not available in January and February.
Does it cost money to tour the Peel Mansion?
Yes, it does cost money to tour the Peel Mansion. Luckily, not much! The cost to tour the Peel Mansion is $5 for adults, $2 for children ages 6-12, and free for those 5 and younger.
What happened to Margery English in Arkansas?
Margery English experienced a ruptured appendix and did not survive the surgery. However, she came back to life five hours later and stated she felt herself leave her body and move towards a light.
What 3 ghosts haunt the Peel Mansion?
The 3 ghosts that are said to haunt the Peel Mansion are Colonel Peel, his daughter Minnie Belle, and a member of the English family, Margery English.
Haunt Us
Don’t let your ghost stories go untold. Have you been to the haunted Peel Mansion in Arkansas? Share your ghost-hunting experiences in the comments below, visit the forums, and become part of our haunted community.
