The Lizzie Borden House

Welcome back to 'Why It's Shifty' and today we're covering the Lizzie Borden House. The story of Lizzie Borden is a famous one no matter what you believe about the verdict. The legal implications of the time are as fascinating as the story of the house itself. It has become one of the most incredible narratives of houses next to the Winchester Mansion. Let's take a look at the case, the aftermath and the theories that shine a light on what goes down at the Lizzie Borden House...

Plot

On the morning of 4 August 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were found brutally murdered in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts. Andrew had been struck ten or eleven times with a hatchet, while Abby had received nineteen blows to the head. The prime suspect was Andrew’s daughter, Lizzie Borden, a 32-year-old Sunday school teacher who lived with her father and stepmother.

Despite the horrific nature of the crime, there was a surprising lack of physical evidence. Lizzie claimed she had been in the barn during the murders and had not heard anything. Her behaviour following the killings was deemed suspicious as she burned a dress thought to have bloodstains on it, claiming it was stained with paint. Nonetheless, she was arrested and stood trial in June 1893.

The trial captivated the nation. The prosecution argued that Lizzie had motive, means, and opportunity, but the all-male jury was not convinced. They acquitted her after just over an hour of deliberation. Public opinion remained divided: some saw her as a wronged woman persecuted by the press, while others believed she had gotten away with murder.

The house is something else entirely. The interior has been meticulously restored to resemble how it looked on the day of the murders. Visitors can see the sitting room where Andrew Borden was found lying on the sofa, his face bludgeoned beyond recognition, and the upstairs guest room where Abby Borden was discovered face down, her skull crushed by multiple blows. Each room contains period-appropriate furniture and artefacts, and many of the original architectural features remain intact, offering a chillingly authentic atmosphere.

Guided tours recount the details of the crime, the trial, and the numerous theories surrounding what really happened. Paranormal investigations are a regular occurrence, as many believe the house to be haunted by the spirits of the victims, or perhaps even Lizzie herself. Guests who stay overnight often report strange noises, cold spots, and inexplicable movements.

Into the Theories

Justice-Seeking Spirits

One widely held theory is that the spirits of Andrew and Abby Borden linger in the house, restless because justice was never truly served. Many believe that Lizzie Borden was guilty, and that the couple’s souls cannot move on until the truth is acknowledged.

Visitors have reported cold spots in the exact locations where the bodies were found, and some claim to hear faint weeping or whispering late at night. Objects are said to move on their own, and shadowy figures have been seen near the staircase and sitting room.

Paranormal investigators have captured unexplained EVPs, believed to be the voices of the murdered Bordens. This theory suggests the hauntings are a form of protest from beyond the grave, a plea for recognition and retribution.

Lizzie Borden's Tormented Spirit

Another theory proposes that Lizzie Borden herself haunts the house, either burdened by guilt or stubbornly defending her innocence. Those who believe she committed the murders say her soul remains trapped, unable to find peace. Others think that, unjustly accused and shunned in life, Lizzie’s spirit has stayed behind in defiance, still battling for her reputation.

Guests report a female presence on the upper floors, particularly near Lizzie’s former bedroom. Some describe feeling watched or experiencing sudden, overwhelming sadness in that room. Others say they’ve heard a woman’s voice repeating the same phrase or humming an old-fashioned lullaby.

In paranormal circles, such activity is often linked to unresolved emotional trauma. Whether she was the killer or a wrongly accused woman, Lizzie’s spirit is believed by many to be a permanent resident of the house, restless, lingering, and entangled forever in the story that defined her life.

Residual Haunting

Some theorists believe the Lizzie Borden House is subject not to intelligent spirits, but to a residual haunting, a kind of spiritual “recording” left behind by traumatic events.

According to this view, the brutal nature of the murders imprinted powerful emotional energy onto the house itself. Rather than conscious ghosts, visitors may be experiencing ghostly echoes: apparitions that repeat the same actions endlessly, unaware of the living.

Witnesses have reported seeing figures walk through walls or vanish into thin air; classic signs of residual activity. Sounds of footsteps, muffled voices, and even the thud of a hatchet have been reported, all without any clear source. This theory suggests that the house “remembers” the murders and replays the horror over and over again.

While perhaps less terrifying than an intelligent haunting, a residual presence still contributes to the eerie atmosphere, trapping the house in a loop of violence and sorrow.

Conclusion

Thanks for reading this week's episode of 'Why It's Shifty' and I hope you enjoyed learning about the Lizzie Borden House. Next week, we take a look at a strange death that happened about an hour or so away from where I live. Back in 1945, Charles Walton was killed. But how and why are kind of shifty...

Next Week: The Death of Charles Walton