Would You Spend a Night at the Lizzie Borden Murder House?
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Since the Lizzie Borden House was sold to US Ghost Adventures in 2021, the infamous haunted house has undergone significant restorations. The museum-oriented bed and breakfast is now sturdier than ever (due to replaced rotted wood) and includes modern features like smart thermostats in the guest rooms, but make no mistake: It’s creepier than ever.
Located in Fall River, Massachusetts, the house is known as the site of a gruesome double murder circa 1892 when someone used a hatchet to murder Lizzie Borden's father and stepmother in the house. Lizzie was acquitted of the crime in 1893, but the mystery of the deaths still remains unsolved—giving the property a rather eerie energy.
Since the late 1990s, the home-turned-murder scene has been open to the public for overnight stays as well as tours, with reports from guests citing its haunted nature. One overnight guest went as far as to call it "the most haunted place that I've ever stayed."
The new owner Lance Zaal is the founder of US Ghost Adventures and creator of Lily, a supernatural doll that wards off ghosts and ghouls around Halloween. Zaal bought the property with the intention to carry on the business and preserve the home’s history. Over the course of two years, the home has seen many upgrades including a strengthened foundation, mold removal in the bathroom, replaced rotted barn doors, and the installation of a new HVAC system. Further protection was added with new security cameras, smart locks, and motion sensors.
Throughout the home, new Victorian-style furniture replaced any too-far-gone-to-save pieces. “New props were staged in the murder scenes to represent the true crime scene photos with more accuracy, and I set up an antique camera used to take the infamous crime scene photos,” Zaal said in a press release. “For the museum display, new Victorian furniture was staged and display pieces were installed to protect and display artifacts in the museum including the dress from the 1975 movie.”
The guest rooms now feature smart thermostats, upgraded mattresses, blackout blinds, and all-new linens and pillows. Onsite, there’s also a commercial washer and dryer and a way to self-check in and check out.
At the gift shop, guests can now buy Lizzie Borden merchandise—from a hatchet that’s engravable to a murder mystery board game. As far as activities go, guests can go on a new ghost tour and ghost hunt for which equipment is available to use during visits. Not only that, but guests can engage with the virtual Lizzie Library. It contains more than 30 years of accounts from guests who visited the property, and there’s a recording area and books for new visitors to record their haunted experiences.
If you think that’s a lot, Zaal isn’t even done yet. “We have plans to make additional improvements to preserve the house and enhance the guest experience,” Zaal said in the release. “When it comes to preserving an old house that receives so many visitors, it is important to consistently protect and preserve the property over time. Restoration and improvement work will be finished this year, but our dedication to maintaining the protecting a piece of Americana will never end.”
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