Ellwood After Dark

If you ever wondered what the Ellwood House feels like after dark, now we know.

Last weekend we hosted our first-ever Ellwood After Dark flashlight tours, and WOW, what a turnout! Over two nights, guests explored the mansion by candlelight and flashlight, led by our incredible museum docents and the team from West Suburban Paranormal Investigations. The lights were low, the house was (mostly) quiet, and every creak and gust of wind made the night feel just a little more mysterious (in the best way).

The tours weren’t about ghosts, they were about stories. We talked about the Elllwood family, Victorian mourning customs, and the unique spiritualist traditions that fascinated people in the late 1800’s. Guests got to see the mansion in a completely new way, not as a museum frozen in time, but as a living space full of history and atmosphere.

Our partners-in-haunt, West Suburban Paranormal brought along EMF readers and a few other tools to discover any chatty spirits. Sharing insights into 19th century ghost hunting methods, our tour groups experienced the mansion in an entirely new way while getting hands-on with the equipment and seeing just how curious history can feel after dark.

Before or after the tour, guests hung out in the Ellwood-Nehring House, trying Victorian parlor games, grabbing snacks, and even getting a glimpse into the mysterious with a Tarot reading, all part of the after-dark fun. I absolutely loved hearing people talk about how different the house felt after dark and the little details they’d noticed for the first time.

If you missed it, don’t worry! We’re already in the process of making next year’s After Dark even better. We also have a little more Halloween fun planned for this year. On Halloween, we’re hosting a free family-friendly trick-or-treat across our campus. Come in costume, visit each building for treats, and stop by the Visitor Center for an activity.

Seeing the mansion come alive with flashlights and curiosity reminded me why I love sharing the Ellwood House, it’s more than history, it’s an adventure, and way to experience history first-hand. I can’t wait to see our campus filled with little trick-or-treaters on Halloween!