The prowler Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
Julien's Journal wrote in 2025 that one night in the 1890s Sarah Ham, alone in the house, fired two shots through her bedroom door at an intruder; blood led to the river, where a pirate lay dead. Some ask if his ghost haunts the house. Source: Julien's Journal, 2025.
Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.
Real history
A disgruntled worker burned the interior of the first house in 1856; Ham rebuilt in 1857, then lost his fortune in the crash later that year. The city bought the mansion from his daughter Sarah for $9,500 in 1912 (Julien's Journal, 2025). It is run by the Dubuque County Historical Society (Wikipedia).
Ghost stories
These are reported legends, not verified events. The creepiness score (1–5) is Spook Atlas's own editorial rating, not a measurement.
The organ Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
Travel Iowa says staff and visitors report cold breezes, objects moving between rooms, flickering lights, footsteps and music from the broken organ. Source: Travel Iowa.
Travel Iowa says staff and visitors report cold breezes, objects moving between rooms, flickering lights, footsteps and music from the broken organ. Source: Travel Iowa.
Then and now
Public access
Partly open The river museum lists 2026 public tours from July 5 to October 31 and says the site is closed for public tours from November 1, 2026 to May 29, 2027, with private tours by email (National Mississippi River Museum). Last checked: Nov 1, 2026.
Explore more
- More places in Dubuque and Iowa
- More haunted & abandoned houses
- More haunted & abandoned museums
- Nearby: Walker House (Mineral Point, WI), Edinburgh Manor (Scotch Grove, IA), Franklin Hotel (Strawberry Point, IA), Black Angel, Oakland Cemetery (Iowa City, IA)
⚠️ Please read: This information may be outdated and conditions change. Verify access with the owner or operator before you go. Spook Atlas does not encourage trespassing. Entering private, closed or condemned property can be illegal and dangerous. Report a correction.
Reader experiences
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