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What happened inside this abandoned house in Fond du Lac to give it such a sinister and bizarre reputation? The Witherell House has a long and mysterious history.
On County Highway K, outside of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, is an eerie old house set back from the road. Though not much is known about the property, its unusual architecture and local legends have made it a point of interest for what may be decades of restless teenagers.
Which is exactly how my fate became entwined with this cursed place.
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I was 18 years old. It was 1999, and I was living with friends in a backwoods town about an hour north of Milwaukee in the heart of Deliverance country. As can be expected when you live in the sphincter of the great Dairy State, we were horrendously bored and desperate for adventure. We were sharing stories about haunted locations, as the night before we had been creeping around the woods near Rienzi Cemetery in search of witch graves and gates to Hell.
A friend from nearby Fond du Lac shared a story he had heard about an abandoned house in the area. According to local legend, a man murdered his wife and mentally ill daughter there. And he knew the location of the house. As a matter of fact, it was just down the road from Rienzi.
How could I possibly resist?
So a group of us jumped in the car and headed off into the wild unknown, completely unaware of the misfortune we had just consigned ourselves to.
Today, the trees and bushes have been trimmed back, and a neighborhood of modern houses spring up beside the house.
16 years ago, though, the property was isolated, ominous, overgrown and barely visible from the road. White paint was peeling off to reveal the gray, weathered clapboard beneath. Most of the windows were broken, gaping black voids. A sun room in the back had collapsed inward.
The door in the back was padlocked shut. A large NO TRESPASSING sign should have been enough to deter us at that point…but the house seemed completely neglected. It was falling in on itself. How would anyone notice, or possibly even care, if we went in and looked around?
Well, it turns out someone cares very much.
Someone in our group pushed the door open, probably breaking the latch off the rotting door frame, and we crept inside. I didn’t expect to find anything, but of course I was hoping for anything to substantiate the legend – 100-year-old blood stains, human remains, anything.
The first thing I remember seeing was a mattress on the bare wood floor of the living room, in front of a large fireplace. On the mattress was a Ouija board and some burned candles.
There were cans of paint and other supplies covered in layers of dust in the kitchen. I found a few receipts laying around on the counter, the most recent dated 1987. Whoever was attempting to fix the place up seemed to have given up a long time ago.
Musty books were piled on the floor of an upstairs room in front of the built-in bookshelf they used to occupy. I examined a few of them, which appeared to be old pathology texts with obscure symptoms and disorders underlined throughout.
The fieldstone basement was extremely dark, so we didn’t go too far down there. I remember noticing a few pieces of rusted metal, perhaps a water heater and furnace, resting just beyond the light that shone down the narrow staircase.
The Letter
Back upstairs, along the side of the wall in which the fireplace had been built, I found a single square cupboard door. It opened downward to function as a writing surface for a secretary desk-style compartment in the wall. It was empty, but I noticed an ornate wooden handle at the back. I tugged on it, and realized the whole desk was just loosely set into the wall. I carefully slid it out…to reveal a letter that had been hidden behind it.
The paper was stiff and yellowed, handwritten in pencil. It was addressed to a Mr. J. Witherell, an apology from the Fond du Lac sanatorium that, since the facility was closing, his wife and daughter would have to be discharged. Was this evidence that some unspeakable tragedy may have actually happened there? If the letter was real, how had it never been found before?
Excited by actual, physical evidence that in the moment seemed to support some semblance of the story I was there to find, I slipped the letter into my back pocket and started toward the door. Just as I was about the exit the house, a Fond du Lac County sheriff rounded the corner from the front of the house and was approaching the door. I quickly alerted the others, but there would be no escape. Through the large front windows, we could see firetrucks and squad cars lined up out on the road.
While most of us were exploring, two members of our group had apparently been throwing around wood and other junk they found laying around. In the process, they managed to knock a fire detector off the ceiling, which triggered an automated alarm at the fire department.
There was a moment of panic, then we decided to go outside and face the firing squad. I wasn’t keen on the idea of a theft charge, so I left the letter on the mantle of the fireplace before stepping outside.
As we were explaining ourselves to the officers, an older woman (the owner or caretaker of the property) walked around the house, surveying the damage. She claimed she lived nearby, and had heard the sound of smashing glass from her home. She said something to the effect that she had been there the day prior and that all the windows were intact. As a result, not only did we all get fined for trespassing, we were assessed restitution for property damage totaling $1,500 each.
We were told that trespassers were pulled out of that house frequently. But why is a dilapidated house that’s been vacant for decades so heavily protected? Why is the grass mowed and the property regularly maintained?
History of the Witherell House
I’ve come across several recent references to the house, suggesting rumors still persist. Its reputation for being wired with motion detectors and other security measures is well known.
In a 2014 episode of Real Ghost Stories Online (listen below), hosts Tony and Jenny Brueski briefly discuss the house. They theorize that maybe the owner is trying to protect people from a dangerous presence inside.
I’ve often thought that, if something tragic did in fact happen there, maybe the family couldn’t bear to let the memory wither away with the house. I felt differently in 1999, though. I was angry and highly suspicious. Someone was trying to cover up a violent and brutal crime from their family’s past, and the letter to J. Witherell was the evidence that would justify the outrageous fines I couldn’t possibly afford to pay.
Until recently, I had never found any factual information on the house. I was searching for a record of a sanatorium in Fond du Lac the other day when I stumbled upon a searchable database on the Wisconsin Historical Society website. Much to my disbelief, Fond du Lac’s most mysterious (and arguably most feared) abandoned house had a history. According to the historical record, it is an 1873 Queen Anne known as the Witherell House. This is the first reference I’ve found to the name on the letter, giving credence to its authenticity.
From the description of the property:
Two story, Late Picturesque frame house with clapboard siding. Gable roof with bargeboards. Oddly shaped windows. Pictured in 1874 Atlas of Fond du Lac County.
Phillips, the former sheriff of Onondaga County, New York and a state representative, arrived in Fond du Lac County in 1852 with his brother Lyman Phillips. Primarily a farmer, Phillips was also elected to the state Senate in 1860, and provost marshal of the Fond du Lac district in 1863-1864. Elihu was also the founder and first president of the Fond du Lac Savings Bank.
The Lyman Phillips (Elihu’s brother) house was very similar in design and appeared on Bogert & Haight’s 1862 Map of Fond du Lac County Wisconsin. This residence, however, was destroyed by fire in 1876.
As you can see in the photos above, the house was in much better condition when it was the subject of a historical survey in 1974.
Searching for the Fond du Lac Sanatorium
Postcard from St. Mary’s Springs Sanitarium c.1901
I have yet to find a record of a facility specifically called the Fond du Lac Sanatorium. Just down the road from the Witherell House, however, is St. Mary’s Springs Catholic high school. It was built in 1901 by the Sisters of Saint Agnes to serve as a sanitarium, but it closed in 1909 to become a girl’s boarding school.
Is that what the letter was referring to?
What happened in the house after J. Witherell’s sick wife and daughter returned home?
It’s worth noting that St. Mary’s Springs, the Witherell House, and Rienzi Cemetery are all on Hwy K within just a few minutes of each other. At the back of the cemetery is a single monument and four small cornerstones possibly marking the perimeter of a mass grave. This is the infamous Witch Circle, rumored to be the final resting place of nuns from St. Mary’s Springs who were excommunicated for practicing witchcraft and getting pregnant.
Real Ghost Stories Online: Abandoned Haunted House?
Have you had an experience with the Witherell House, or have some insight into its real history?
Please share it in the comments below.
The House on K LesleyAnne Stormo Moen Greeting Fondy fans. I am the youngest of Dr. Stormo’s eight children. I have five sisters and two brothers, and all eight of us grew up playing in and around “the farm” (as we have always called it). Since there is a request for memories of the place I thought I would share… and I will share a lot. The inside of the house used to be beautiful : the smooth, elegant wooden spindles that lined the staircase leading upstairs that also outlined the stairwell that divides the second floor in half; the… Read more »
I am so glad that LesleyAnne Stormo Moen wrote the beautiful story about this house and how much it meant to her and her family. I also can relate. I grew up in Fond du Lac and lived in a beautiful, larger home in town. To find out years later that people in our neighborhood used to call it the “haunted house”. I never felt a presence of any kind there and only have warm and wonderful memories of growing up there. Was always going to buy it when I got older and raise my kids there, but the neighborhood… Read more »
Funny story…in 1999 I also went to that house…I lived in a property that connected with the same woods in the back of the house. Same thing happened to us, cane out to face the Fond du Lac sheriffs. We took nothing, we broke nothing. But ended up spending the night in jail. And to this day I have a criminal trespassing on my record. I did go into that basement. It was the oddest thing. Even though it was the dead of summer, the whole basement floor was covered in ice, no idea why. And those books you speak… Read more »
that house my friend told me that there dad went inside of there putting in fire alarms, and he hurd so,e weird noises. sooooo hats all ik soooo
What about the historical society? Would they have any interest in helping restore? I hate to see history torn down or neglected and it really is beautiful! If you ever need volunteers to come help clean up damage from trespassors respond to this. 🙂
I grew up in the last house on How 23 before county K. I was born in 1951. When I was a young girl (youngest of 5 children) our telephones were on party lines. Mrs. Witherall was totally blind and many times would fail to hang up the phone when she was finished talking. So, one of us had to go across the field and ask she or Mr. Witherall to hang up the phone. Nothing scary or haunted about it. As a teen, I was in the empty house once. There were old magazines and books and lots of… Read more »
Well if you still need history on the sanitarium, I dont know a whole lot but there was one in fond du lac. If you look on ebay you’ll probably find postcards of it. The center structure looked like a 4 square house with wings off it
The sanatorium was the Fond du lac County Asylum. It was where the Rolling Meadows Golf Course is today. It was demolished in the late 1960’s and replaced with the County Health Care Center on 2nd Street
I drive this house every Sunday on our way to church. It is very intriguing and wish I could go inside. History is so important but only if the facts are correct. Seems people want to make things up and let their imagination run wi!d. I would love to see it restored to its original beauty.
Although I believe the people who had lived there were good people, I think it’s haunted. Today I had my senior pictures taken by it and there was a shot of me in front of the house where you can see some figure in the left window. I’ll post it once I have it.
Ok so what’s the deal? Is this house haunted or not? Did a murder happen??
I lived out on k for years. Drove by the house daily. I would slow down and look at the beautiful property. I hope it never changes. Moving back to Fond du lac here pretty soon. May have to take a drive when I get home go take a look.
The pathologist referee to above did own the home. He was used as a consultant in the Jeffery dahmer murders. This is only based on legend, but I have lived in fdl all my life. What I understand is that during the time he was away for the Jeffery dahmer the house was broken into and damaged. I heard life, time, and folklore got in the way of resoring the home. I do know that there are sensors that alert to the sheriff’s dept. I have also heard the murder story but never saw evidence. Fdl has long history I… Read more »
As for the area at Rienzi … I manage Rienzi Cemetery. It is not a mass grave. Those are actually graves of nuns from the Cathedral Church of St Paul. We do have names in our records. Sorry!.
Dr. Stormo owned the house until his recent passing. The story you’re referring to was told by his daughter Lesley-Anne, and is on the Facebook page, “When I was young, living in Fond du Lac”. You have to be a member of the group in order to see the posts.
I been there, did’t get caught got pictures, its not haunted..
Dabbling in occult opens portals and when left open allows bad spirits to enter into the world. Not easy to deal with the demonic entities once let in a home. Oujii board left in that house is not a good thing.
If the Stormo family lived in the house, it was probably Dr. Stormo, his wife, and, I believe, 8 children. Dr. Stormo was a Pathologist at St. Agnes Hospital (8th floor), thus the pathology books. I worked in the Pathology Department and did transcription for Dr. Stormo and the other Pathologists. Mrs. Stormo is still living and Dr. Stormo passed away. Dr. Stormo was a lead investigator/Pathologist (Pathologists also do autopsies) for the “Damer” Case. Dr. Stormo and the other Pathologists did autopsies on the 8th floor of St. Agnes Hospital. I believe autopsies were originally done in the basement… Read more »
Does anyone know who owns the house now.. a paranormal investigation crew would like to investigate there if permitted.. please let me know. Thanks
A sanatorium is not always an asylum. Sanatoriums were long term care facilities. If a patient had TB (also known as the vapors), they would stay in a sanatorium. To assume someone was discharged from a sanatorium is a reason for possible murder is making an ass out of you not me.
I live near fdl and have driven by this house dozens of times. If I remember correctly, someone is currently living there-at least it is well taken care of.
I would like to know the haunting of house on corner of Forest and Hickory by the shop.
This is fascinating. Thanks for sharing
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I am going to forward this to my daughter. She and her friends experienced paranormal happenings in the 90’s at this house. We drove by it and I could feel the dark presence of what my Daughter told me they encountered. I have lived with spirits for as long as I can remember. My daughter has been around several of those spirits as our house in Cedar Grove was haunted with them. Lucky for us they were friendly and we coexisted. If you would like to know about them I would be happy to share.
Spent a couple evenings in the house in 1985 with many friends. All friends of family member. Other than the ghost stories we made up that evening to spook things up, nothing sinister about the house.
Ken Stormo was a Pathologists, he was a Coroner for FDL county and later a Medical Examiner for Milwaukee County. Which is why you found pathology books on the premises. Pretty sure the intent was to retire back to FDL from Milwaukee County and restore the homestead, which he didn’t want vandalized, hence the security system. Age caught up with him. Everything else is teenage hormones, imaginations and good story telling for Halloween.
I love that house. Yes Dr Stormo did own the house. Not sure what happened after he passed. When I was young I always hope I might one day be able to purchase it. I lived on HWY K for a very long time. Joy
I live in fond du lac. I knew people who had claimed to have been in there. I heard a different story. I heard a bunch of nuns lived there long ago & the people i knew who had claimed to be in there said there were half packed suitcases in there, as if the people who had lived there were in a hurry to get out. Anyone heard anything like that??
Maybe the letter is referring to the Fond du Lac Mental Asylum? It opened in the late 1800’s and was on Military Road across from Holiday Inn where most recently Rolling Meadows Nursing Home was.
Sorry it’s Fondy Hauntings, click on info, then click on files, it’s towards the bottom. The house on k pops up. The lady that grew up in the house tells a beautiful story about it.
The whole area up off of Cty K has alot of history-alot sad however-one of the buildings now part of the Wisc. prison system located on Taycheedah was also part of the St. Marys nun projects-there is one building that was the unwed mothers house (now used for rehab of prisoners) There are many unmarked graves in a cemetary on the hillside behind it-not sure as to the complete history behind it-many times we could hear the sound of babies crying in the distance-
My name is Mike I grew up in Fond du Lac and lived there up until recently. The place is very intriguing and creepy. As a young kid there was really nothing to do in town but get into trouble. A couple of buddy’s and me were at the cemetery down the road walking around and as we left heading up cty Rd K we passed the house. Now this is at like 1:30 in the morning and there are candles literally in every window and they were lit. We stopped on the road cuz that was odd and I… Read more »
Got caught also in 1999, it was creepy saw satanic paraphernalia. Had a cops gun to my temple as we were attempting to escape, since I dropped my flashlight and picked it up thought I had a gun, peed a little.
that place is wired like fort knox with sensors and cameras everywhere. I got busted in 2004, cost me $147 and we didn’t even break in like charlie did, just looked around outside. creepy place. cops showed up minutes after we jumped the fence and came from all directions – never was so scared as when that happend.
A local doctor owns the home and I believe it was his intent to eventually fix it up
If you go on Fdl haunting on facebook, that lady that grew up in this house tells a beautiful story. It was a while ago so it take a bit ti find it
All of your stories are B.S. I was in the house with the owners and their children back in the ’70s. It was a gorgeous house and a great family. I don’t know how it ended in such disrepair after they sold it but I also wish it had been cared for.