Built in 1896 by a famous copper king, Marcus Daly purchased an old homestead in the quaint town of Hamilton, Montana. Daly was a wealthy businessman who built the mansion and named it Riverside. The Victorian style home has 25 bedrooms and 15 bathrooms. The home features 7 individual fireplaces crafted from imported Italian marble. The home is 25,000 square feet and sits on 46 acres of private property.
Brief History of The Daly Mansion
The Daly Mansion is currently operated by the State of Montana after they acquired the property in the 1980s. From the time of Margaret Daly’s death in 1941 until the State of Montana purchased the home, the property had sat boarded up and empty. Visitors are welcome to enjoy self-guided tours on weekdays from June until October. The mansion also offers a perfect background for weddings and other large events. According to local folklore, the Daly Mansion was never really empty after Margaret’s death, nor is it ever completely empty today. There have been numerous reports from employees and visits of the Daly Mansion of paranormal activity on the property grounds. The house has had so many mentions of paranormal activity, in fact, that the mansion now boasts an annual haunted hayride through the property.
Did the Daly’s Ever Leave?
It has been reported that guests and employees will see apparitions throughout the home, as well as cigar smoke that can be smelled when no one is smoking. The lore goes to say that the cigar smoke is from Marcus Daly himself, who was a cigar aficionado in his day. Paranormal investigators come to the mansion frequently to try and make contact with whichever spirit is at the Daly Mansion. Some say the wandering apparition is Marcus Daly Jr., who died on a hunting trip in Virginia. Daly Jr’s official cause of death was listed as heart disease, but many locals believe that story is a cover for his suicide. Another common spook that happens in the Daly Mansion is the removal of frames from around the home. Visitors and employees have reported seeing picture frames out of place and straightening them, only to come back a few minutes later to find it out of place again. Along with unexplained apparitions, moving furniture, and cigar smoke, guests frequently mention that the entire mansion seems to be just a bit off. It feels like you’re being watched inside and there are cold spots throughout the home.
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