A haunted look into Mather Mansion’s past – The Cauldron
Photo Credit: Cleveland State University
Mather Mansion, built in the early 1900s, was valued at $1.2 million, making it the most expensive structure in Cleveland at the time. Today, it is one of the last remaining houses on Millionaires’ Row and…rumored to be haunted.
History of Mather Mansion
The mansion was designed by architect Charles Schweinfurth, who also designed Trinity Cathedral located right across from Berkman Hall. It was occupied by the Mather family, the leading name in iron manufacturing.
Over the years, Mather Mansion has changed hands multiple times. In 1931, the Cleveland Institute of Music leased the mansion after Mather’s death for music studies.
Then, in 1940, the Cleveland Automobile Club occupied it and used it as their headquarters.
In 1969, Cleveland State University acquired it for $1,518 dollars. They used it as the home for the Afro-American Cultural Center, The Vindicator (CSU’s arts & culture magazine), the Division of University Relations, First College, and the History and Philosophy departments from 1969 to 2010.
The University then closed it for renovations the following year. Mather Mansion was reopened in 2014 and is currently home to the Center for International Services and Programs. CSU made way for an additional parking garage, now known as East Garage, and demolished gardens that were originally on the property.
Sinister encounters
There are many stories about suspicious encounters in Mather Mansion.
A housekeeper recalls a story when they were forcibly shoved out of a room. She was alone. A member of the grounds crew was investigating an instance when the motion sensors were tripped at 2 a.m.. He claims he had heard sounds of a party happening. Laughter, glasses clinking and music. He never returned.
In 2016, the CSU Alumni Association decided to get another viewpoint on this situation. They called the Ohio Ghost Hunters to come investigate. The ghost hunters entered what is believed to be Samuel Mather’s former bedroom and used a Spirit Box to converse with voices from the “other side.”
They were answered by what seemed to be a child’s voice. Some members of the ghost hunters believed they heard two children’s voices. The ghost hunters asked if it was okay to come back some time, and they weren’t given a clear answer. What would happen if these ghosts tried to be contacted again? Maybe they wouldn’t be so willing to chat.
It’s not uncommon for ghost stories to fly around regarding specific buildings but it’s often because of an ominous past.
There is no record of anything sinister occurring in the mansion and no history of its inhabitants dying inside. If Mather Mansion really is “haunted,” and by two children at that, what caused their ghosts to linger behind? What went down within those walls?