Before Christmas, uninvited guests arrived at the Lefferts-Laidlaw House at 136 Clinton Avenue in Brooklyn and knocked on the door. This haunting led to the spectacle of onlookers trying to solve a strange case that even the New York Police couldn't solve.
In the bustling neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, among the charming townhouses of Clinton Avenue, one address stands out with an incredible reputation: 136 Clinton Avenue, a magnificent Greek Revival House built in the slow 1830s that still stands close to the Brooklyn Navy House on Clinton Hill. Today it is known as the Lefferts-Laidlaw House, and when it went on the market in 2020, after years of coming on and off the market, it was listed at $3.4 million.
Residents who have lived there until current times, as well as the agent trying to sell the house, claim that it is not haunted. But could a haunted ghost story be a deterrent to buyers? The chilling events that took place here in the winter of 1878 left an indelible mark on local lore, giving rise to one of Brooklyn's most infamous Christmas hauntings.
The whole story was told in a series of newspaper articles in the New York Times on December 20 and 21.
Uninvited guest at 136 Clinton Avenue
It all started a few weeks before Christmas 1878. Edward F. Smith, a resident of 136 Clinton Avenue, was enjoying a silent evening at home when the doorbell rang. He opened the door, expecting a guest, but found no one there. It happened several more times that night, the doors of the house were kicking, banging and rattling. It was so raucous but you couldn't see anything and it went on until 10 p.m. Mr. Smith must have kept telling himself this: It was just the wind and went to sleep.
This was just the beginning of the pre-Christmas nightmare. This seemingly innocent event soon turned into a nightly occurrence, each time with the same astonishing result: the doorbell rang, but there was no one outside and no sign that anyone was there at all.
Smith and his family were initially surprised, but soon became frustrated. Determined to catch the prankster, Smith sprinkled ash and flour on the path leading to the door, expecting to find footprints. But the substances remained intact and the mysterious sounds continued.
Escalation of fear
As the days passed, the disturbing events intensified. The doorbell turned into aggressive banging on the door. The Smith family, now deeply concerned, decided to seek assist. They contacted the police, who began investigating the strange events during the night, but nothing came of it.
Despite the presence of the police, the riots did not stop. The ringing and banging continued, foiling any attempt to identify its source. Police Captain McLaughlin was even there and opened the slamming door, only to find it empty. It was on Monday, December 16, when things took a darker turn.
One night, things took an even more sinister turn when a brick suddenly flew through the window from outside. Officers standing nearby did not see anyone who might have thrown a brick, adding to the sense of fear and confusion.
Paranormal conclusion
Weeks of investigation yielded no answers. Police were unable to determine the cause of the riot, and constant noises and inexplicable events continued to plague the Smith family. With no rational explanation in sight, Smith and the witnesses to these bizarre events began to suspect a supernatural cause.
The haunting of 136 Clinton Avenue became the subject of local gossip, with many people speculating that the house was cursed or that restless spirits haunted it. Some suggested the disturbance was the work of a malicious poltergeist, while others believed it was the ghost of a former resident seeking revenge or closure.
Paranormal investigators and spiritualists begged to come inside and have a look, but Mr. Smith turned them all down because he didn't feel like dealing with such nonsense. This did not stop them, however, and there were reports of half-sessions on the sidewalk with the crowd, which the police sometimes had to send away. One police officer even had his fingers bitten by something the newspaper reported: “one powerful German who refused to move.”
Who was the ghost haunting the Lefferts-Laidlaw house?
According to the residence, after three weeks of chaos, the haunting suddenly stopped and no answers were given as to what really happened there. Local rumors claimed that it must have been the work of the ghost of a lawyer who committed suicide in the house years ago.
According to Mr. Smith, he was so shocked and irritated that he reportedly said that Satan himself must be in his house. He claimed that it was he who drove away the ghost with long prayers, and previously told the newspaper that: “we believe we are perfectly capable of taking care of any spirit that appears.
There are also stories about the original owner and his chef, where according to this story the owner murdered the chef when he found out about the affair with his wife.
According to the police, they were inconclusive. It wasn't like they could accept the devil or the lawyer's ghost theory, but even they had to stand behind what they saw happen, and that there was no way a living human could have done this without being seen.
The Legacy of the Visitation
The haunting of 136 Clinton Avenue remains one of Brooklyn's most enduring ghost stories. Over the years, the house changed hands many times, and each modern owner was regaled with stories of Christmas hauntings. Some residents reported experiencing strange sounds and disturbing events, while others survived there without incident.
Today, the history of Christmas hauntings serves as a chilling reminder of the unexplained phenomena that sometimes invade our lives. Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, the story of 136 Clinton Avenue continues to captivate those who hear it, adding a touch of mystery to the holiday season in Brooklyn.
Reference:
Ghosts of New York: The Lefferts-Laidlaw House
The Haunting of 136 Clinton Avenue (from the NY Times!)
Famous 'haunted house' in Clinton Hill drops price to $3.4 million | 6 square feet
Lefferts-Laidlaw House – Wikipedia
How real estate agents sell haunted houses in New York
Image Source: Pixabay.com
