Wickland Mansion

An elegant Georgian-style mansion built in 1815, known as the "Home of Three Governors." The historic estate preserves period architecture and has a deep connection to Kentucky's political history.

Wickland Mansion is one of Bardstown's most ghost-infested sites, with paranormal encounters reported for decades. Having been home to three Kentucky governors, the mansion has accumulated many spirits over its two centuries of history. The strongest spirit is Waleta, an enslaved woman who did most of the cooking for the household. She is consistently encountered in the kitchen, wearing her hair pulled back with a bonnet or scarf. Waleta seems attached to her former workspace and has been sensed by numerous visitors and staff. Reports of disembodied voices are common throughout the mansion, with visitors hearing conversations in empty rooms. Random gusts of cold air sweep through the hallways without explanation, and full apparitions have been spotted walking the halls, dressed in period clothing from the 19th century. Self-guided tours are available, and the mansion also hosts spirit sessions where participants attempt to communicate with the former residents. Many visitors have reported feeling watched in certain rooms, particularly the upstairs bedrooms.