SPECTRALWhat happened here
Belcourt was designed by Richard Morris Hunt for Oliver Belmont, a banker's son who loved horses so much that much of the ground floor was built as stables and carriage rooms, with his living quarters above. After Belmont married the society hostess Alva Vanderbilt in 1896, the house was remodelled for entertaining.
In 1956 the Tinney family bought the house, filled it with European antiques, stained glass and armour, and opened it to visitors for decades. It was sold in 2012 to a new owner who began a long restoration.
The legends
Two suits of armour are said to be haunted: one reportedly lets out a scream, and another has been seen to move. A carved chair is said to resist anyone who tries to sit in it, pushing them off or chilling them to the bone.
Visitors and staff have also reported a monk-like figure, cold spots in the ballroom and a sense that the house did not want to be disturbed.
Fact or legend?
The house, its architect and its owners are well documented; the ghost stories grew mostly during the Tinney years, when they were a popular part of the tours. Many of the “haunted” antiques came from elsewhere, bringing their stories with them.
Visiting
Belcourt is privately owned and has been under restoration, with public tours offered only at times. Check before visiting; otherwise, admire it from Bellevue Avenue.
