Wytheville, VA
The Octagon Mansion, 585 West Main Street, Wytheville, Virginia, was built in 1870 by Dr. Henry Quincy Adams Bowyer. It was sold to Rev. Dexter A. Snow in 1874 who finished its construction. The wings to the side of the house were added in 1890 by J.L Gleaves. This octagonal house is two stories, with a semi-circular portico on the front supported by commanding Doric columns. It has a center brick chimney in the octagonal section and end brick chimneys in the side wings. Its imposing architecture adds to the mystery of the property, as does the curious diagonal passageway in the house. The mansion is known as one of the most important, but one of the most unusual, houses in Wytheville and it’s one of only two octagonal houses in Southwest Virginia. It’s also sometimes known as the Bowyer-Gleaves House.
The mansion’s famous ghost could be a little girl who died tragically during the 1950’s polio epidemic. Or, is there another presence that likes to throw rocks and spook visitors? Dubbed by some as the “scariest place” in Virginia, the 1870 mansion is rich in history and a Historic Icon of America’s Past. As well as the ghost of the young girl, Civil War soldiers who died on the land outside the home have been reported, and spirits from the graveyard that sits underneath the property too.
November 6, 2020
Investigators: Beth Rosen, Travis Spitzer & Heather Olsen with guests Jenny Breitbarth, Eric Singleton & Jen Kozlof.
Location Photos: Click to enlarge
Findings: Nothing to report
Grave Concerns Paranormal does not view findings presented on this page as evidence of ghosts or the paranormal. These are merely experiences that we can not explain at this time.