The Story of the Villisca Axe Murder House
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Villisca, Iowa; A small town about an hour away from Omaha, Nebraska and two hours away from Des Moines, Iowa. In the summer of 1912, a mass murder rocked this town of less than 2,000 people and spread fear throughout the homes of Midwest families for years. In Villisca, crimes and violence were the last things on the minds of the individuals living here. Doors were left unlocked, neighbors were always friendly, and everyone knew one another in some way. This all changed after the morbid deaths of eight individuals at the home of Josiah and Sarah Moore.
What Happened at the Villisca Axe Murder House?
On the evening of June 10, 1912, the Moore family and two friends of the Moore children were sleeping soundly after a busy and fun day participating in a summer church activity when a person or persons entered the house and brutally murdered each individual with an axe found on the property. Coroner reports suggest the deaths occurred sometime after midnight that evening. Even after years of trials and rumored suspects, all questions were left unanswered and no one was charged with the murders. To this day, the murderer was never found and likely went to their grave with the secret of their horrendous crime.
Because the Moore house has such a dark and mysterious past, it is no surprise that the house quickly attracted rumors of a haunting. Over 100 years later, ghost hunters and thrill seekers alike can attend tours of the Moore house as well as pay to spend the night at the house and record their experiences. Every year, hundreds of visitors have experiences that can only be described as paranormal.
After asking around, I have found a few individuals who agreed to answer a few questions about their visit to the Villisca Axe Murder House. They have asked that their identities remain anonymous. These are their responses:
What are three words that you would use to describe your experience at the Villisca Axe Murder House?
“I would describe being at the house as heavy, creepy, and informative. The tour guides were very forthcoming with information and facts about the house. You can definitely feel a sense of sadness when you enter the front door.”
“My experience can be described as informative, spooky, and fun. It was so cool to learn about what happened at the house. Even if you don’t experience any paranormal activity, the crime committed makes it a spooky house in general. It would be a good place to visit if you are a true crime fan.”
Did you experience any paranormal activity, and if so, what did you see/hear?
“Absolutely. For the entire tour, I felt like there was someone watching me. I just had that feeling of eyes on the back of my head and it made me get goosebumps. My friends and I were also lucky enough to get some male and child voices on an EMF recorder. There were also some distinct footsteps heard in the attic upstairs. It was really creepy.”
Did you spend the night at the Villisca Axe Murder House? How was this different from the daytime experience?
“I did! At nighttime, it feels like there is just so much more energy in the house. Paranormal activity seemed to occur at every hour. It was almost impossible to sleep because of how creepy it all felt in the dark. Not that any of us wanted to sleep, we were all too excited to catch evidence of ghosts!”
After hearing about the experiences from these individuals as well as reading about other experiences that people have had during their time at the Villisca Axe Murder House, it is almost impossible to deny the disturbing and creepy things happening behind the walls of this small-town Iowa home. If you ever find yourself passing through Iowa, maybe take a scenic route through Villisca, Iowa and visit the Moore family home. For daytime tours, no reservation is needed. You just show up, pay the $10 per person, and enjoy your visit. For those thrill seekers ready to tackle the house after dark, reserve a time slot for you and some friends. The price for an overnight stay is a minimum of $428 which allows for 1 to 6 guests, each additional guest is an additional $75. While the overnight stay may not be cheap, when split between friends it can end up being an unforgettable, eventful trip that you will be discussing for years.
*For the latest updates on Covid-19 and tours please visit their website: Villisca Axe Murder House
Other sources:
https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/villisca-ax-murder-house-iowa/