A Ghostly Portal: The Byrd Park Pump House
Posted: 11.23.2024 | Updated: 11.23.2024
Settled on the James River amongst the woods and water of the Virginia landscape, you’ll find an imposing structure, The Byrd Park Pump House. Known by some locals as the Castle on the James, this gray-granite structure entices the attention of both architectural enthusiasts and ghost hunters alike.
The Byrd Park Pump House is well known as one of Richmond’s most haunted locations, although many familiar with the building’s history may wonder why. No nefarious acts have occurred within this magnificent structure. Quite the contrary, in fact. For years, this Richmond monument supplied the reservoir with water and acted as a social venue for community gatherings.
Yet still, spirits are connected to the mysterious structure. Who are these unearthly inhabitants, and for what reason do they cling to this marvelous construction? Read on to deconstruct the mystery of this Gothic gem and its fascinating history.
Why Is the Byrd Park Pump House Haunted?
According to one paranormal expert, the Byrd Park Pump House acts as a portal due to its unique design. The unusual combination of steel, iron, slate, and continuously moving water is a perfect recipe for ghostly conduction. As a result, numerous spirits linger in this enigmatic building, caught somewhere between this world and the next.
Interested in exploring more of the River City’s offerings? Join Richmond Ghost Tours for a spine-tingling tour for fans of the strange and peculiar to hear more tales of the city’s most haunted places.
An Architectural Oddity
The Byrd Park Pump House has an uncommon history. Its primary purpose was to shelter the Richmond City waterworks. Sited at the Three-Mile Locks of the James River and Kanawha Canal system, the arresting structure drew water from the James River, pumping it uphill to the Byrd Park Reservoir.
The facility operated as the city’s waterworks from 1883 to 1924, bringing this important provision to the city’s main water supply. Yet this massive structure, designed in the Gothic Revival style, had an additional purpose.
The Pump House was also a welcomed community gathering haunt at that time. Built between 1881 and 1883 and designed by Wilfred Cutshaw, the plans included an open-air dance hall situated above the equipment room on the second story — a feature that would become highly used, although it was criticized at the time for the cost to the city-funded project.
Constructed from local granite, the structure is a marvel to behold. It displays several Gothic Revival elements, including steep gables, pointed archways, and spectacular lancet windows. Far from just a pragmatic design, it was well-attended by partygoers in the later portion of the 19th century.
Upper-class Richmond residents dressed up in all their finery only had to board a boat at 7th Street to languidly proceed up the canal to their revelries. The Pump House’s ballroom would be decorated festively, looking over the scenic landscape surrounding it.
The facility was closed in 1924, and its machinery was taken. The Pump House was scheduled for demolition in the 1950s, but this fate was averted. Instead, the city of Richmond sold it to First Presbyterian Church for a single dollar.
Ultimately, ownership fell back to the City of Richmond. Today, the Friends of Pump House remain committed to reviving this historical and architectural wonder.
A Granite Portal To The Other Side
The Pump House is an ideal location for a Richmond ghost hunt. Numerous paranormal enthusiasts have previously attended the site in search of answers and ghostly activity.
The Foundation For Paranormal Research has endeavored to capture ghostly activity using the Parabot at the Byrd Park Pump House. Invented by renowned Richmond ghost hunter Robert Bess, the Parabot has been seen on Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures. Bess of the Research Team declared the Pump House so full of paranormal activity that it overloaded the Parabot’s system.
Bess conducted a ghost-hunting event in 2010 inside the Pump House. He adamantly believes the Pump House’s unique combination of water, steel, slate, and iron makes the building a conductor, creating a portal to the other side.
Multiple hauntings appear to encumber the historic structure, including a woman named Elizabeth, who reveals herself in the form of an orb, and Spectra, a woman in white with a strong energy force. She is said to have 23 different parties traveling in her aura.
Given this, it’s no wonder why many ghost hunters have categorized the site as deeply haunted. Believers conclude another spirit tied to the property might be that of Daniel Tetweiler, a man who may have died of suicide inside the building.
As the legend goes, Daniel hung himself inside the Pump House and now finds himself hanging about around the building’s structure. Might he regret his hasty decision so many years ago, lingering perhaps to ensure no one befalls the same fate as him?
Ghostly Voices in the Darkness
The Gothic monument, once a technological feat of its time, fell into disrepair after its closure. Still, a dedicated number of Richmond residents refuse to give up on the property’s potential.
The Friends of Pump House have been attempting to mend the building’s dilapidated state since 2017. They’ve gradually replaced previously boarded-up windows, allowing natural light to spill into the property.
Over the years, they’ve cleared out the coal ash and repaired holes in the floor, making the building safer for tours. However, the specters inside don’t seem to appreciate these efforts.
One account of two volunteers reconditioning the building’s interior is particularly spooky. Situated on the second floor, the volunteers overheard a conversation coming from the machine room down below. One of the volunteers, realizing they must have left a door ajar, believed a few bold sightseers had entered.
He descended the stairs, prepared to usher the unwanted guests outside as a matter of safety. Yet, as he reached the bottom stair, his flashlight blinked off, and silence ensued. All sounds had stopped entirely.
Frightened, he returned up the stairs. As he ascended, his flashlight relit, and the voices resumed their conversation. He descended again. Once more, no one was below upon his checking — only darkness and dead quiet.
As one might guess, the volunteer decided now was a good time to depart. He promptly gathered his tools and returned to safety outside the building.
Despite these strange happenings, the devoted volunteers remain steadfast in restoring the building. They hope to one day offer the stunning building as a venue for weddings or performances, in addition to operating as a museum and educational center.
Haunted Richmond
The historic Pump House possesses an aura of allure and mystery, beckoning those to explore it further. Occasionally, annual events are held at the Pump House while it undergoes renovations. Previously, it featured Poe at the Pump House, during which an Edgar Allan Poe impressionist told ghostly tales in October.
Until the building is restored, these tours, sparse ghost hunts, and various events are the only opportunities residents have to visit the property. Looking for something spooky to do in the meantime? Check out our blog for more intriguing and mysterious locations in RVA, or book an adventure with Richmond Ghost Tours!
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Sources:
https://www.visitrichmondva.com/listing/pump-house-park/4686
https://www.friendsofpumphouse.org/history.html
https://www.friendsofpumphouse.org
https://www.12onyourside.com/story/12101550/photos-ghost-hunting-at-the-pump-house
https://www.styleweekly.com/ghost-adventurer
https://www.styleweekly.com/the-13-most-haunted-places-in-richmond
https://www.vpm.org/news/2022-03-22/richmonds-historic-pump-house-is-slowly-coming-back-to-life
https://talesofvirginia.wordpress.com/2016/08/02/palace-on-the-canal/
https://richmondmagazine.com/news/news/pump-house-preservation
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