Edinburgh Manor which is also called the Manor is an abandoned former asylum, house for the poor, and an elderly home. The Manor was constructed to replace the poor farm that served the same purpose between the 1850s and 1910s. After years it was abandoned and deserted in 2010 to date.

History of Edinburgh Manor

In 1850, county commissioners came up with an idea that was to help the poor, insane, and disabled by constructing a county poor farm. This was after the grant allocated by the federal government to build a courthouse was rendered useless after the county seat changed from Edinburgh town. The money was instead used to build a poor farm that offered all the basic needs to the poor, disabled and insane. In 1910, the farm was closed, demolished, and a new facility to serve the same purpose as the origin was constructed. This was the birth of Edinburgh Manor which lasted a century. The Manor was also abandoned and deserted in 2010 to date. No clear reason was given when the manor was closed but many claim it was due to the outdated nature of the building rendering it unsafe to serve its intended purpose.

Ghosts of the Manor

The Edinburgh Manor is said to be the most haunted place in the whole of Jones County, Iowa. It is believed that during its operational days as a Poor farm, more than 100 residents of the farm who died while in the home were buried all over the compound. This led to a dozen of unsettled souls in and around the building. Paranormal activities have been witnessed all over the decades by those who visited the abandoned building. At one time, a group of friends visited the Manor and reported hearing singing and whistling without seeing the actual singer or whistler. One reported being touched by somebody only to turn and see nothing. The eerie feeling at this place generally surpasses all other abandoned haunted places in the state of Iowa.

Edinburgh Manor today

The building is deserted with basically everything still intact the way they were in 2010 before it was abandoned. The interlocking bricks have not yet been defaced by graffiti, but the cracked pavements clearly show how deteriorated the structure has gotten over the decade. The owner of the megastructure is still the state but a private organization offers night and day tours in the building. This is the only historic site that allows tourists to spend the night at the site. One can visit the historic structure on any given day but you have to reserve your spot early enough. Always be cautious while visiting historic sites like Edinburgh Manor.