The Spirits of Gunston Hall

Posted: 01.17.2025 | Updated: 01.17.2025

If one were to drive just a few minutes outside of Washington D.C. (or longer, depending on the area’s notoriously unpredictable traffic), you would find Alexandria. It’s a lovely town known for its old historic district and for housing many of the politicians and bigwigs that live just outside of D.C.

It also houses its own share of ghosts. One of the more notable ones happens to reside in the nearby city of Lorton. The beautiful Gunston Hall – a place with a lot of history, secrets, and strange goings-on, too. Read on to discover just what all of those entail, and when you’re done, don’t hesitate to book our in-person ghost tour with Alexandria Ghosts to explore haunted Alexandria up close and personal!

Is Gunston Hall Haunted?

Gunston Hall is the haunted site that’s the subject of this blog post. But just which ghost has taken up residence here? While there are actually more than a few different ghosts that inhabit this historic home, the one that stands tall above them all is none other than the home’s former owner and resident himself. 

History of Gunston Hall

That man was George Mason. 

Although he’s more famous in Virginia than outside of it, unless you happened to have attended George Mason University, George Mason was one of America’s founding fathers. He held pivotal roles in the establishment of Virginia as an economic powerhouse state. 

Like many upper-class farmers of his day, he was a plantation owner who used enslaved labor to produce an abundance of cash crops. He became quite wealthy as a result, and Gunston Hall, his residence, symbolized that wealth.

With its Flemish bricks and European architecture, it was a massive and expensive undertaking to build. Construction began in 1754 but would only be completed in 1758, requiring dozens of enslaved people and the area’s finest craftsmen to finish it. Being next door to Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home, certainly didn’t hurt either.

Mason’s status as a founding father is controversial and often skipped over in history lessons. 

As a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, Mason was a bit of a maverick amongst the other founding fathers due to his refusal to sign the Constitution. 

Mason was a fierce protector of individual liberties. He opposed the drafting of the Constitution, believing it gave too much power to the federal government. His dissent ultimately led to the creation of the Bill of Rights. 

However, despite pushing for and winning the Bill of Rights, his dissension would have negative consequences for Mason. His friendship with President George Washington ended over the debate and his status as an outsider ended up costing him socially. 

Today, he is referred to as “The Forgotten Founder,” given his significant contributions to modern American society and obscure status. 

Gunston Hall Hauntings

However, he isn’t forgotten by locals and the staff here at Gunston Hall. This is because, by far, the most commonly spotted apparition in the building is none other than George Mason himself! The number of sightings and the diverse array of people who have claimed to have seen the founding father leads credence to the idea that something of Mason remains in his former home. 

However, because Gunston Hall guides and employees dress in colonial-period clothing every day, it is difficult to tell which are genuine sightings and which are costumed workers being mistaken for ghosts. 

The most plausible sighting dates back to 1890. At the time, various high-society women’s organizations had sprung up around the country. These organizations served various roles: charity organizations, gossip circles, hobby groups, and book clubs. The Mount Vernon Ladies Association served all of these roles for its members and one other: historical preservation. 

That was what brought them to Gunston Hall and, given their historic expertise, lends a certain credibility to their claim. In 1890, the Association had gathered at Gunston Hall and spent the night in Mason’s former chambers. Members of the Ladies Association swore up and down that they had been visited by the brooding ghost of George Mason in the late hours of the night. 

Another credible source comes from a security guard at Gunston Hall. In life, Mason was known for carrying a large set of keys that would unlock all the many doors that Gunston Hall had. As such, it was easy to hear him coming. That habit seems to have continued into the afterlife.​​ In 2012, the security guard reported hearing jingling keys in the bedroom long after he had already locked up and cleared Gunston Hall! 

A House Full of Spirits

Many say George Mason isn’t alone in haunting Gunston Hall these days. Who these other ghosts are is a matter of mystery, but it does seem apparent that Mason alone can’t be responsible for all of the ghostly mischief that occurs there. Some suggest that it’s members of his family. 

Others think these other ghosts are former slaves of Mason, perhaps getting their vengeance on their former master in the afterlife. Maybe it’s a combination of these two theories or, indeed, neither of them.

What is known, though, is that there seems to be some consistency with which these other ghosts operate. For instance, every week, there will invariably be somebody in Gunston Hall who reports hearing footsteps across the house in areas that are supposed to be closed off or abandoned. 

If one looks into the mirror for too long, they may see another face join their reflection. Some say the ghost in the mirror is George Mason, but it’s entirely possible that other ghosts enjoy scaring visitors like that, too. 

There was also a curious incident that occurred in the 1980s. An interpreter working for Gunston Hall reported seeing a full-body apparition – a rarity in ghosthunting circles – standing straight and tall in the middle of the staircase. 

This apparition had flowers in her hair and descended the stairs elegantly, with the grace and poise that would have been expected of a lady of the colonial period. When the woman reached the bottom of the staircase, she vanished without a trace. Could this have been George Mason’s wife checking in on her husband in the afterlife? 

Or someone else entirely? 

Haunted Alexandria

Whether George Mason is the one behind all these fascinating phenomena emanating from Gunston Hall is up for debate. What’s not up for debate, though, is the fact that Gunston Hall seems to be a weirdness magnet. We’re sure it’ll thrill and attract historians, ghosthunters, and adventurers for years to come. 

If you count yourself as one of them and are interested in learning more about the ghosts of Alexandria, check out all the ways we have for you to explore more of haunted Virginia. 

As always, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Virginia hauntings.

If you want to get a more up-close-and-personal look at haunted Alexandria. be sure to take one of our in-person ghost tours with Alexandria Ghosts. These tours provide an unforgettable real-world experience that cannot be duplicated by reading an online article or blog post.

Sources:

1. https://gunstonhall.org/house-grounds/the-house/history/
2. https://www.law.gmu.edu/about/mason_man
3. http://hauntedhouses.com/virginia/gunston-hall/
4. https://www.fxva.com/blog/post/haunted-sites/