Mackay Mansion: How To Tour This Real-Life Haunted House in Virginia City
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If you’re into visiting historic places - specifically ones that supposedly still house the original occupants - look no further than Mackay Mansion in Virginia City.
Mackay Mansion was built in 1859 by a man named George Hearst (five years before Nevada became a state). This was the same year silver was discovered here.
Twelve years later in 1871, Hearst would sell the property to Irish immigrant and one of Virginia City’s four “Silver Kings”, John Mackay. Mackay would later go on to be the richest man to come out of the Comstock.
The former occupants have long since passed on, but they are believed to still roam the halls. The spirits of two little girls, an Army cornel, a shadow man, and Mr. & Mrs. Mackay themselves have all been seen.
Over the years, the mansion has been preserved well and year-round, daily tours are conducted detailing the history of this - even by today’s standards - lavish abode.
In this article, we’re going to give you all the information you’ll need to see it for yourself. We’re not going to spoil the tour, but we will show some pictures we took to give you an idea of what to expect.
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Getting To Mackay Mansion
The Mackay Mansion is located in the heart of one of Nevada’s most historic towns; Virginia City. It is right off and can be seen from the main strip through town.
For GPS purposes, the official address is:
291 S. D Street, Virginia City, NV 89440
As you’re driving on the main road, keep an eye out for a blue, 3-story house. There’s a road going down a steep hill right by this house and the mansion is right at the end of this road.
Parking
There’s plenty of parking around the mansion but as you’ll see when you get there, they’ve coned off the area directly in front of it. There’s plenty of street parking on D Street or on the main road above.
Admission Fees & Hours of Operation
The hours and admission fees vary and are dependent on the type of tour and time of year. There are two types of tours available:
Day Tour
The day tour is the one you’ll likely be doing and is the one with the most available time slots. This is also the most affordable option. The day tour schedule is as follows:
Summer
Friday & Saturday between the hours of 10am and 6pm
Sunday - Thursday between the hours of 10am and 5pm
Winter
Sunday - Saturday between the hours of 10am and 5pm (weather permitted).
The fees for day tours during the summer and winter are the same. They are:
$8.00 per adult
$5.00 for kids 5-12 years old
Free for kids under 5
There are several ways you can pay for your admission fees:
You can pay cash (I asked and this was their preferred method of payment).
They will also accept debit/credit cards.
Or you can purchase a Comstock Adventure Pass at the Virginia City Visitor Center. This will also include other local attractions.
Tours run about 30-minutes in length and the final tour will leave 30-minutes before closing. If a tour is running as you arrive, you’ll find the front door locked. Have a seat on the porch and the guide will come get you when they’re ready.
After Hours
We haven’t done an after hours tour (yet), but we’ve heard it’s a lot of fun. You’ll hear a lot of the same information you would during the day, but this one focuses more on the paranormal side of it.
After hours tours run on the same schedule as above but only take place between 5-6pm.
Reservations are highly recommended for the after hours tour as they cannot guarantee you a spot otherwise. To make a reservation, call this number.
The admission fees for this tour are:
$10.00 per person (adult or child)
Mackay Mansion Tour Experience
When it’s your turn to join a tour, your guide will open the door and invite you inside the office. Here, he or she will collect your admission fees and go over some quick safety information.
Our Tour Guide, Megan, was wonderful. Super friendly, knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. We hear this isn’t the exception as all the other guides are exactly the same.
The tour begins with your guide detailing the history of Mackay Mansion and its purpose back in the heyday of the Comstock. You’ll be shown examples of real silver ore, pictures of the time, and the vault where payroll and bullion was kept.
The Living Room
After checking out the vault, you’ll be instructed to head into the next room; the living room. This was my favorite of the tour due to the decor and the hand carved framing around the fireplace.
Here, your guide will tell you more about the personal lives of John Mackay and his wife, Marion. Among other things, Marion was a well known seamstress and would often design and sow her own dresses with the intention of, “stopping the show”.
Also, this room is where your guide will delve into the paranormal aspect of the mansion by showing you verified, non-doctored photos of Marion Mackay in that very room and another of a little girl.
The Stairwell
After the living room, you’ll temporarily move into the hallway adjacent to the stairwell. As you can see in the photo above, this wooden stairwell is both narrow and steep.
Here, your guide will go over what to expect on the second level where the bedrooms are. You’ll also see the Tiffany window pane above the door and see more photos of spirits.
The Upstairs Bedrooms
According to our guide, Johnny Depp stayed in John Mackay’s room while filming a movie. He was supposed to stay for 30-days but on the third night, he woke up to a little girl in a white dress jumping on his bed.
After that episode, he refused to stay another night or even step foot back into the mansion. The film crew had to go in to gather his things and move him to a hotel.
Back then, it was common place for a husband and wife to sleep in their own, separate rooms and the Mackay's were no exception. They each had their own adjoining rooms.
Across the hall are the children’s rooms and bathroom. All rooms are roped off except for one of the girls rooms. You’re able to go in and look around but you’re asked not to touch anything.
The late-1800’s era bathroom was a trip. The bathtub was the first in town to be plumbed and the toilet has gold leaf paint on both the outside and inside of it.
This is where the guided portion of your tour will conclude. You’ll be free to continue exploring the rooms at your leisure and to leave, you’ll go down both stairwells and out the door to the grounds out back.
Just before leaving the mansion, look to your left to see the dining room with original table, carpet, and chandelier. To see the grounds, go out the door and turn right.
Don’t forget to tip your guide on the way out or as the tip jar says, “Ghosts will follow you home”.
The Grounds
After finishing the tour, you’re welcome to explore the grounds in the back of the property at your leisure. We highly advise you to do this as it is simply beautiful back there.
To start touring the grounds, simply follow the brick path through some thick greenery. When weddings are held here, this is the pathway Brides take to get to the archway during the ceremony.
Beyond this area is where you’ll find the Gazebo which is original to the property. To get to it, you’ll need to go through a white gate. At first, it’ll appear as if that area is off limits, but you are able to go through.
Events
Events of all kinds can be held here. Weddings are the most common but you could also celebrate birthdays, family reunions, company events, etc. We don’t know the number of people the space can hold but it looks like it can accommodate a decent sized group.
For your event, the space comes with the gazebo, hanging lights, tables, chairs, a bar area, heaters, space for seating, and a grill (you’ll need to provide propane).
If you’re interested in holding an event at Mackay Mansion, you can contact them directly for prices and availability. Be sure to give them our regards!
Once your done, you’ll simply head out the gate and back to the front of the mansion. Afterwards, consider touring another great local destination, Chollar Mine. Read about it in our post below!
Paranormal Activity
According to our tour guide, Mackay Mansion is the 5th most haunted place in the state. We didn’t see any spirits ourselves, but others have reported seeing children, a shadow man, and John Mackay.
Consequently, the mansion has been the subject of many popular shows such as, “Ghost Adventures”, and “Dead Files”. We were told one of the crew members was knocked down by a spirit after trying to access the attic (which is off limits to the public).
The owners decided to open the mansion up to amateurs and professionals alike by offering the opportunity to hold their own paranormal investigations inside this real-life haunted house.
You can the listing for hours, fees, and how to set an appointment for one here.
We had a great time touring Mackay Mansion and we have no doubt you’ll also enjoy it. Even if you don’t believe in the paranormal, the sheer amount of history behind this place will peak your interest.
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