The Haunted House Legend Of Staten Island’s Kreischer Mansion

haunted house

A beautiful mansion sits atop Arthur Kill Road built by Balthasar Kreischer, a German immigrant who was an entrepreneur and philanthropist. He built two mansions for his sons but only one of them has survived to today, a historical haunted house with a very interesting past.

Balthasar built two mansions side by side for his sons, Charles and Edward. They were across the street from their father’s brick factory where Edward’s body was found one evening in 1894. The mystery of Edward’s death prompted Charles to investigate using his own unique methods of inquiry.

Charles brought Edward’s body into his home and performed a seance to communicate with him to find out if he was murdered or if he committed suicide. It is said that Charles had no idea what he was doing and opened up all kinds of portals for the dead to walk through. The problem was he didn’t know how to close them and that’s what caused the haunted house to become a refuge for spirits.


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The story gets a little confusing at this point because some sources say that Edward’s house is the one still standing today while Charles’ house is the one that either fell apart or burned to the ground. Other people report it’s the other way around. Either way, only one house is left standing today and it’s not going anywhere because in 1968, it was declared a historical landmark.

The house’s undertaker is Rick Rispoli who puts on Haunted House events every year. He knows all the stories because he’s witnessed quite a few things himself. Edward’s wife is said to be one of the spirits who roam the house, “When I was in the basement a few times, I heard a woman wailing and howling upstairs, and we think it’s Edward’s wife.”

Rispoli goes on to tell, “On the first floor, we’ll all be sitting, and all of a sudden we’ll hear some furniture moving upstairs. I’ve seen a black shadow come down the staircase.”

haunted house
via Rick Rispoli

The pictures are clear as day. The footage is the best I’ve ever seen of ghosts anywhere. I’ve never met a ghost but I’m not going to say they don’t exist. A lot of things are possible just because it’s beyond my comprehension and experience.

The thing is that Edward isn’t the only death that has occurred here. This haunted house is also the location of the famous mob hit in 2005. The former caretaker of the house was Joseph Young who was also a Mafia hitman. It was here at his work that he carried out the hit on Robert McKelvey, a Bonanno crime family associate.

As far as haunted houses go, that’s a legitimate claim. Murder, seances, portals, caretakers, Mafia hits, it has all the ingredients for a movie. Why that hasn’t happened yet is anyone’s guess.