The story of the Villisca Axe Murders of 1912 is chilling. Many visitors report seeing, feeling, and hearing strange things as they tour the property where two adults and six children were murdered in their beds.
One of the most talked-about and possibly haunted houses is right here in Iowa.
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook On the evening of June 10, 1912, an entire family and their two overnight guests were murdered in their beds with an axe. The killer was never caught.
Mary Peckham
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook Their neighbor, Mary Peckham, noticed the house remained lifeless at 8am the next morning and went for help. Upon entering the home, Ross Moore, a family friend stated to Ms. Peckham, “I am afraid there is something awful happened, there is blood in the beds.” Ms. Peckham was eventually committed to an insane asylum. Many speculate that the trauma of finding out what happened to her neighbors was too much for her to bear.
The town of Villisca was in shock. Residents lived in fear. They reinforced their locks, armed themselves, slept huddled together, and worried that the killer would never be found.
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook The home where J.B. Moore, Sara Moore, and six children were murdered was purchased by Darwin and Martha Linn of Corning, Iowa in 1994. They restored the home to its condition in 1910, it was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places, and the couple opened it for tours. Old photos of the crime scene and funeral exist. They are somewhat blurry, but still quite chilling. The entire community was shaken to its core. The funeral for the family was the biggest the town had ever experienced.
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook
The Villisca Ax Murder House
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook Open for tours on April 1 of this year, this historic home is located at 508 E 2nd Street in Villisca, Iowa.
WindRanch/Flickr
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook
The film, “Villisca; Living With A Mystery” aired on Midwestern PBS and CourtTV’s “Catherine Crier Live.”
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook The film makers are Iowa-natives who spent a great deal of time between 1994 and 2004 developing the movie and shooting the scenes.
Tour season is April 1 through October 31 each year.
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook Some say daylight tours are the best option if you’d like to learn about the history and the story behind the house. Walk-in tours are available Tuesday through Sunday from 1pm until 3:30pm. The house is closed at 4pm. Individual daytime tours are $10 each unless you are over 60 or between 7 and 11, then your price is $5. This is a cash-only tour.
Book your tour upon arrival, or plan ahead and spend the night.
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook That’s right; overnight stays are available for between one and six people.
This crime was widely reported. The rare violent nature of the murders in an otherwise small Midwestern town was deeply disturbing.
Wikipedia Similar murders occurred in Ellsworth, Kansas, Guilford, Missouri, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Many people believed that the victims died at the hands of a single murderer.
Henry Lee Moore
Wikimedia Mr. Moore was a prime suspect in the Villisca axe murders. He committed a similar act when he killed his mother and grandmother a few months after the Villisca incident. Although he was one of the suspects, he was not convicted of the crimes in Villisca.
The Villisca Ax Murder House is certainly one of the most famous haunted, sad, mysterious, and terrifying places in Iowa. You can learn more about tours, booking an overnight stay, and the story behind this house by visiting the Villisca Ax Murder House website.
Villisca Ax Murder House/Facebook
On the evening of June 10, 1912, an entire family and their two overnight guests were murdered in their beds with an axe. The killer was never caught.
Their neighbor, Mary Peckham, noticed the house remained lifeless at 8am the next morning and went for help. Upon entering the home, Ross Moore, a family friend stated to Ms. Peckham, “I am afraid there is something awful happened, there is blood in the beds.” Ms. Peckham was eventually committed to an insane asylum. Many speculate that the trauma of finding out what happened to her neighbors was too much for her to bear.
The home where J.B. Moore, Sara Moore, and six children were murdered was purchased by Darwin and Martha Linn of Corning, Iowa in 1994. They restored the home to its condition in 1910, it was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places, and the couple opened it for tours. Old photos of the crime scene and funeral exist. They are somewhat blurry, but still quite chilling. The entire community was shaken to its core. The funeral for the family was the biggest the town had ever experienced.
Open for tours on April 1 of this year, this historic home is located at 508 E 2nd Street in Villisca, Iowa.
WindRanch/Flickr
The film makers are Iowa-natives who spent a great deal of time between 1994 and 2004 developing the movie and shooting the scenes.
Some say daylight tours are the best option if you’d like to learn about the history and the story behind the house. Walk-in tours are available Tuesday through Sunday from 1pm until 3:30pm. The house is closed at 4pm. Individual daytime tours are $10 each unless you are over 60 or between 7 and 11, then your price is $5. This is a cash-only tour.
That’s right; overnight stays are available for between one and six people.
Wikipedia
Similar murders occurred in Ellsworth, Kansas, Guilford, Missouri, and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Many people believed that the victims died at the hands of a single murderer.
Wikimedia
Mr. Moore was a prime suspect in the Villisca axe murders. He committed a similar act when he killed his mother and grandmother a few months after the Villisca incident. Although he was one of the suspects, he was not convicted of the crimes in Villisca.
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