Kappa Headquarters Ghost Story

EEKappa · #1 10-31-2008, 10:25 AM

Each year, during the last two weekends in October, the Halloween Ghost Walk takes participants through some of Columbus' most famous haunted houses.

One of the regular stops on the tour is The Heritage Museum, supported by the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation. For more than the past three decades the story about a ghost who allegedly visited the house at 530 East Town Street has been told to, and by, Kappas who have stayed at Headquarters. This ghost is known as “The Pink Lady,” although at times a Civil War officer has reportedly been seen also walking the halls. The initial thought of a ghost draws people in, and then there is the great opportunity to tell the history of the building.

The Italian Villa-style home, which now houses Fraternity Headquarters and The Heritage Museum, has a rich history. It was built in 1852 for the silk embroidery merchant Phillip Snowden and his wife, Abigail, who ran a millinery business, showing an unusual degree of independence for a lady of her class and the times. Unfortunately for the Snowdens, a business downturn forced Mr. Snowden to declare bankruptcy in 1860 and their beautiful home was sold at a sheriff's auction.

During the Civil War era, the house was leased by the State of Ohio and used as the residence of Governor David Tod and his family. In 1869, the house was purchased by David Gray, whose family owned it for more than 50 years. After the Grays, a succession of owners used the home as a boarding house, an organizational headquarters for the Columbus Women's Association, a rental property and finally in the 1930s and 1940s, a poorly-kept rooming house, divided into one-room apartments and filled with the odors of heavily spiced food cooked in the open fireplaces. At one time there was a candy factory in the formal parlor.

In 1951, Clara O. Pierce, Executive Secretary of Kappa Kappa Gamma, was searching for a suitable building for Kappa to use as a headquarters and meeting space. She looked at the old Snowden-Gray House and seeing the potential of acquiring near-downtown office space and accommodations for visiting volunteers, Kappa Kappa Gamma bought the property and began the task of renovating the building into a functional office facility. The deed states that the purchase price was "$1 and other considerations." Today the house shines as The Heritage Museum, a beautifully restored mansion that also includes guest rooms for visiting Kappas who come from throughout North America to attend meetings. The Fraternity offices are housed in the back of the building.

When the Snowden-Gray mansion was owned by the Columbus Women's Association and used as their clubhouse, Celinda Hatton oversaw the upper rooms, which were rented to boarders. Miss Hatton was a talented portrait artist who ran a respectable establishment. She was known for taking good care of her tenants. Legend tells us that she often walked through the house in her pink robe to make sure everything was in good order before retiring.

Now to the ghost story. The best-known ghostly encounter at Fraternity Headquarters occurred during the 1970s. During one very late council meeting, the Kappas took a brief break, all putting on their pajamas and robes before returning to continue the meeting. When they returned, the secretary called roll to be sure everyone was back. They all were, but then, who was the woman in the pink robe several of them had just seen walk past the doorway in the main hall? Hurrying into the hall, they found it empty; no woman in a pink robe was to be found in the house.

Some years ago a staff member found a vacuum running in the broom closet - there were of course no electrical outlets in the closet and the vacuum seemed to be running on its own power. Most recently guests at Headquarters arrived in their room on the third floor and found the two sinks in the bathroom filled with water. Thinking the water was left to clean the sinks, they drained them both and went to bed. The next morning, the sinks were filled with water again.

Reportedly there have been other brief glimpses of the Pink Lady. Is she still making her late-night check of the house and the Kappas under her roof? One hopes so because this is such fun lore. After all, someone has to keep watch over the Kappas as they keep watch over their own. Robin L. Smith stated in her book Columbus Ghosts, “Kappas are a caring, supportive sisterhood, watching over their members and ready with a helping hand. How appropriate, then, that Kappa Kappa Gamma should have a spectral "caretaker" watching over visitors at their Headquarters.” Happy Halloween!

By: Kay Smith Larson, Fraternity Historian