The Haunted
House of
Burlington, IA
Here is one of my favorite
postcards of Burlington, Iowa.
It is postmarked 1906.
According to "Picturesque
Burlington and Vicinity,"
by Conrad Lutz (published 1888):
"Far up Sherfey's Glen, nestled in
a clump of trees on the sloping
hillside, is a picturesque old farm
house deserted and lonely, built of stone and
logs. Near by, a welling spring gushes forth to
mingle its waters with the brook below. The
old fireplace is no longer alive with a
generous glow; the old kettle still swings on
the crane but its song is hushed forever; the
stairway door is ajar and a ray of straggling
sunshine glances down the rickety and well
worn steps. Said to be haunted by a beautiful
maiden whose lover lost his life in an Indian
skirmish."
Sherfey's Glen
According to Conrad Lutz, in 1888, "Sherfy's Glen is about 6 miles north of
Burlington, adjacent to what is known as the Bottom Road, and is about 3 miles long.
It is reached by a pleasant drive through woods and fields and contains some of the
most picturesque scenery in the country. Approaching it from the east, you are at
once struck by the rugged grandeur of the rocks and trees which guard the
entrance. It is a favorite haunt of artists who have filled their sketch books several
times and yet have not exhausted it's beauties. A winding road , once an Indian trail,
follows the course of a brook which dashes merrily through the middle of the glen,
and mimic waterfalls enliven the scene with the music of the falling water."
