Why Do Visitors Leave Gifts for the Spirits of the S.K. Pierce Mansion?
Honoring the Past
Everyone loves receiving gifts. But what inspires visitors to leave gifts behind for the spirits at S.K. Pierce Haunted Victorian Mansion?
According to Marion Luoma, who has cared for the mansion since 2011, it happens more often than many people realize. Over the years, visitors have left everything from flowers to perfume throughout the mansion.
While some visitors arrive hoping to experience paranormal activity, many leave with something unexpected: a sense of connection to people and stories tied to the house. After spending time in the rooms where they lived, worked, and died, some guests feel compelled to leave a small token behind.
Why Do Visitors Leave Gifts for Ghosts?
It’s common to leave flowers at a cemetery or place meaningful items at a loved one’s gravesite. Visitors to the S.K. Pierce Mansion in Gardner, Massachusetts often approach the spirits in a similar way.
For Marion, understanding the need to leave gifts begins with a simple idea.
“It is their space,” says Marion. “It is their home. It's the Pierces' home. It's where Eno Sarri passed away. We're guests here."
Most visitors leave gifts for one of three reasons:
To Show Respect: For many guests, leaving a gift is a way to acknowledge the lives of those who lived, worked or died in the mansion. It’s a small gesture that recognizes the history connected to the house.
To Create a Connection: Many visitors, especially paranormal enthusiasts, leave the gift as a way to introduce themselves and encourage interaction. Rather than provoking the spirits, they hope to create a positive exchange. For some visitors, the gift itself becomes a conversation starter.
To Say Thank You: After a particularly memorable tour, investigation, or personal experience, some guests leave a token of appreciation before they leave.
Most Common Gifts Left for the Spirits of S.K. Pierce Mansion
Over the years, Marion and her team have found all kinds of gifts left behind. Some of the most common include:
Cigarettes, Vapes, and Moonshine: Many of the gifts are left for Eino Saari, a World War II veteran who died in a fire in 1963, while the mansion was a boarding house. For Eino, visitors frequently leave gifts they think he would like, predominantly liquor and cigarettes.
Flowers: It’s not uncommon for Marion and her team to find fresh bouquets or handmade flowers left for the female spirits associated with the mansion, which include the original owner’s first and second wives.
Perfume and Jewelry: Some guests have left perfume, lipstick, jewelry, and other personal items they think may be appreciated by specific ghosts.
Coins and Money: Coins and small amounts of money are occasionally left as tokens.
Handmade Gifts and Notes: Some visitors have left handcrafted items and written personal messages that reflect their experience in the mansion.
Some visitors feel such a strong connection to Eino that Marion says his room has become one of the most common places for gifts to accumulate.
"People leave so many gifts,” says Marion. “In Eino’s suite, we just keep taking things off the bureau and putting them in the drawers. The bureau drawer is full."
Visitors Get More Than a Gift
Visitors often arrive curious about the mysteries, the lore. But they often leave thinking about the real people behind the stories. The gifts left behind serve as small reminders that, for many guests, a visit to the mansion becomes more personal than they expected.
S.K. Pierce Mansion is more than a historic building with Victorian architecture, it’s a place filled with stories, memories, and personalities that has fascinated visitors since tours began in 2022.
Plan Your Visit, Gift Optional
If you visit, you’ll likely notice some of these gifts throughout the house. Bringing one is entirely optional, but many guests find their own way to honor the history and residents that make the S.K. Pierce Mansion a place unlike any other.
Interested in experiencing the S.K. Pierce Mansion for yourself? Contact our team at 978-224-8944 and see why visitors continue to return to this historic Gardner landmark year after year.
