Morbid Real Estate: January Edition

2066 E. Fletcher St., Philadelphia

 

Real estate agents aren't exactly known as the most honest folks. Ask them a question while taking a tour of a house, and you're likely to get the runaround. How old is the roof? I'm not sure, but I think it's pretty new. When was the last time the furnace was serviced? I could be wrong, but I think the HVAC guy left right before you got here. Why are the basement walls dripping wet? Oh, we just had them washed. Has anyone ever died in this house under unusual circumstances? Oh, gosh, no. Never!

Since you can't always trust a realtor to tell you the truth about a home's dark history, who do you turn to? Why, Pennsylvania Oddities, of course! Each month, I scour newly-listed homes for sale in search of properties with tragic pasts and present a list of select homes you may either want to make a bid on-- or avoid entirely-- depending on how you feel about things that go bump in the night. 

If you've ever dreamed of buying a murder house, you've come to the right place. And if you want to avoid buying a murder house, well, you've also come to the right place!

2066 E. Fletcher St.

2066 East Fletcher Street, Philadelphia. Price: $389,000

First, we have this 4-bedroom, 2.5 bath in East Kensington. Renovated in 2016, this spacious home features a stunning kitchen with modern cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and a full size pantry. Upstairs, you'll find a master bathroom with double vanity and two bedrooms (the larger of which boasts two closets). The third floor has two comfortable bedrooms joined by a bathroom, and in the semi-finished basement you'll find a washer and dryer and plenty of storage space. 

2066 E. Fletcher St.

 

Overall, it's not a bad find for a home that's nearly 150 years old, although it is being sold "as-is"-- which means the buyer might get more than he or she bargained for-- a leaky room, bad wiring, and maybe even the disgruntled spirit of a melancholy maid.

2066 E. Fletcher St.

 

Back in 1904, a 31-year-old housekeeper named Annie Semple worked and lived in this house. On December 12, she sent her 12-year-old son to the drugstore for carbolic acid, a powerful disinfectant that had a variety of household uses back in the good old days of cholera and typhoid fever. But Annie had no intention of using the carbolic acid to remove warts or dress a wound; instead, she took the bottle from her son, ran into an adjoining room, and chugged the deadly poison. She died before help could arrive, and gave no explanation for her rash and fatal act.

 

622 North Law Street, Allentown (Lehigh County). Price: $185,000

622 N. Law St., Allentown

 

Next, we have this 5-bedroom, 2 bath townhouse in the Jordan Heights section of Allentown. Ideally situated just a block from Stevens Park and the hustle and bustle of Tilghman Street, this 1,834-square-foot home is a little rough around the edges and in need of some TLC. But, then again, the whole damn city of Allentown is also a little rough around the edges, so you can probably just slap a fresh coat on paint on the walls and call it a day, and end up with a super-cheap house that looks no better or worse than any of its neighbors.

622 N. Law St.

One of this home's previous owners was a little rough around the edges, too. In 1918, this was the home of Frank Greenawald, a 73-year-old retired carpenter who had spent much of the previous year confined to his bed because of a litany of health problems. 

622 N. Law St.

Frank, understandably, grew depressed over his declining health and so, on the afternoon of August 29, he went up to his room for a nap, or so his wife believed. When Frank failed to come downstairs from his nap, Mrs. Greenawald went to check on him, and discovered that her ailing husband had closed the door and turned on the gas jet, effectively turning the bedroom into a gas chamber. The coroner ruled his death a suicide.

1407 Monterey Street, Pittsburgh (Allegheny County). Price: $499,900

1407 Monterey St., Pittsburgh

This Victorian townhouse on Pittsburgh's Northside is situated in the historic Mexican War Streets neighborhood, within easy access to the Steel City's key attractions. Newly renovated, this 4-bedroom, 1.5 bath home is move-in ready with updated cabinetry and new appliances in the kitchen, a private yard, a living room with fireplace, three spacious bedrooms and a full bath on the second floor, and even a basement where an old man once made the irrevocable decision to shuffle off this mortal coil.

1407 Monterey St.

Yes, on September 3, 1925, Grace Lessig, the daughter of 70-year-old widower Orlando Lessig, discovered her father's body hanging from a rafter in the basement. Orlando, who was in poor health, was so determined to finish the job that he had also shot himself in the mouth with a .32 caliber revolver. 

1407 Monterey St.

Perhaps his motivation was to be reunited with his family in the afterlife; not only did Orlando outlive his wife, but both of his sons had died before reaching the age of three. Grace, on the other hand, lived to the age of 85, never marrying or having any children of her own.