Most Haunted Hudson Valley Location #4: Grinnell Library

Our countdown of the top 5 most haunted Hudson Valley locations continues with a look at number 4: The Grinnell Library.

The Grinnell Library is located in the heart of the Village of Wappingers Falls. Built in 1867 by Irving Grinnell, the son of a prosperous family from New York City. Grinnell lived in a huge estate called Netherwood, overlooking the Hudson River on land that is now called Bowdoin Park. The Grinnell building was constructed as part of a village improvement project with the help of a minister from the Zion church.

According to the Grinnell Library website, the building has a rich history:

Grinnell hired a New York City architect, and supplied a list of architectural features he wanted to include. The tower is modeled after one he saw in St. Battenberg, Switzerland, and the way the second story overhangs the first recalls buildings he liked in Chester, England.

Grinnell Library was chartered as an association library in 1888, making it the sixth oldest in the state.

The library was in what is now the upstairs reading room, with an entrance by way of the winding staircase in the turret. The main room below it was rented, first to a jewelry story and later (after 1926) to a clothing store. The store’s door was in the middle, still marked by the stone arch. At the western end of the building, a second entrance led to a rental apartment upstairs, and the offices of the local newspaper, the Wappingers Chronicle, downstairs. The Chronicle also rented the basement for their printing plant. The building was lit by gas until 1912, when it was electrified.

Local author, Donna Parish-Bischoff, tells the tale of a former female librarian who began working at the Grinnell Library in 1933. Ms. Drace was so dedicated to her job that a small apartment was built downstairs in the basement of the library for her to live in at night after working a long day in the library. She lived and worked in the library for almost a half century before passing away in the 1980’s. There have been accounts of people that have seen her roaming the rooms of the library.  There have also been stories of people feeling and hearing Ms. Drace's presence. During one of Donna's paranormal investigations evidence of a woman's ghostly "shooshing" was heard.

Besides Ms Drace, there are accounts of another spirit haunting the Grinnell Library; a young newspaper boy who playfully darts back and forth and hides behind the book shelves. For those who spend enough time in the library, some claim that they have heard him playing and a few have even detailed seeing a full bodied apparition of the young newsie.

Donna Parish-Bischof is the author of The Lee Avenue Haunting and Growing Up Paranormal.  Co-founder of Indy Para, Paranormal Investigators located in Hyde Park, New York and online at indypara.com  Donna is also the Co-host of this year’s Wappingers Falls First Annual Halloween Parade and festival that took place on October 18th.  Visit hauntedhudsonvalleyhalloweenmagazine.com for more information on next year’s Halloween festival. She is also a contributing writer for HHVHM. Donna’s books can be purchased online at amazon.com.