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Lemp Mansion Overnight

exterior of the Lemp Mansion at night. A white two-story building is decorated for the holidays at night. Black-framed windows line the facade of the building, and lights decorate the entryway stairs, which are flanked by arrangements of bronze-dried grass. A red holiday wreath hangs on the front double doors.

I love Lemp Mansion at Christmas. Sure, it is one of the most well known haunted houses in this area of the country, and it has seen its share of misfortune and tragedy, but it's still a lovely old house. We were lucky enough to spend the night here last Friday, something I've wanted to do for ages.

An inviting entryway decorated for the holidays. A winding garland with lights adorns the staircase on the left, and an ornate garland with warm white lights frames the door. A vintage-style chandelier is above the door. Hints of a nutcracker and other decorative items decorate the scene, conveying a warm and festive atmosphere.

The history of the home, in a nutshell, is that it was built in the early 1860s and later purchased by William J Lemp, whose father, John Adam Lemp, started Lemp Brewery. Lemp Beer was the king of the St Louis beer market at the turn of the century, and the mansion was a symbol of the family's success. The house is said to be haunted by numerous spirits - some who died in the house, some who died elsewhere, and some who are urban legends.

Interior shot in a restaurant scene featuring a white marble fireplace centrally placed. The fireplace has a mesh screen and burning embers visible inside. A large gold-framed mirror sits above the mantel, adorned with a garland of miniature white Christmas lights and gold ornaments. To the left of the fireplace, a vintage framed painting of a plant hangs on a wall with floral vintage wallpaper. To the right, a window is covered by light pink drapes and hung at different intervals are gold decoration balls. Tables with white tablecloths, silverware, and blue chairs are partially visible in the foreground. The warm lighting illuminates the room, creating a cozy ambiance.

This room, above, was originally the ladies parlor. Later it became the the office of William "Billy" Lemp Jr, and is the room where he shot himself in 1922. A portrait of Lillian Lemp - known as Lavender Lady because she dressed exclusively in lavender - hangs on the front wall, and I've heard the portrait light blinks if you talk to her. The Lavender Lady's divorce from Billy in the early 1900s was quite the circus sideshow in the St Louis media, but she died in 1960 at the age of 83, so I'm not sure why she would haunt this house. 

A dining room decorated for a special occasion, potentially a holiday celebration. The room features two long, rectangular tables covered with white linens and surrounded by wooden chairs. Rich, dark wood accents the architecture, including a tall cabinet decorated with festive Christmas garlands and ornaments. The walls have decorative molding and wallpaper, and soft lighting comes from a globe pendant lamp. A vertical rhythm is created by the tables, chairs, and the room's tall structure.

This room was the gentlemen's parlor back then, and epitomizes the agony and the ecstasy of renovating an old house. After Edwin Lemp, the last son of Billy, died in the 1970s, the house became a boarding house, and was sorely neglected until the current owners purchased it. All the wood trim had been repainted countless times, and a significant percentage of renovation in this house has been stripping wood. That's my most dreaded task, as the owner of a 130 year old house. But the ecstasy part is this ceiling, which was discovered when a canvas ceiling was pulled away. Can you imagine? I've already checked under all the false ceilings of Franceth Manor. We have nothing so amazing.

A detailed image of a richly carved wooden mantle decorated for the Christmas holidays. A traditional German nutcracker soldier in red, blue, and gold stands in a niche at the center. Above the niche, a vibrant green wreath with a large red bow announces the festive occasion. At the top of the mantle sits an Old World-style platter depicting a scene featuring several people sitting around a central figure. The mantle is framed by decorative wooden panels with small stained glass windows.Elaborately decorated ceiling featuring a round mural depicting a blue sky with white cumulus clouds. A pink ribbon design borders the mural. The surrounding ceiling is painted in pastel hues with floral patterns and stylized birds. A long brass chain suspends a globe-shaped light fixture from the center. A section of the wall below is visible.

The entire first floor is now a restaurant, which is why you see tables and chairs in every room. The Sunday Chicken Dinner, served family style, is what we like to call "taking the tuberculosis cure", after the misguided notion in Olden Times that rich food helped cure consumption. The room pictured below also has an ornate ceiling, and is the original dining room.

An interior view of a dining room, likely in a historic building, with several set tables draped in white linens and napkins. The room is decorated for the holidays; festive decorations include a wreath, nutcracker figure, and ornaments hanging in the windows. The walls are covered in patterned wallpaper, and the room has wooden trim and furniture.

The next room, originally the aviary, is my favorite, and also the room we always dine in because we always seem to end up there on Friday nights when the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater is going on in the rest of the dining rooms. We're not really into participating in dinner theater, but it's fun to listen to. Do yourself a favor and get yourself a Lavender Lady martini and some of their house-made toasted ravioli!

A restaurant interior festively decorated for Christmas features palm leaf wallpaper reminiscent of a tropical jungle. Two round white-clothed tables with place settings are centered in the image. Windows are draped with fabric valences, lit with string lights and accented with three teal ornament balls hung vertically between them. A plant-filled centerpiece sits between the tables.

Speaking of the Lavender Lady and drinking, check out these amazing stained glass windows that were installed in the bar in modern times (early 2000s).

A stained glass window shows a woman in a large hat and period clothing, positioned above shelves of alcohol bottles. The woman has red hair and a light complexion. Her clothing includes a large bow at the neck. The window frame is red, and the background behind the woman features a pastoral scene. Below the window, illuminated shelves hold various liquor bottles, suggesting the window is part of a bar.A stained glass window depicting William Lemp Jr. in a suit, framed by red and green glass, positioned above a bar shelf. The shelf holds various bottles of liquor in different shapes and colors. The overall tone is classic, hinting at a vintage bar setting.

A framed mural depicting the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. The artwork features a collage of iconic fair buildings, a ferris wheel, and other attractions, including people in period clothing. Portraits of prominent figures, such as Mayor Rolla Wells, President Roosevelt, David R. Francis and Mo. Gov. Alexander are included. Other visual elements show the monument, statue, products, and events of the historic Fair's era. "St. Louis 1904 Missouri" is emphasized on a banner in the composition.
Mural from the Museum & Gift Shop  
Down the hall from the bar is the Museum & Gift Shop, located in one of the old vaults. Yes, one of. There's a vault above AND below this one. Everything from money to artwork to brewery plans and formulas would have been stored in these three vaults. Today you can buy Ouija boards and tshirts in the first floor vault, as well as view many family heirlooms and details of Cherokee Caverns, located under the mansion and brewery complex. 

A hand-drawn map of Cherokee Cave, presented on aged paper, details the cave system's various features. The map includes specific locations such as the "Wishing Well," "Theatre room," and "Spiral Staircase," marked with hand-lettered labels. Passages are drawn with black lines, with some areas identified as having water or "deep mud." Features like the "Spaghetti Formations," an "air shaft," and "Pecary bones" are also noted. The entrance is labeled near Cherokee Street while near the top runs I-55, indicating the cave's general location.

Before 1-55 cut through this area, Cherokee Caverns was a tourist attraction, and the section of cave under Lemp Mansion had a theater and swimming pool instead of the traditional ballroom in the house. Access from the mansion has since been sealed up.  Landmarks Association has had a raffle for a tour in the fall the past couple years, so become a fan on Facebook and watch for future opportunities. I will say this: I've heard it's pretty unpleasant down there. Don't think this is some nice show cave tour with concrete paths and lights.

A stairway, carpeted in deep red, leading upwards is partially blocked by a red velvet rope with gold accents. A sign hangs from the rope, stating "Overnight Guests Only. No Admittance." A decorated Christmas tree stands on the left side of the staircase, partially obscuring the banister. The walls are paneled in wood, and the upper wall is painted in alternating shades of red.

I can't show you the caves but I can show you upstairs! Some of upstairs, anyway. Here is where I admit that booking this overnight on a Friday was a big mistake on my part. I get up at 6am, and we ate dinner at 8pm. After several Lavender Lady martinis, t-ravs, prime rib, and cheesecake, I was toast. I totally squandered the opportunity to befriend our housemates and see their suites and ghost hunt all night long. BLOGGING FAIL. 

A dimly lit hallway with peach-colored walls is decorated with ornate details. The walls feature framed artwork, including portraits and scenic pieces. A decorative antique settee with gold upholstery sits beneath an archway leading to another room. A large tapestry hangs on the right wall, a heavily decorated doorway to the right of it. The bannister of a staircase in the foreground is adorned with green garland with white lights.

Here is the hallway between the Lavender Suite and the William Lemp suite, and here is where I tell you about more Lemp family tragedy. Frederick Lemp, the fourth son of Julia and William Sr, had been expected to take over the family business, but died of heart failure at the age of 28. William Sr, despondent after this loss and the death of his best friend, Frederick Pabst, killed himself in one of the bedrooms in 1904.

We spent the night in the Elsa Suite. Elsa Lemp was the daughter of William Lemp Sr and was the wealthiest heiress in St Louis at one time. She, too, committed suicide, but not in this house. According to wikipedia, she separated from her husband in 1918, divorced him in 1919, and then reconciled and remarried him in 1920, and then shot herself in their bed that very same month. One of the stranger Lemp stories, to be sure.

A warmly lit, vintage-style bedroom is decorated for Christmas. A queen-size bed with a floral and paisley patterned quilt and red throw pillow dominates the foreground. Behind the bed to the right is a small, decorated Christmas tree with lights. The room features exposed brick walls and two windows framed by dark wood molding, red swags, and white scalloped blinds. Between the windows is a fireplace with a dark wood mantel and a mirror hanging above it. A small table and two chairs are tucked between the bed and the windows. To the left of the bed, an antique wooden dresser is visible, and a black backpack rests on the floor.

In any case, this suite, along with the Frederick and Louis suites on the third floor, are only named for the family members. They would have been servants quarters. I'll not give it away, but this room has a very fun secret, and is also rumored to be the most haunted room in the house, as well as the room where the legendary "monkey faced boy" lived. Urban legends will have to be saved for another time. We didn't have any ghostly experiences, but I can tell you, when I woke up in the middle of the night and was trying NOT to listen for noises, I worked myself into such a state that I almost fell out of bed when Francis snored. I'm still laughing about that.

2025 update: I CANNOT BELIEVE that I did not include the "Yo Bro Ghost" video, which we have laughed about for 12 years, in this post. Please enjoy Francis's impression of Zak Bagans.




I have to end this somewhere or it will turn into a novel. I'll tell you about Cragwold, Edwin Lemp's estate, and Alswel, Billy Lemp's summer home, another time. I hear the Lavender Lady haunts that one, too. If you've been to any of the houses, caverns, or mausoleum, share your stories!
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Location: Lemp Mansion, St. Louis, MO 63118, USA

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