Do you like haunted hotels?
Do you like trains?
I know, they don’t really go together logically, do they?
Well, they do if you’re at the Mason House Inn, Bentonsport, Iowa.
The Mason House Inn is a cool old haunted hotel with tons of ghostly activity. And if you’re just a bit weary of the ghosts keeping you up at night, you can always stay in their caboose lodgings.
There.
See?
Haunted hotels and trains do go together!
Mason House Inn was built in 1846 as a hotel for the steamboat travelers on the Des Moines River. That’s a lot of time for a place to acquire ghosts!
And they have a few. They’re usually pretty active, too.
There’s an old lady by the fireplace in the dining room.
There’s a boy in knickers on the second floor landing who likes to wave to people. Don’t see him? Wave anyway, you’ll make him happy!
A man was murdered in Room 7. He was just a traveler who had visited a local tavern and well, had a bit too much to drink since he tried to climb in a bed that wasn’t his. Surprise surprise. The man already occupying the bed took exception to the intrusion and promptly stuck a saber in the intruder’s heart. The instant making of a ghost!
There’s also a lot of normal ghostly activity like orbs in pictures (don’t forget your camera!), foggy images in mirrors, doors opening and closing by themselves, footsteps when no one is there, all sorts of things ghosts like to do to make their presence known.
And what’s more, you can take a ghost hunting class at the Mason House Inn, too. Yep, a real live ghost hunting class at a real live haunted hotel.
Way cool!
And what’s this about caboose lodgings?
Well, they also have a caboose you can stay the night in. It’s one where you can climb up into the cupola, too. A lot of caboose lodgings don’t have that little extra added bonus. So this one is special, with a little table up in the cupola, too!
Wow! A haunted hotel and a caboose, too. What an adventure!
For more information about a stay at the haunted Mason House Inn & Caboose Cottage or their ghost hunting classes call (319) 592-3133.
🕯️ Dig Deeper Into the Darkness 🕯️
Videos, podcasts, deep-dive reads, first-hand accounts, books, and a map — everything you need to keep chasing this haunting.
🎬 Ghost Videos From Across the Paranormal Universe
Fellow ghost hunters have investigated places like this. Watch their findings:
Ghosts of Bentonsport | The Secrets of Iowa’s Mason House Inn
Midwest Ghost Hunters
Inside the Haunted Mason House Inn | Bentonsport Iowa
The Backroads Channel
What REALLY Happens at the Mysterious Mason House Inn?
The Backroads Channel
🎙️ Paranormal Podcasts On This Case
Voices from the paranormal podcast underground digging into this story:
📍 About Bentonsport
Bentonsport, a village on the Des Moines River near Keosauqua, in Van Buren County, Iowa, was recognized in 1972 for being very little changed since its historic heyday as a thriving steamboat port in the mid-1800s. A 35-acre (14 ha) historic district covering 16 original blocks in the historic center of the village was then approved for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. The district also included waterfront property and the village's historic wagon bridge across the river to the village of Vernon.
🗺️ Haunt It Yourself — On The Map
Here’s where Mason House Inn sits on the map. Zoom in, plan your visit — if you dare.
🏚️ More Hauntings Nearby
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