SPOKANE, Wash. — It’s spooky season and one place that always makes headlines this time of year is the Patsy Clark Mansion. All weekend long you’ll be able to tour Browne’s Addition as part of the Spookwalk.
“I’ve heard that it’s haunted,” Kristi Albretsen said.
Albretsen, knows every nook and cranny of the Patsy Clark Mansion. She works for the law firm that operates out of the building, but get her talking and she’ll tell you her real employer is the former owners deceased wife.
“I love Mary, I always say good morning to Mary,” Albretsen said.
Mary is said to be the ghost of the Patsy Clark Mansion, but don’t let the word ghost scare you, Mary is friendly.
The mansion was built in the late 1800s and was designed by Kirkland Cutter, a famous architect from Spokane.
“I think that she appreciates the people that have taken such good care of the mansion for over 20 years,” Albretsen said.
One of those people is Richard Eymann, he is one of the attorneys of the law firm and has been instrumental in it’s restoration.
He’s had his fair share of run ins with Mary and says she definitely is still hanging out.
“As we we’re walking up the stairs to the next floor ding,” Eymann said, “we heard the piano and we went back down and the glove that we had seen on top of the piano was on the keys, that was my first introduction to Mary in this building.”
Mary was Spokane’s hostess with the with the most in her day. She was born in Butte, Montana and married her husband Patsy Clark at 17, and made the most at the grand house, by entertaining.
“She did parties here, she did weddings,” Albretsen said.
And that’s part of the reason why Albretsen thinks she hasn’t left, on top of being a law firm it’s an event space that members of the public can rent out for weddings or other parties.
Many think Mary is staying around for all of the parties, and having a bit of fun.
“One time everybody’s computers went off but mine, so I know she was saying Kristi it’s cool,” Albretsen said.
Albretsen has a relationship with the home. She is preparing to retire within the next two weeks from the law firm, but says she’s not ready to leave her friend Mary behind.
“I love this place, that’s why every Friday I dust it… I clean it because I do that for Mary,” Albretsen said.
Albretsen will retirement and start giving tours of the home, so that she can still talk to her ghostly friend.
“I do feel her presence and I know she likes me,” Albretsen said.
You can find information about renting out the historic space by following this link and information on how to join in on Spookwalk here.
