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In the 1880s when William and Cara Bell entertained guests at their beloved Briarhurst Manor in Manitou Springs, their children scampered among the guests.
Nearly 139 years later, they still do.
Modern-day visitors to the manor, a restaurant known for award-winning fine dining, have reported seeing a red-haired girl, dressed in Victorian-era clothes, playing on the lawn as they had lunch.
Others have heard children laughing and playing ball inside the house when no children were visiting that day. And, on cold days, employees have heard running in the attic -- the place where the Bell children played during the winter.
Strange events are part of the estate's charm -- reports of lights turning off and on, stereos suddenly blaring, shadows in the hallways and an alarm system detecting motion when everyone has gone home for the night.
While the manor's owner Ken Healey does not hype the ghost stories, he doesn't dismiss them either. The manor offers historic and paranormal tours every Saturday.
"We don't work that angle too much," Healey said. "But, there is a large contingent that is interested in talking about the paranormal."
These are the spooky stories of the old castle, which was built by one of Manitou's founding fathers, who is reported to have lived a joyous life in the 15,000-square-foot home.
People are interested in the things that go bump in the night for many reasons, said Briarhurst Manor marketing and sales director Janice Montoya.
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