Weird Tale Of Haunted House
Phantoms Thrill Third Ward House Holder – Great Interest in Mystery.
– Eau Claire Leader | Jan. 7, 1906

The Third Ward has a haunted house-story! A weird tale this, that sends thrills chasing up and down the spinal column, and causes each separate hair to stand on end like the quills of that much quoted and avirent porcupine. According to neighborhood gossip the haunted house is that very handsome residence erected not long ago by Mrs. Oramel Walker, at the corner of Barstow and Emery streets, and now inhabited by Ex–Alderman Louis Schmidt, a gentleman known far and wide for his gentle disposition and kindly nature.

No better or more thoughtful of citizen ever trod the streets of Eau Claire than the late Oramel Walker. In the early days, when Barstow street was still a shambling lane, Oramel Walker erected a pleasant home-for those days a palatial home- and commodious barns for his stock. That region, now known as the aristocratic Third, was fine farming country in those days. Mr. Walker saw a prosperous city grow up about him. His rolling acres were cut up into town lots and lanes were succeeded by well laid oat streets and avenues. Homes sprung up like magic. His pleasant farmhouse became a city dwelling and his splendid barns found themselves on the corner of Barstow and Emery streets and amenable to road and property tax in the noble Third Ward.

Years rolled on, as years have a habit of doing. Oramel Walker, and his house, and his barns, grew older together. They became landmarks in the midst of a thriving, progressive, and aggressive city. Fine homes were built and old ones were rebuilt around him. As the story goes, Mrs. Walker importuned, for architects and contractors, but Mrs. Walker was no more. After the lapse of time the widow carried out her long cherished plans of remodeling. She sold the old homestead to the Methodists. They rebuilt the house, making it into a model parsonage. The barns adjoining them were then demolished, and a handsome home arose in their place, most of the well-seasoned and perfectly sound timber being used in the reconstruction. 

For a time Mrs. Walker lived there herself. According to the story, she became desirous of selling. Louis Schmidt became the purchaser. Stories of ghosts spread through the neighborhood. Uncanny tales are told. Tales of strange rappings and unaccountable noises. One story is that the shade of the late Mr. Walker drives his famous coal black team-now phantom horses- through the side of the house, and unharnesses them in the dining room. There is stamping of horses’ feet and commands of “Whoa!” “Get over there!” are heard-much to the distress of the material occupants. Some of the neighbors don’t believe in ghosts, some of them do. All of them are awed and the Leader tells the story as it has been told to it be several.


Chad's Take: Back to the weird.

Ah, it is nice to get back to some more traditional strange stories of the Chippewa Valley, not that I don’t like deer attacking citizens and razor fights over bread, but it is nice to cover some basic paranormal stories as well. Digging through the old newspapers I was amazed to find that so many ghost stories were covered, and this case was one of my favorites. It is hard to imagine that the area of Barstow St. was once considered good farming land, but remember that this was over 100 years ago and even then the paper talks of the city encroaching on Mr. Walker’s land. 

As far as I know no one has reported seeing the phantom carriage or the coal black horses that are said to pull it for quite sometime. However, reports of animal ghosts in the Chippewa Valley are not uncommon as we seem to have phantom elephants (more on that in an upcoming article), hell hounds, and even a river serpent. 

If you want to search for the phantom carriage for yourself, Oramel Walker lived downtown at 806 S. Barstow St. right across the street from Wilson Park.