Thrill-seekers in New York could finally have Halloween all-year round with their very own haunted house. A mansion located in Staten Island has recently been put up for sale, and local talks have suggested that the place is "haunted."
According to the New York Post, German inventor Gustav A. Mayer used to own the huge house. Mayer was famous for his sugar cookie recipe that was bought by Nabisco. The biscuit company used the recipe for their famous "Nilla" wafers.
The 10-bedroom mansion was constructed in 1855, and despite the passage of time, still has a lot of the old-world charm. This includes the exterior of the house, which has now become dilapidated, hidden electrical outlets, and the original fireplace, which is made of marble.
Mayer reportedly bought the house from David R. Ryers during the 1890s and fixed it up so he could have both a home and a workshop for his inventions in just one location, said The Daily Mail.
According to local folklore, the sprawling 7,700 square-foot Italian-inspired villa-style house was left by Mayer for his two daughters upon his death in 1918. Paula and Emilie resided in the beautiful mansion until they themselves reached their deathbed past the age of 100 years old.
Stories have circulated that both the daughters of Mayer stayed inside the house, never venturing outside, after their father's death. In fact, they never even stepped foot outside their bedrooms for the remainder of their lives.
The sisters had a complex pulley system installed inside their house. The pulleys deliver their food, groceries, mail and other needs from the outside world to the inside of their mansion.
Legend has it that the spirits of Mayer and his two daughters still live inside the mansion in Staten Island.
While the current owner Bob Troiano exerts a lot of efforts in trying to quash the "haunted house" stories, a source said that even he finds the property "creepy and eerie."
A "psychic lawyer", Mark Anthony visited the place and claimed that the spirits of the family can still be felt inside the home.
The house has been listed for $2.31 million but current restoration work in the exterior and front porch amounting to around $570,000 could bring the price tag down to $1.74 million.
The house's spooky aura and old-world style has made the place a haven for fashion shoots. Professional photographers have shot the likes of Amber Heard, Mary Kate Olsen, and Ansel Elgort in the sprawling 19th century property for spreads found in Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Elle Magazine.
