Clouston Hall was built in 1821 by Edward G. Clouston, but according to local lore his family experienced an awful tragedy there that continues to haunt the two century old building.
This episode of Southern Gothic is part of our Campfire Tales , a series of daily podcasts released during Halloween 2022!
“In any event, the story of what happened [...] is one of the most famous ghost stories in Alexandria, maybe because it has all the elements of a classic tale: love, loss, tragedy and redemption. Or then again, maybe it’s because the story remains alive today because strange things keep happening [...]””
At 107 North Fairfax St. in Alexandra, Virginia is a three-story building that became the location of one of Alexandria’s most enduring tales of love, loss, and hauntings: The Burning Bride.
It was on the evening of June 27, 1868, perhaps the night before the couple was set to marry when 26 year-old Laura Schafer, excited for her upcoming nuptials accidentally spilled burning fuel from a kerosene lamp onto her dress. Within moments she was alight. At 11 in the morning on Sunday June 28, 1868, on what should have been her wedding day, Laura Schafer died of her injuries; her beloved fiancé at her side.
Yet many believe that Laura Schafer remains trapped in the house, forever reliving the horror of her death and unfulfilled life.
Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Va.). “Fatal and Melancholy Affair.” June 29, 1868. Newspapers.com
Alexandria Gazette (Alexandria, Va.). “Obituary.” July 11, 1868. Newspapers.com
Anderson, Olivia. “The Legend of the Burning Bride.” Alexandria Times. October 21, 2021. https://alextimes.com/2021/10/the-legend-of-the-burning-bride/.
Caroline and Reilly. “Old Town Alexandria.” Phantastic Phantoms (blog). May 21, 2012. http://phantasticphantoms.blogspot.com/2012/05/old-town-alexandria.html.
Cooney, Ruthie. “The Phantoms of North Fairfax Street.” Boundary Stones (blog). WETA. October 22, 2018. https://boundarystones.weta.org/2018/10/22/phantoms-north-fairfax-street.
“Creepy Tales from Old Alexandria, VA.” DC Ghosts (blog). Accessed September 18, 2022. https://dcghosts.com/creepy-tales-from-old-alexandria-va/.
Pope, Michael Lee. Ghosts of Alexandria. Charleston, SC: Haunted America, 2010.
“The Schafer House Ghosts.” Alexandria Ghosts (blog). Accessed September 18, 2022. https://alexandriaghosts.com/the-schafer-house-ghosts/.
“The True Story of Alexandria's Burning Bride.” DC Ghosts (blog). Accessed September 18, 2022. https://dcghosts.com/the-true-story-of-alexandrias-burning-bride/.
