A True Crime Stay at the Lizzie Borden House Delivers More Dread Than Rest
The author spent a night at the former Massachusetts home of Lizzie Borden, now a museum and bed-and-breakfast, ahead of the Netflix premiere of Ryan Murphy's latest Monster series. The property is decorated with hatchet imagery and family photos, making the infamous 1892 murders impossible to ignore. The stay offered an immersive, unsettling experience rather than typical relaxation, reflecting the enduring public fascination with the case.
The Borden home dates to 1845 and stands in Fall River, Massachusetts, as a Greek Revival structure that has drawn visitors since opening as a museum in 1996. Lizzie Borden was 32 at the time of the August 1892 killings, and her acquittal by an all-male jury left the double murder legally unsolved for more than a century.
US Ghost Adventures acquired the property in 2021 for roughly $1.9 million, with founder Lance Zaal undertaking restoration work including a period-accurate fence and paint analysis that returned the exterior to its original muted army green. The company operates haunted attractions across 200-plus cities, positioning the Borden house within a broader paranormal tourism industry.
The story could reinforce the growing cultural pattern of treating historical tragedies as entertainment destinations, potentially normalizing overnight stays at murder sites. It may appeal to true crime enthusiasts and paranormal tourists while raising questions about how communities balance preservation with sensitivity. The Netflix connection could expand this audience, though the impact likely remains limited to those already drawn to macabre travel experiences.