Phoenix Arizona

Pioneer Village Yellow Victorian

Sometimes Spirits like to attach themselves to special possessions…

DESCRIPTION

I would describe this 1890 Victorian style farm house as a practical, sturdy but pretty home with Victorian flourishes, especially seen on the roof area and woodwork of the front and side porch. There are also 2 decorative wooden pillars on the side walls before entering the dining room area. We were able to actually go inside because a staff member let us see it when we visited one hot July day in 2019.

This lovely home had on display furniture that was from the same era when this house was built. The structure inside is very Victorian indeed, with a central hallway that opens up to the dining room space that has double doors to the outside to the backyard leading to the outside the probably led to the outside kitchen.

This Victorian style Farm House was restored to “depict a typical 1890’s middle class Phoenix dwelling with a parlor, music room, kitchen, and two bedrooms.” There are indeed four rooms:parlor, music room, kitchen, and two bedrooms.. Two are off the central hallway; parlor and bedroom in the front and the other two are off the dining room. There is a side door as well off the dining area. It was built to have great ventilation from wind, blowing through the doors and windows; perfect for Arizona weather.

HISTORY

John Sears was born in in Jackson County, Missouri on October 26, 1843, the son of southerners Nathan and Nancy (Mills) Sears originally from Kentucky. During the Civil War, John joined the Confederate Army. He survived the Civil War.

In 1878 John moved to Phoenix at the age of 35 with his family to start over and became a successful cattle rancher, and homesteader, spending the rest of his life making a great middle class living; a total of “52 continuous years in the cattle ranching business.”

This fine home was built originally at 4032 North Seventh Street; a Phoenix homestead that came with 80 acres of farmland. Interestingly, the home is one of the earliest total frame houses made of lumber and not adobe; thanks to the arrival of the railroad in Phoenix.

Mr. John Sears bought this property for 160.00, from Mr. James Reavis; a man about to go to jail for attempted fraud in a grand scheme. “James Addison Reavis faked ancient Spanish documents and claimed his wife was the only living heir of Baron Miguel de Peralta which entitled her to the Peralta Land Grant.” A smart clerk discover his dissection.

On these 80 acres, much was accomplished. John Sears cultivated orchards of apples, peaches, apricots, pears, figs, and almonds. He also had a pump house and a windmill. John, his wife, Mary, sons Perry and George and daughter Ella had a comfortable, middle-class life, living on their farm.

The farm probably changed hands sometime after John Sears died at the age of 97 in 1937. One of the families that could-ve bought the property and continued farming was the Newman family. This could’ve been daughter Ella’s family. As Phoenix grew, farmland was bought and developed. At some point, the 80 acres were sold; leaving one old house; probably a real fixer upper opportunity, eventually abandoned. Uh OH.

In 1969, the Sear home was scheduled to be knocked down in 30 days. The city told Pioneer Arizona that they could have it but their Foundation had to “scramble to raise the $5,000 needed to move it to the museum grounds” before the 30 days came. During restoration, a section of the original wallpaper was discovered beneath the dining room plate-rail, giving them a pattern to have in restoring this home to “depict a typical 1890’s middle class Phoenix dwelling with a parlor, music room, kitchen, and two bedrooms.”

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS

People who enjoy and cherish their life in their forever home, may choose to stay there when they pass over and become spirits.

Joslyn Castle, KS (The Joslyn family are together again in a place that they adored while alive).

Buffalo Bill Ranch NE (The spirit of Buffalo Bill loves to visit for awhile and remember all the great memories of his life as he sees all of his memorabilia on display, and even sits in his favorite chair).

Captain Benson Bailey House NE (The spirit of Captain Benson Bailey is trying to find peace in his forever home after not realizing while alive that it was his neighbor who poisoned his wife. His own life wouldn’t have ended so soon if he had known the truth because this neighbor also poisoned him).

Pioneer Living History Village: The Yellow Victorian, AZ (Past homeowners and their families reside or visit to enjoy and remember their earthly experiences).

Renewing and restoring a creaky, seen-better-days home can act like an environmental trigger, drawing the spirits into being an active presence.

Hartford Twain House, CT (When the dream home of the Mark Twain family was restored and furnished the way that they had loved it, the entire spectral family and servants as well moved back inside and resumed their activities, not minding having visitors during the day).

LeDuc Mansion, MN (When the LeDuc Mansion became a house museum, fully restored with LeDuc family possessions as well, the LuDuc family moved back to enjoy their home once more).

Custer House, ND (On the Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, the Custer House was reconstructed using the plans drawn up by General Custer himself. Their furniture and personal items were also donated to this house museum. Guess who moved back inside?)

Pioneer Living History Village: The Yellow Victorian, AZ (When the Yellow Victorian arrived at the Pioneer Living History Village, it was a real wreck. It was restored to what it looked like when the Sears Family lived there on a homestead property. Some members of the Sears family gladly moved back, even willing to talk to the living).

Restoring the surrounding environment of a recreated house to what the owners experienced while alive can bring enthusiastic happy, relaxed spirits feeling at home inside and outside.

Old City Williamsburg, VA (Spirits feel so comfortable in their old homes and the village they knew, they find the peace that eluded them while alive, and can even work through their restlessness).

Deseret Mormon Village, UT (The homes on display as well as a whole town of Mormon buildings, also have spirits attached who loved them while alive. Some try to be helpful to the docents. Some feel that they can be crabby with the living who are not too smart in their opinion).

Tombstone, AZ (As all the buildings in the town were restored and sometimes reconstructed as they once existed, spirits who are attached to the land and the buildings carry on as they did while alive, even interacting with the living visitors and residents).

Pioneer Living History Village, AZ (It has all the buildings needed to provide services for a frontier Arizona town. Spirits are happy where their home wound up in a town of their era. They feel secure to communicate and even visit the other buildings).

Spirits sometimes like to attach themselves to special possessions or things they adored while alive. It doesn’t matter where these items wind up, the spirit travels with them.

Museum of Shadows, NE (This museum has on display many sorts of items that have spirits attached to them).

Loveland Castle, OH (Many medieval items like suits of armor came with spirits attached).

Belcourt Castle, RI (The many antiques and antiquities in this castle came with spirits not willing to leave).

Pioneer Living History Village, AZ (Spirits may have attached themselves to the antiques or some of the artifacts that were moved into this Victorian).

MANIFESTATIONS

Spirit of “Mrs. Neuman”

Carried on a conversation with paranormal investigators.

Investigator:”We came along way to talk to you!” *
Spirit: “Imagine that!”
Investigator: “This must be the sitting room.”
Spirit: “Yes, the sitting room.”
Investigator, “Mrs. Neuman, did you make a pie today?”
Spirit: “No, not yet.”

Spirit of a Child

Has been seen by visitors and staff, looking out a window. Up in the attic, there is a window in this bedroom where a little boy slept. Sometimes there is an unexplained light shining from this window.

The attic was not furnished because it is too hard to get into for the living, but not for a spirit boy. More than one child spirit may be here to keep the little boy company. A rocking chair moves and rocks by itself, due to a spirit or spirits who enjoy it.

EVPs: “That’s me!” “They don’t know!” “Cold!” “What’s happening?” “They don’t know.”

Perhaps More

More than one child spirit may be here to keep the little boy company.

EVPs: “That’s me!” “They don’t know!” “Cold!” “What’s happening?” “They don’t know.”

A child’s rocking chair moves and rocks by itself, due to a spirit or spirits who enjoy it.

PARANORMAL FINDINGS

Visitors and staff have seen a little boy looking at them out the window. Folks have also seen the mysterious light in the attic.

Working in the house doing maintenance, staff can feel a friendly presence or two, there for moral encouragement.

Paranormal investigators have found intelligent spirits here during their paranormal research tours. Phoenix Arizona Paranormal Investigators have had much success catching hard evidence through their interaction with these clever spirits.

STILL HAUNTED?

Yes indeed!

The spirits here are happy and content to stay in the Yellow Victorian. They have peace that the living will not make them leave and bother them too much as they relive their memories and do the things they enjoyed in life.

LOCATION

A Pioneer Living History Village in Phoenix:
The Yellow Victorian
3901 West Pioneer Road,
Phoenix, AZ 85086

In the Pioneer Living History Village in Phoenix, the Yellow Victorian is located on the west side of the gold panning, near the props of town buildings and corral where gun fights are performed.