Bee Bennett Mansion

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Past painful, tragic events have spirits trying to move through grief.

Despite the emotional pain, one spirit shows kindness.

Happy little souls self-entertain by playing pranks!

Former spectral employees still are working; even disciplining sour guests.

 

 

DESCRIPTION

Bee-Bennet Mansion, a 16 room Victorian wonder, is now the home of Sequoia Wedgewood Wedding and Banquet Center. It has wonderful curb appeal! While the structure has been renovated to meet the businesses that moved in, the basic decor, architecture and lovely features have been restored, making it a lovely place for social events, like weddings and receptions. The facility has lovely gardens as well.

There is a wine tasting center in the cellar.

 

HISTORY

The Bee-Bennett Mansion original structure was built in the early 1850s’ by town mover and shaker, Colonel Frederick A. Bee, who was once of the first merchants to set up a business in Placerville. Colonel Bee also started and ran The Pony Express in California and the Bee Telegraph Company; the first trans-Sierra telegraph. Tragedy hit the Bee family when their nearly 2 year old son died of the croup, in 1855.

bennett-paranormal-plaque

When new business opportunities popped up in the San Francisco Bay area, the Bee family sold their home to the Conklins and then the Dunkin Family became the owners.

 

In 1889, well-to-do Judge Marcus and Mary “Molly” Bennett bought the Bee’s home, and had some grand plans to improve it substantially. In the end of their construction efforts, they had a glorious 16 room mansion; their forever home. They raised their five daughters, but had tragedy in their family as well. Their only son, 3 year old Marcus Jr. had an accident; he fell on the grand central staircase when he was three or 4 years old and died. Their baby daughter, Marie, died when she was a few months old.

In 1958, the Placerville Elks Club BPOE Lodge 1712 purchased the mansion where they held their meetings and had their events, dinners. The Elks Club renovated the mansion, but kept most of the artistic treasures and architecture in tact.

In 2001, the Bee-Bennet Mansion Elks Club changed hands again, and the new owners, Danica and Nello Olivo opened a new, upscale restaurant, calling it the Sequoia Bee-Bennett House: Restaurant and Event Center. They also opened in the cellar their “Nello Olivo Wine Tasting Room.”

At the end of 2011, the Bee-Bennett Mansion was sold to a large family company; Wedgewood Wedding and Banquet Center. They have 32 wedding and reception venues in California. In January of 2012, the Sequia Wedgewood Wedding and Banquet Center at Bee-Bennett Mansion opened its doors to social events.

 

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS

bennett-house-exteriorIf people who visit or work in a haunted structure behave badly in the spirits’ opinion: goofing off while on the job, rude, obnoxious, etc.), the spirits may find ways to “correct” them.

Some entities here at the Bee-Bennet Mansion jump in to help protect staff, and discipline guests who ruin a social event. Spirits that are active in a structure sometimes do their best to protect the living and the structure as well. The spirits have their code of behavior for the living, as well as watch over the staff and people who work here.

Children who die outside near or actually inside their favorite place, sometimes choose to stay there, not quite ready to pass into the spirit world. If they have passed over, they choose to visit a lot. Sometimes the adults who loved them decide to stay and keep an eye on these little ones.

Several children met their death at this mansion, and are active.

People who die with regret for their mistakes they made before they died or killed themselves, sometimes try to make better choices as spirits in this life, trying to learn about their mistake, or try to make it right, and/or sometimes try to be helpful to the living. The Nanny of Marcus Jr, hung herself after discovering the lifeless body of the boy she was supposed to be watching.

 

MANIFESTATIONS

The Entities of Colonel Frederick and Mrs. Bee and little son are still in residence.

They are still enjoying each other and the Mansion, which is now much grander than what they built.

A former cook for the Elks Club saw this solid, life-like couple dressed in Victorian attire enjoying the fresh air on a front porch swing for two. As the cook came up on the porch to go inside, she said, ‘Hello”, and the couple nodded back pleasantly. When she remembered that a swing hadn’t been on the porch in recent times, she realized that they were spirits and made a hasty retreat.

The couple’s two year old may also still be there as well, staying in a home that he loved.

A little boy has been seen playing in the house, and is suspected of being one of the mischievous children entities who like to turn water faucets on and off, and play with the lights as well. They perhaps like to move items around the mansion as well.

The Entity of Molly Bennett

Though she had a busy, positive life, she never got over the deaths of her infant daughter and her young son. She is the gentile hostess to the living. She has come down the central staircase, being seen or felt by the living.

In the time of the Sequoia Restaurant, owners Danica and Nello Olivo were meeting with staff in a first floor room above the bar, within view of the central staircase. While waiting for a staff member who was not quite up to snuff, to arrive, Danica saw a mist float down the stairs and go around the corner.

Molly has been seen by the proprietors in the flower shop. She likes to go into the flower shop where they put together wedding bouquets for upcoming ceremonies and receptions. She also probably enjoys watching these events..

One of the Elk Club’s officers, who did’t believe in spirits, had to go back to the mansion to get some papers he had left in his office on the second floor. No one was there except the house cat and himself. As he climbed the central staircase, he felt a cool breeze come down to his step, and felt a gentle cool hand touch his upper arm. The cat hissed and ran away. Needless to say, he became a believer in that moment and went about his quest without delay.

The Entity of Judge Marcus Bennett

The good Judge Bennett never quite got over the accidental death of Marcus Jr., his only son. He stays to mourn a little every day, perhaps not aware that Marcus Jr. is there and is still the little boy full of fun.

He likes to sit in the dining room chair and just stare out the window, dressed in Victorian clothing, sporting a beard. His presence has clearly been seen by others over the years, and has been identified by people who knew him when he first began appearing.

The Entity of the Nanny of Marcus Jr.

She still has guilt about young Marcus Jr.’s death, and paces the floors where the youngster still plays. Perhaps she tries to be his Nanny still since they are both spirits

It may be that she is the entity who tries to help brides get ready for their big days. She may be the one who likes to leave a rose for the bride-to-be.

The Entity of Marcus Jr.

This 3-4 year old died from a fall down the stairs. He must have been a handful for his nanny. Other sources claim that he died of a disease, but they could be confusing the two boys; The Bees’ little boy died of the croup.

Little Marcus is still a ball of fire, who perhaps plays with the two year old son of the Bees, teaching him how to be mischievous in this world. Even though the little Bee boy died years before Marcus Jr., children are open and could’ve found each other.

Besides playing with things like water faucets and lights, the little boys enjoy throwing glasses in the bar area. One time, the Bartender brought in a ball and bat, telling the unseen mischievous spirits to play with them instead. The ball and bat were moved all over the bar, sometime ending up in places where the bartender could trip over them. But, it was better than ducking flying glasses!

The Entity of the Female Cook/Kitchen Helper

A female cook, wearing a blue and white uniform from the Victorian Era, has been known to try to help in the kitchen.

A matronly cook who had arrived to prepare dinner for an Elks Club event, walked into the kitchen and found the usual Elks Club volunteer there, the wife of an Elks Member. Both women spied a seemingly normal woman dressed in an old-fashioned blue and white uniform busily working nearby in a corner. She must be a new volunteer.

Thinking she was a living person, the cook came toward her to welcome her to the team. As she approached her, she noticed there was nothing below the knees of this helper, and she was in fact floating in the air! The new helper faded into the air before their eyes.

Disciplining a guest

At a wedding and reception, a mother of the bride behaved badly, doing her best to cause a sour mood on the newly married couple’s day. A spirit got ahold of one of the lady’s expensive diamond earrings, and put it in the dishwasher.

Later, on her way out, she was pushed into the rose bushes and got all scratched up.

Helping a female staff member in Need

A female staff member was preparing to open the Sequoia Restaurant by herself. A seedy-looking drifter was standing on the driveway outside the front door. She tried to convince him to leave, saying they were not open. He hung around, thinking she was alone. Suddenly, music was turned on in the basement by unseen hands. The drifter fled, perhaps thinking that the female staff member was not alone after all. Spirits to the rescue!

STILL HAUNTED?

historic-mansion-haunted-outsideYes Indeed! Quite a few spirits stay or visit Bee-Bennett Mansion.

Owners and their families, staff, and servants and anyone else who has occupied the building have long had personal experiences with the spirits who stay or visit the place.

NANCY BRADLEY of GOLD RUSH GHOSTS PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS and SHANNON MCCABE of H.P.I. PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS, have done some investigations and have met through EVPs and other equipment various spirits that visit or live at the Bee-Bennett Mansion.

They caught an EVP of a young boy, and guess that it was Marcus Jr.

 

LOCATION

The Bee-Bennett Mansion: (Wedgewood Wedding and Banquet Center)
643 Bee Street,
Placerville, CA, 95667

placerville-mansion-front

The Bee-Bennett Mansion is located in the historical residential section of Placerville, right across from the Placerville cemetery.

SOURCES INCLUDE

  • Gold Rush Ghosts of Placerville, Coloma & Georgetown
    By Linda Bottjer
    Publisher Haunted America – 2014
  • Eldorado Count Adventures
    Winter 2016 publication
    HAUNTINGS OF EL DORADO County By Pat Lakey
  • www.wedgewoodbanquet.com
  • www.snmproductionsco.com
  • www.hauntedamericatours.com

Our Haunted Paranormal Stories are Written by Julie Carr

Our Photos are copyrighted by Tom Carr

 

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