The Legend

Not much has been known about the McCue Family Estate in Monongahela, Pennsylvania ... until recently. What has been discovered may shock many who live in or near the area in the small community of Carroll Township.

The McCue Mansion has a history that is layered in horrors and lost souls, and until now, kept secret by the mansion itself.

Recently, while planning for the annual Haunted House Experience in 2014, the new owners of the house learned that the land that the mansion now sits upon was once used as a burial ground for a civilization that once populated the land of Monongahela, Pennsylvania.




Little recorded history remains before this rare photograph that was found in the basement of the McCue Mansion. We have been able to trace some of the earlier history, and also have found clues and experiences to current history.

Sometime in the late 1860's, a young woman, believed to be a widow, with the name Carla arrived to the area by train.

Carla had an appreciation for the finer things in life. In 1871, she commissioned the building of a large estate on land that was transferred to her by her Uncle who lived in Scotland.




The record books for the time are somewhat unclear, it is clear that she held title to a plot of land, which today is located adjacent to Route 88. During the excavation for the original mansion, workmen discovered bones from a human hand. After further digging, they unearthed well over 70 unmarked graves, and may have unleashed the evil on the land that was found to be Demon House.

Since this region of Monongahela was not well organized at the time, the remains of these lost souls were left unknown. Rumors around railroad camps of the areas tell stories that the mansion was once an ancient burial ground for local Indians.

Another tells of the story of how the Spanish had a torturous prison at this location, and these were the reminders of this era.


News of this discovery didn't appear to bother Carla, nor the local authorities. In fact, legend of the time had her asking to keep some of the remains of some sort.

Carla was a women that was known at the time as a healer, many say an evil witch. People would come from as far as Scotland to visit with Carla to seek healing for their ails and demon possessed souls.

From 1872-1888, word of these great deeds traveled the land.

Around 1889, word of her help seemed to diminish as people stopped returning to their homes.


In 1891, a child was born at the McCue Estate, and he was named Liam Gavin.

From 1889 until 1894, people continued to arrive at the Estate.

On October 13, 1894, a man by the name of Pat Caldwell arrived with his ailing daughter, only to find the Estate desolate.

Caldwell contacted the local Sheriff, who came to the Estate. When they began to look through the home, what they found in the basement was horrifying ...


When the Sheriff arrived to the McCue Estate, he immediately began an investigation. As good an investigation that could be completed for 1894.

Sheriff's Journal Entry

Chad Nichols was the deputy Sheriff that wrote this report of the house. After talking more with the others in the town, it was decided to go back to the mansion and go into the house to see what was actually happening. A search party was formed and plans were made to go to the McCue mansion.

Sheriff's Journal Entry


About the time this was going to happen a letter arrived addressed simply to D.H.D. This note expressed the need for help, and that the person whose initials were E.V.L., did not want to die like the others.

That same evening the Sheriff's posse went to the estate. The wives of the men recount the story.

This account was written by Joan, the neice of deputy. She witnessed this from the gates to the estate. The men never came out of the house.
On November 2, 1894, no person was ever seen at the house again. It remained empty until 2004.

Joan Millington Synge Entry

Joan Millington Synge Entry
November 2, 1894



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