HISTORY:

The building we know today as Conover Square originally housed a piano factory. Construction began in the early 1890’s, and additions continued for almost twenty years. It is believed that the Schaeffer Piano Company built the original factory (the current South wing), and they were later bought by Schiller Pianos. Pianos were manufactured here under a number of brand names, including Schiller, Conover, and Cable. In fact, a piano built here was featured at the 1893 Columbian Exposition in Chicago. By the early 1970’s, demand for pianos dropped to the point where the factory closed and moved operations out of state.

Later in the 1970’s, much of the 120,000 square foot building was converted into a shopping village. As one strolls through the hallways at Conover Square, old world inspiration is apparent in the quaint and varied storefront designs. The legacy of Conover’s factory days also stands out in the massive beams throughout the structure, wood ceilings and floors in many areas, and selected memorabilia displayed in the hallways.

REPORTED ACTIVITY:

  • A little girl’s voice and giggles have been heard in the hallways and throughout the building
  • Loud crashes and booms have been heard in the unoccupied Attic
  • Many people report the presence of a man in the south hallway and some have heard his laughter
  • Some have claimed to see the apparition or outline of a woman in a dress that is currently hanging in the Museum
  • Many visitors get a dizzy or creeped out feeling in the South/East end of the Museum
  • A few patrons of the bar across the street from the Mall have claimed to see shadows or apparitions looking down at them through the windows of the Attic
  • A shadow of a person was seen on the North/East wall of the Attic while an investigator was setting up equipment in this area. The investigator claimed that the shadow walked along the wall and disappeared in the doorway
  • A couple came to investigate the building recently and caught an EVP saying “get the bitch out of my chair” in the North/East Wing of the Basement
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