At first glance, it would seem to be any quaint, rustic bed and breakfast (or as we are prone to say in New England, “b&b”). But, the Lizzie Borden Bed And Breakfast/Museum is no ordinary bed and breakfast.
If only this seemingly ordinary inn could tell stories. The bed and breakfast has been converted to an inn (stay at your own risk) and tours are offered for a paltry $18. The hour long tour includes a history of the house, the denizens (which of course Lizzie Borden was one) and other trivia about the building and people associated with the house.
Of course, Lizzie is the main person of interest.
For those who either lived under a rock for the past 120 years or aren’t a maladjusted historian who is fascinated with the morbid, Lizzie was the main suspect in the murders of her mother and father. She was acquitted after the jury deliberated for an hour. To this day, people are divided over whether she did commit these murders (she did). The real life story plays out like an Agatha Christie mystery.
The house is three floors with 8 rooms. The furniture is not the exact furniture from the house because the Borden sisters had to store their furniture and while the furniture was in storage the furniture was destroyed by water and fire damage. Replicas of the furniture of that era are furnished throughout the house. They also seem to want to keep the house as close to the original style as possible. We also had a large tour group which made the rooms seem even more cramped and the lighting was dim. That is not a ghost but rather the photographer’s reflection in the mirror.
The staircases are narrow but fun to photograph.
The bedrooms are basic with the bare necessities (you won’t find any flat screen tv’s or hot tubs there). But, they are refreshing for the weary traveler who just wants to unplug and relax.
This is the room where Abby Borden was murdered. Walking in the room can’t help but give you the willies.
This is where Andrew Borden’s (Lizzie’s father) body was found. I swear I had my camera trained on the entire sitting couch (I’d sooner blame in on Nikon than the photographer or any spirits, though)
If you are considering a stay at the Lizzie Borden bed and breakfast, just remember that while it is cute and rustic, well keep in mind that it is rustic.
Is that Lizzie in the window?
The inn also has a number of photos of the key players of the Borden case and the family hanging on the wall. There is also the dress Elizabeth Montgomery wore when she depicted Lizzie Borden in the made for tv version of the murder and trial. There are also artifacts hung on the walls that were found on the property that were discovered during recent renovations.
I had some time to waste before the tour, so I stopped by Lizzie’s (or Lizbeth’s) final resting place. Lizzie is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery in Fall River, Mass. She is buried next to her sister, Emma. People regularly leave little mementos from flowers to rocks and even coins and other keepsakes on her gravestone, especially this time of year (even though the murders occurred in August and not around Halloween) .
New England Nomad 