AMERICAN HAUNTINGS GHOST HUNTS
NIGHT AT THE BOYD HOUSE
BOYD, MINNESOTA
NEXT AVAILABLE DATE: APRIL 22, 2023
8:00 PM TO 2:00 AM
$56 PER PERSON — VERY LIMITED SPOTS!
sold out!
Join American Hauntings for a chilling night in this remote little town west of Minneapolis for a night you won’t soon forget. The Boyd House may be the largest home in town, but it’s also the most haunted! Built in 1901, it’s first owner tragically shot himself, leaving a mark on its history that lingers to this day!
Located at 217 Scandia Avenue, the deed to the land goes back to 1884, when it was owned by the Hastings and Dakota Railroad Company and officially entrusted to a man named Charles F. Hatch – who shot himself in 1889. Others owned the land in the years that followed, leading to the construction of the towering, four-story, white-washed home, but the most significant owners – as far as the hauntings are concerned – seem to be Fred and Minnie Eckhardt.
Fred Eckhardt, Jr. was born in Ontario, New York, and was later married to Minnie Fenske, a German immigrant. They moved to Boyd in 1906 with their four children -- Selma, Alfred, Oscar, and Elsa -- and bought the Boyd House in 1912. Fred opened a general store with his brother-in-law and soon became respected and well-liked throughout the community. His customers loved him – he even printed his own coins for their use in his store – and became so well-known as an avid gardener that his ghost is still seen in his gardens today.
Fred went on to become the local Justice of the Peace, a member of the school board, a city councilman, and a volunteer firefighter. He and his father built the Lutheran Church, which still stands today. Thanks to this proximity to the railroad, Fred was always able to keep his store stocked, which helped him survive a flood, the Depression, and even a few robberies.
Fred and Minnie’s family grew steadily to a total of 11 children. Two of their children died when they were only infants and two more died while the family lived at the Boyd House – as did Fred and Minnie, just three years apart. Minnie died from a stroke in 1955 and Fred followed her in death in 1958.
But it seems that Fred, Minnie, and perhaps even some of their children have been unwilling to leave their beautiful home behind. They linger here, as a reminder of the past.
The current owner of the home is Jill Shelley, a woman with a keen interest in the spirit world, which is what drew her to the Boyd House and its hauntings. She and her husband have fully restored the house and have continued to research its fascinating history. She has been able to dig up countless details about the home, the surrounding area, and the people who lived there.
Some of it, however, remains shrouded in mystery, with any secrets buried with their keepers. Although they seem to be more than willing to try and share those secrets with those with visit the place.
Ove the last few years, there have been dozens of visitors who have had their own experiences with the resident ghosts. The children who linger here are said to be playful, giggling and laughing on recordings, running up and down the hallway and through the kitchen. Guests have been touched, had their clothing tugged on, and heard whispers directly in their ears – in an otherwise empty room.
Fred still totters around in his garden and even a ghost cat is present in the house, making itself known as it curls around visitors’ ankles, or knocks things off tables, usually when no one is looking.
This is a house where the past literally returns to life and allows us a glimpse into days gone by through its history and its hauntings. If you’re tired of visiting the same old places where so many people have already been, then this is the little-known spot for you!