About This Location
Burn Brae Mansion was built in 1908 as a summer home for Margaret Ross MacKenzie Elkin, daughter of Singer Sewing Machine Company president George Ross MacKenzie. The 20-acre estate, possibly designed by architect Henry J. Hardenbergh (famous for the Waldorf Astoria and the Plaza Hotel), has served as a boarding school, tea room, and apartment building. The Elkin family, including children who died young, are buried in nearby Glen Spey cemetery.
The Ghost Story
Ghost Hunters and Ghost Nation have both investigated Burn Brae, with Ghost Nation discovering a secret room behind a wall. Current owners began suspecting hauntings when renters left and unexplained footsteps and children's voices continued. Guests reported babies crying all night when no infants were present. South Jersey Ghost Research conducted a three-day investigation, recording over 180 photos and sounds confirming the haunting. Guest rooms contain notebooks filled with paranormal experiences. Spirits include Margaret Elkin's children - four-year-old Elsey (died 1893) and infant Levi (died 1940) - as well as the Hapijs, an elderly couple who died in their apartment in 2005-2006.