As we make our way to the end of Spooky Season, I am sure we are all looking for that last little scare or fun fact about our densely historic and spooky neighborhoods. Whether you are going to Sleepy Hollow to catch a glimpse of the Headless Horseman, or grabbing the trendy “Ghost Lattes” at The Twisted Branch in Valhalla, you should know the spooky lore of Pace University.  

The most popular Pace Spooky Story is that of Horace Greeley. He was a founder and editor of The New York Tribune  on Newspaper Row, and the original building they occupied for their offices was the first skyscraper of the Historic Financial District, and it is currently standing at 41 Park Row, a Pace University office, lounge, and art gallery building that we still use today.

Horace Greeley used the Tribune as his personal platform for the abolitionist movement and continued his work throughout the Civil War. He continued into the 1872 Presidential Election, against Ulysses S. Grant, but ultimately lost because of a chaotic campaign, inconsistent political beliefs, and the country’s support for Grant. 

You might be wondering how this connects to the Pleasantville campus. Well, six days before the 1872 election results, Mary Greeley, Horace Greeley’s wife, passed away from lung disease. Many believed he was slowly going insane because of heartbreak and the loss of the election, so on November 20th, he entered a sanitarium, an establishment for those with chronic illness run by Dr. George S. Choate, and he never left. Those that knew him and treated him in the sanitarium, knew he was a threat to himself and others near the end, but their efforts were eventually lost.

Horace Greeley died in the facility just nine days later. That private mental health facility still stands on campus as Choate House and Marks Hall. Marks Hall was moved down the hill and across campus in 1909 by a team of horses for Dr. Choate’s wife, to live separately from her married son and his family. There have been whispers over the years of Horace Greeley’s lively ghost marching up the stairs of Marks Hall, listening in on the activities of the Welcome Center. His spirit is said to continue on at Pace, sometimes being seen by a night security guard or a tour guide. Don’t feel too creeped out if you encounter him; just remember ghosts can’t hurt you. Happy Halloween!