Buckingham Mystery: 274 Fitzpatrick Road
One of the most popular posts at Slate River Ramblings was on May 26, 2013: Buckingham Mystery: 274 Fitzpatrick Road
Since then, the current owner of the Fitzpatrick house, Janice Campbell, has posted details about the house’s history at the blog Old House Dreams:
In 1961, my dad bought the house at a public auction. He had not intended to buy the place, but got caught up in the bidding… Well, he thought he could resell it. But, when my mom saw the house, she was in love. It was her dream house.
The house had belonged to Miss Annie Mae Fitzpatrick, she had lived there her whole life. Had cared for her parents there. She was an old maid school teacher, and in 1961, her nieces and nephews were selling the property to finance her nursing home care. . . . We started calling the house “the Fitzpatrick” after the previous owners and the name has stuck. Also, the Fitz. The road name is The Fitzpatrick after it.
It is known in the county at that old Fitzpatrick place. When I was working on it, I discovered many people who would not enter the house because of the stories of “spirits”. The neighbors can tell you many stories. I have some. One of my favorite is that a slave boy hung himself in the attic because he was in love with a slave girl and she was sold. . . .
As far as other buildings on the property, the main one remaining is the smoke house, which this site has a photo of. There is also a shed with an outdoor potty with a 3-seater. But that shed has slowly folded to the ground. Everything is still in it, but it needs to be taken apart. . . .
There are some pear trees in the back yard, old trees with antique pears, really small. Good for pear preserves but not eating off the tree. . . .
Thank you to all the people out there who appreciate this house. It truly is one of a kind original. A diamond in the rough.
For more photos and information about the house, visit Old House Dreams.
Be sure to scroll down through all the photos to read several comments about the house and its history written by Janice Campbell.
slate river ramblings . . . . 
I know the fitzpatrick house very well and years ago the piano would play by its self and could hear people talkng and walking throgh house and now house has been sold and is being remodeled and the present owner his kids have heard things while staying there , not being lived in now by family stays there at times while working on it , yes it is haunted
Winston,
Many thanks for adding these details to the story of the Fitzpatrick house, especially the ghost at the piano!
Joanne
I love this place been wanting my husband for us to buy an fix all the folks live on that road are my dads family we were their a lot growing up, now my cousins live on there love this house an the history being haunted does not bother me I grew up in haunted houses in Nelson county.
My husband an sons are wonderful carpenters but he said we are to old to take on this project an I guess financially that’s True but that does not stop me from loving this place an the history of it loved reading all the comments I check this site from time to time thank you all for your stories this is a Treasure in Buckingham County sincerely Alice Palmore
Alice,
Many thanks for your comment and for your kind words about Slate River Ramblings. I’d like to hear more about your haunted houses in Nelson County.
Buckingham must be full of ghost stories to uncover!
Joanne
I have loved the house since the first time I saw it while searching for ancestors in Buckingham. I fear that if someone doesn’t buy it soon that it will “fold” to the ground too!! If I was a lot younger the buyer would be me!!
Thank you for the information. I love the possibility of ghosts!
Nancy, You are welcome. Never too many ghost stories!