Mystery Location 44: March 26, 2017

The location is Mont Helena, 139 Helena Road, Rolling Fork, Mississippi, the home of the Rev. George Harris, an Episcopal priest, and his wife, Helen Johnstone Harris. The mansion was built in 1896 as their retirement home and they lived there together until 1911, when George died. Helen continued to live in the house until she died in 1917. Upon her death, people started to report seeing a woman in flowing white weeping at the grave of Henry Vick in Madison County. Vick was the man Helen was set to marry on May 21, 1859, but the wedding never took place because Vick was killed in a duel on May 17 and he was sent home in a coffin and was buried at the Chapel of the Cross Cemetery, the church built by Helen’s mother, in Madison, Mississippi. After her spirit started appearing, Helen became known as the “Bride of Annandale,” named for Annandale Plantation, the Johnstone family's home. Mont Helena is haunted by a ghost who plays the piano, that people say is Helen, and the sounds of phantom bells ringing from an old wooden church that has no bell.

Good work, Madeline! Congratulations!