Location Description and History

The Whittlesey House was designed by architect Charles Whittlesey and built at his family residence in 1903 on the western edge of the Highland east of Albuquerque. It is a three-story frame structure designed after a Norwegian villa. Low-pitch roofs with exposed log fronting, rough log-cut facades and a wide porch, which surrounds its eastern rooms, characterized the house. For the Whittlesey family this rustic and rough-texture structure was, no doubt a change in lifestyle from their previous Chicago residence. It stood, at that time, virtually alone on the Highland - the town not having grown in that direction. There was no vegetation or trees in the area. The view east to the Sandias and west to the town, river and volcanoes was unobstructed.

In 1908 the Whittlesey sold to Theodore S. Woolsey, Jr. who owned the house for the next twelve years. Of Woolsey, nothing is known except that for part of these years, he was Assistant District Forest Ranger USFS. Early photos suggest that he added the addition to the south side of the house and framed out the northwest corner of the main porch. Records show that in 1916 he leased the house to Mr. Andros, President of the Whitney Hardware, and in 1917 to Mr. Reynolds, President of the First National Bank.

Albuquerque was known nationwide at the time for its good climate, conducive to the treatment of certain diseases. Located on the Highland near the house were two sanitariums. Indications are that Woolsey leased the house with its wide porches and open areas, to many people who came to this city for convalescent reasons. One particular nurse who came West with a patient and stayed on to become head nurse at the Albuquerque Sanitarium, passed the house each day on her way to work. She informed a suitor that if he bought the 'log' house she would marry him. Arthur B. Hall bought the house from Woolsey in 1920 and she married him. Clifford Hall, A.B.'s wife, lived in and eventually owned the house during the next forty years. It was 'home' to her more than to any family prior to or after her ownership. She brought the house through periods of extensive remodeling and interior style changes.

Resident cat finds a comfy home in SGHA's equipment cases.

During the twenties the Halls were owners and proprietors of Hail's Royal Pharmacy, corner of 2nd and Gold. They kept the interior of the house predominantly Indian - much as Whittlesey had done. Navajo rugs covered the rough wood floors; the shelves lined with pottery by Maria, Tonita and Santa; Mexican furniture was common and wrought iron lights used when gas was added. Early New Mexico artists, such as Hongner, Redin and Van Hesler, were welcomed to the house, often painting and working on the wide porch. The Halls also collected Chinese furniture, some pieces having been left in the house by earlier leases that had died there. Much of the Chinese and Indian furniture is still in the family today.  In 1930 Clifford was divorced from A.B. Hall. By 1935, she was remarried to Herbert McCallum, but this too would end in divorce in 1938.

As a source of income during these years, she would rent out portions of the house. The south porch was framed out and part of the first level was sealed off to make a separate apartment. The original stable was renovated and added to, making it an apartment complex. An additional apartment was built adjacent to it. As new building materials were introduced, Clifford resurfaced the interior walls of the house. Whittlesey's rough wood and burlap surfaces were covered by celutex, plaster and wood planking.

By the middle of the forties Clifford McCallum was working for Vanlandingham Studios, first as a seamstress and eventually, owner. During these years the rough wood floors were resurfaced with oak strip flooring. Knotty pine siding was introduced to some wall surfaces. An earlier color scheme of gold and red was accentuated through new furniture and draperies. Marble-topped European furniture pieces fill the main room. This, of all the rooms in the house was the visually richest. The immense lava rock fireplace, the filled bookshelves lining the walls and the rustic hark wall surfaces were contrasted against the golds and reds of the floor, furniture, draperies and incidentals.

The Highland Park 'log' house was a showplace during the thirties, forties and fifties. Clifford McCallum spent a great deal of her house and its surroundings. She opened her home to many people, among them William Lovelace, who brought his international guests to view the house. The Mayo brothers, whose clinic is known worldwide, were frequent visitors. William Keleher, Clyde Tingley and even Clinton Anderson, in his early political years, were friends and visitors to the house.

In 1960 Clifford sold the house. Her increasing age, the extensive upkeep on the structure and numerous other reasons contributed to her decision. Zeta Mu Zeta House Corp. of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity purchased the house. The structure with its many rooms and apartment like situation suited the fraternity well. Little information was available about the fraternity's activities, their members having moved elsewhere, inadequate fraternity records, etc. The fraternity sold the house in 1966 to John T. Roberson, who leased the structure.
The Albuquerque Press Club purchased the Whittlesey House in the seventies.

• The vast majority of reported phenomena are auditory in nature. The sound of high heeled shoes has been heard by several witnesses walking across the floors of the bar and lobby area. Noises have have also been associated with the poll table in a room downstairs.  Voices and balls moving about on the pool table of their own accord comprise a few of these accounts. The piano in the lobby has also been played (3 notes) by an unseen presence.
• The apparition of a woman in a black shawl has been reported on several occasions in various locations throughout the building. The bar staff have a ritual of leaving the "ghost" a shot of gin on the corner of the bar.
• Cats at the club have been observed watching and hissing at a unseen presence

This location was chosen as a research site to determine if there is any possibility that "orbs" are paranormal. Cross capture photography, as well as different cameras were used through the building. Photos were all randomly fired. All of the "orbs" photographed were determined to be airborne contaminants.

We also swept the building for EM signatures. With the exception of one odd hit (4nt @31Hz) we located nothing but typical fields given off by household wiring.

Photographs

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