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Located on the Gonzaga University Campus, the Monaghan Mansion was built by an early pioneer and an Irishman, James "Spokane Jim" Monaghan {1839-1916}, and completed in 1901. James was a kind, humble and fair man, loved and respected by many. He was a smart business man and self made millionaire, who worked in many fields such as trade, freight hauler, ferry operator, county and city commissioner, and justice of peace, to name a few. He helped organize the Spokane Falls and Northern Railroad, and was a supporter of many Catholic Organizations. He was a co-founder of St. Vincent De Paul Society, and a founder of St. Aloysis Church. He married Margaret McCool in 1871, with whom he had 6 children. Margaret died in 1895, leaving James with 4 children under 10 years of age. James' oldest son, John Robert Monaghan, was killed in action in 1899 while serving in the US Navy. He became a national hero and in 1906, the people of Spokane unveiled a statue of John given to James as a gift in honor of his son. It is located in the corner of N Monroe St and Riverside Ave. James Monaghan passed away at his home in 1916. Gonzaga University took over the ownership of Monaghan mansion in 1942, and it was used as the Music Conservatory for the students to go practice and learn music at. You can find many stories about the Monaghan mansion being haunted. Strange occurrences have been experienced by many, such as doors opening and closing on their own, lights turning on in the attic where there was no electricity, foul odors, disembodied footsteps, musical instruments heard being played in empty rooms, objects moving on their own, and security guards being attacked by an unseen force. The 3rd floor was said to have a hostile presence. In 1975, Father Leedale performed an exorcism in hopes to get rid of the evil presence in the mansion. After a while, the strange occurrences ceased and the exorcism was said to have been a success. But was it? Maybe it got rid of the negative energy that was there at the time, but the Monaghan Hall still has spirits today. We decided to stop by the building, as it is still used as one of the ghost tour stops by the Inland Empire Ghost Tours. As I was walking towards the mansion with psychic Jane Stewart, she stopped and said "I feel like I need to say Hail Mary." Looking inside this beautiful Victorian, the psychic sensed paranormal activity on the 3rd floor still, in addition to one of the rooms in the basement. She also sensed a male spirit there, a priest with a dark energy, to be exact. She got the word "veneer", meaning that this priest had something to hide. On the outside he was a priest, on the inside he was something else. For example a cop, who may be a serial killer. The University wants to forget about the dark past of the mansion, understandably, and remember the mansion as it was when the Monaghans were there. If you ask them, they will tell you the mansion is not haunted. Maybe the spirits choose not to bother anyone anymore, or maybe this is just a case of, "what happens in the Monaghan Hall, stays in the Monaghan Hall." Go Zags!!