North Carolina

130-year-old ‘haunted’ house in Charlotte hits market for $1.1M. Take a look inside

One of the oldest homes in Charlotte, located 400 N Poplar St., has been listed for sale.
One of the oldest homes in Charlotte, located 400 N Poplar St., has been listed for sale. Courtesy of The McDevitt Agency

A historic home rumored to be one of the spookiest sites in Charlotte is now up for sale.

The infamous “Bootlegger house,” which has been nestled in uptown’s Fourth Ward for over a hundred years, has been listed for $1.1 million. It’s the first time it’s been on the market in over 25 years.

“Built in 1894 this historic storybook house is an Eastlake Victorian meticulously maintained and updated by the current owners,” the Zillow listing says. “Known as the ‘Bootlegger’ house, during prohibition was a popular spot to purchase black market liquor that was hidden in a secret compartment in the Foyer…It is located on a corner lot with unobstructed views of the city skyline and within an easy walk to everything uptown has to offer.”

For years, the home has been known as one of the city’s most haunted homes, The Charlotte Observer previously reported. According to Jason Tapp of Spooky CLT — who first shared the news of the listing — the home has allegedly been a “hot spot of paranormal activity.” Even the current owner says he’s had his own eerie experiences.

400 N Poplar St, Charlotte, NC 28202
400 N Poplar St, Charlotte, NC 28202 Jim Redmond Courtesy of The McDevitt Agency

“I think there is a child-like spirit in the house. Harmless but mischievous. When we first moved in, the water would come on in the bathroom sink in the middle of the night,” owner John Causby, who lived in the house for 25 years, told The Charlotte Observer.

“We once found wet footprints on the stairs in the early morning. After a year or so, all of this settled down and there has not been any activity… We still love it and hope someone else will as much as we did.”

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The 1,952-square-foot home, located at 400 N. Poplar St., used to be on Cauldwell Street, Causby said, but was moved to its current location in 1971. The three bedroom house has two bathrooms, along with a library and garden area.

400 N Poplar St, Charlotte, NC 28202
400 N Poplar St, Charlotte, NC 28202 Jim Redmond Courtesy of The McDevitt Agency
One of the oldest homes in Charlotte, located 400 N Poplar St., has been listed for sale.
One of the oldest homes in Charlotte, located 400 N Poplar St., has been listed for sale. Jim Redmond Courtesy of The McDevitt Agency
400 N Poplar St, Charlotte, NC 28202
400 N Poplar St, Charlotte, NC 28202 Jim Redmond Courtesy of The McDevitt Agency

This story was originally published May 9, 2024 at 12:20 PM with the headline "130-year-old ‘haunted’ house in Charlotte hits market for $1.1M. Take a look inside."

Chyna Blackmon
The Charlotte Observer
Chyna Blackmon was a service journalism reporter for The Charlotte Observer. A native of the Carolinas, she grew up in Columbia, SC, and graduated from Queens University of Charlotte. She’s also worked in local television news in Charlotte, NC, and Richmond, VA. Support my work with a digital subscription
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