The Curious Case of the Ormsby Ghost

As the oldest residence hall on campus, there is no doubt that Ormsby Hall, built in 1889, is haunted.

No one can be too sure of exactly how many ghosts call Ormsby their home. Throughout the years, however, many Residence Life Advisors (RLAs) and Ormsby residents have become familiar with one particular ghost who goes by the name of Ms. Havisham.

Whether Ms. Havisham and her ghostly companions are friendly or malevolent, many a Lawrence student of the past has reported strange sightings or eerie occurrences, such as hearing knocking at the door but opening it to an empty hallway, the door creaking open by itself or waking up to the sound of their name being whispered in their ear.

Three current Ormsby residents shared stories of their own ghostly encounters. Freshman Allegra Taylor reported, “A lot of the doors lock themselves.” Junior Hailey Bomar commented, “Our ceiling tiles move around even when the draft in the room isn’t noticeable.” Freshman Sage McCormick revealed, “Things on my shelves just get knocked off by the ghost cat.”

Ormsby’s Residence Hall Director (RHD) Owen Boardman disclosed a curious bit of information: “I was told by the previous Ormsby RHD that I wasn’t allowed to take Ms. Havisham’s name off the marquee in the lobby, Apparently she was told the same thing by the Ormsby RHD before her.”

As Halloween approaches, take caution. Ms. Havisham may not be as merciful as she has been in the past.