realestate

Couple's $305K Victorian Dream Home Hides a Dark Secret: A Former Funeral Parlor

This stunning home has a dark and intriguing history.

A
shley Berken and her wife stumbled upon a 145-year-old Victorian home in Wisconsin that fit their budget of $305,000. The property offered ample space for their four children, two home offices, and plenty of character. However, the listing didn't mention its dark past as a former funeral home.

    A TikTok video from May showcased the subterranean floors where bodies were once stored. Berken discovered that funeral operations ceased in the 1960s after purchasing the property. She's since taken to TikTok to share her life inside the captivating home, including debates on renovations for the embalming room.

    Berken's account, @thefuneralhomehouse, has gained a following of nearly 28,000 and over 200,000 likes. She plans to breathe new life into the space by installing a small gardening area next to a window. The home boasts enchanting details like tin ceilings, intricate wood floors, stained glass windows, and sculptural light fixtures.

    The basement holds the real story of the home, with an expansive subterranean floor that once housed the embalming room and casket showroom. Berken is considering turning the latter into a hangout space for her children. Despite its macabre history, Berken calls the home "my absolute dream come true."

Victorian mansion with dark history, former funeral parlor in [location], $305K price tag.