Entry No. 40 — the Fort Collins file — filed under: haunted
Avery House
The Poudre Landmarks Foundation president will tell you the blinds go up by themselves and the lights flip on in empty rooms — she's just not sure if it's the Averys or old wiring, and she doesn't entirely sound convinced by the wiring theory. Franklin Avery built this sandstone Victorian in 1879 for $3,000, surveyed the streets you're driving to get here, and his family held the place until 1962. Candlelit evening tours peel back the Victorian-era death customs, Halloween traditions, and the low hum of things that haven't quite left.
The story
When you drive down Mountain Avenue's notably wide lanes, you are moving across lines drawn by Franklin Avery himself. In 1879, the surveyor, banker, and water pioneer spent $3,000 to construct his own sandstone Queen Anne home on the corner of Mountain and Meldrum. Avery and his wife Sara raised their family here, and the property remained in the family's hands for over eight decades until 1962, preserving a snapshot of early Fort Collins wealth now maintained by the Poudre Landmarks Foundation.
While the architectural preservation is meticulous, the house keeps its own unsettling routines. The foundation's president will tell you that window blinds roll up unassisted and overhead lights flip on in empty, locked rooms. Official explanations dutifully point toward turn-of-the-century wiring, but those who work inside the house don't sound particularly convinced by the electrical glitch theory.
To catch the venue at its strange best, skip the standard weekend walkthroughs and secure a ticket for the seasonal candlelit evening tours held around Halloween or Valentine's Day. Under low light, docents shift focus from Victorian woodwork to the era's morbid obsessions: death customs, mourning etiquette, and the low hum of things that never quite vacated the premises.
What it's like
Your visit begins at the Carriage House staging area around the corner at 108 N Meldrum Street, where you gather over cider before your designated entry time. Inside the main house, low candlelight casts long shadows across authentic period furnishings and heavy drapery. Guides walk you room-by-room through both genuine 19th-century domestic life and local ghost lore. It's a quiet, atmospheric walk-through—and if a window shade twitches while you're passing an empty doorway, your guide will barely pause.
The move: Book a candlelit seasonal tour at dusk, linger in the Carriage House over cider before your slot, and let the guide get to the part about the blinds.
📍 Before you go Corner of Mountain Avenue and Meldrum Street; street parking on both. Carriage House at 108 N Meldrum is the pre-tour staging area. Candlelit evening tours are seasonal (Halloween, Valentine's Day) and ticket-only through poudrelandmarks.org — the house also opens Sat 11am-2pm and Sun 1-4pm for standard tours.
- 📍 Fort Collins
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 328 W Mountain Ave, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Hours: Added 2026-06-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Fort Collins Ghost Tour (Old Town) — Pair a house walkthrough at the Avery residence with a walking tour of Old Town's alleys and underground spaces to double down on local history and ghost lore.
- Social Underground Cocktail Bar — Head three blocks east after your tour and slip past the grandfather clock into a subterranean cocktail lounge.
- Speak Cheesy Lounge — Walk two blocks over to this hidden basement lounge beneath Slyce Pizza to discuss unexplainable window blinds over drinks.
- Pinball Jones — Pivot from 1870s Victorian history to a dark basement packed with nearly 40 pinball machines three blocks away.
Good to know
When is the Avery House open for tours?
Standard tours run Saturdays from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and Sundays from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. Seasonal candlelit evening tours (like Halloween and Valentine's Day) are ticketed events booked in advance at poudrelandmarks.org.
Where do I park and where is the tour entrance?
Use the street parking available on Mountain Avenue and Meldrum Street. Pre-tour gathering and check-in for evening tours take place at the Carriage House behind the main home at 108 N Meldrum Street.
What is the story behind the alleged hauntings?
Staff members report lights turning on in unpopulated rooms and window blinds raising themselves. Poudre Landmarks Foundation staff acknowledge the phenomena, offering old wiring as a formal excuse while admitting it doesn't fully fit what happens.
Who was Franklin Avery?
Franklin Avery was a Fort Collins surveyor, banker, and water pioneer who surveyed the city's unusually wide street grid before building his residence on Mountain Avenue in 1879.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: collegian.com · downtownfortcollins.com · visitftcollins.com · givebutter.com
last checked: 2026-06-21