Entry No. 14 — the Minneapolis file — filed under: haunted
300 Clifton Bed & Breakfast
This historic Queen Anne Victorian mansion is famously haunted by Gertrude, a lady's maid who tragically drowned in the basement's brick cistern during a 1911 fire while trying to save the family's valuables.
The story
300 Clifton Avenue presents as a textbook Loring Park Queen Anne Victorian mansion, complete with parquet floors, historic common rooms, and an old-world billiard table. But the house harbors a specific local ghost story anchored in 1911. That year, a fire broke out in the mansion, sending a lady’s maid named Gertrude rushing down into the basement's brick cistern to rescue the family’s valuables. She never made it back out, drowning in the subterranean chamber during the chaos.
Instead of walling off the site of the tragedy, the mansion converted the old water vault into "Gertrude's Cistern"—a soundproof, hidden basement speakeasy and video lounge. They leaned directly into the haunt, placing heated, massaging leather recliners inside the original brick walls deep beneath the main floor, right near the base of the servant staircase where people still swear they hear footsteps.
What it's like
When you arrive at the mansion, you'll cross the grand parlors before taking the stairs down to the basement level to access the secret lounge. Inside Gertrude's Cistern, the soundproofing isolates you from the rest of the building, creating an uncanny, intimate subterranean theater. Book a private movie night ahead of time to secure the heated recliners, bring your drink, and keep your ears open toward the servant staircase during quiet lulls in the film.
The move: Book a private movie night down in 'Gertrude's Cistern,' a soundproof, hidden basement speakeasy and video lounge equipped with heated, massaging leather recliners, and see if you can hear her footsteps on the servant staircase.
- 📍 Loring Park
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 300 Clifton Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Hours: Added 2026-07-21 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Odd Mart — Swap Victorian ghost stories for underground comix and bizarre local art less than a mile south.
- Sculpture Clock — Take a short six-block stroll into Downtown to watch Jack Nelson's whirring kinetic clock before hiding out underground.
- Little Tijuana — Head 0.8 miles into Whittier after your basement movie for playful cocktails and late-night food under neon lights.
Good to know
Who was Gertrude?
Gertrude was a lady's maid at the mansion who tragically drowned in the basement's brick cistern during a 1911 fire while attempting to save the family's valuables.
What is inside Gertrude's Cistern?
It is a hidden, soundproof basement speakeasy and video lounge built inside the historic brick water vault, outfitted with heated massaging leather recliners for private screenings.
Where is 300 Clifton located?
The bed and breakfast is located at 300 Clifton Ave in the Loring Park neighborhood of Minneapolis.
Can you book Gertrude's Cistern for a private movie night?
Yes, private movie night sessions down in the cistern can be reserved through 300 Clifton's official website.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site
last checked: 2026-07-21