Couple's shock discovery after buying 145-year-old home

Daily Telegraph

13 hours ago

This drop-dead gorgeous home in the US comes with a macabre pedigree.
Ashley Berken and her wife were on the house hunt in October when they discovered a 145-year-old Victorian property within their budget, the 39-year-old told Newsweek.
They couldn't believe their luck — the Wisconsin home offered enough space for their four children, two home offices and a whole lot of Old World character — all for $US305,000 ($A464,000), the New York Post reports.
However, the listing failed to mention that the property was formerly a two-time funeral home.
Funeral operations at the house supposedly ceased in the 1960s, according to Ms Berken.
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Since purchasing the spooky home, Ms Berken has since taken to TikTok to share life inside the captivating property, from slide shows of the home's various vintage doorknobs to debating renovations in the embalming room.
Clearly, many are intrigued by this unusual home considering her TikTok account, @thefuneralhomehouse, has close to 28,000 followers and more than 200,000 likes.
'I feel like breathing new life into this space is the perfect intended use for it,' she said in the video.
One of her plans is to install a small gardening area next to a nearby window.
The ornamented property boasts enchanting and surprising details throughout its upper floors, including a tin ceiling in the kitchen, intricate inlaid wood floors, a 10-foot mirror, stained glass windows, a grand staircase and sculptural light fixtures.
It also has stunning millwork and original details throughout, but the real story of the home lies in the basement.
The expansive subterranean floor — Ms Berken would eventually learn — held the embalming room and casket showroom.
The latter of which she's considering turning into a hangout space for her children.
Ms Berken told Newsweek that she wasn't aware of the home's deathly history until she noticed ramps in the garage designed for transporting bodies.
A quick search of local records proved her suspicions.
Still, Berken called the home 'my absolute dream come true.'
The 39-year-old recalled her enduring love of the 1991 classic 'My Girl,' a film in which one of the young protagonists lives with her family in their funeral home.
Parts of this story first appeared in the New York Post and was republished with permission.
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