Heffron Hall (St. Mary's University)
| Heffron Hall | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Residence Hall |
| Location | Winona, Minnesota |
| Coordinates | 44°02′45″N 91°41′40″W / 44.04583°N 91.69444°W |
| Completed | 1920 |
| Owner | Saint Mary's University |
| Dimensions | |
| Other dimensions | 93 Rooms |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 4 |
Heffron Hall is a residence hall located on the campus of Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, in Winona, Minnesota. Built in 1920, was the second major building in the early history of Saint Mary's College. The building honors the founder of Saint Mary’s, Roman Catholic Bishop Patrick Richard Heffron of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona. It houses 93 co-ed sophomore through senior students. Rooms are uncarpeted with hardwood floors, beautiful woodwork, have a sink in each room, and are approximately 8.5’ x 13.5’. The hall has two TV lounges, one kitchen, and laundry facilities for student use. The fourth floor of Heffron was renovated in 2002. The second and third floors were renovated in 2003.
In 1989, USA Today named the Heffron Hall Dormitory "Minnesota's Most Legendary Haunted Place." The story of the Heffron Hall ghost is layered with anecdotal urban legends, though there are two incidents at the heart of the tale that are historically accurate. The legend was born on the morning of August 27, 1915, when Father Louis Lesches attempted to assassinate Bishop Patrick Heffron while the Bishop was celebrating Mass in his private chapel on the second floor of St. Mary’s Hall. The tale transformed into the "ghost of Heffron Hall."
On May 15, 1931, an incident happened on the third floor in Heffron Hall. A nun entered the room of Rev. Edward Lynch and found the reverend dead and sprawled across his bed. His body was burned beyond recognition, but the sheets and bed underneath him reportedly did not show any signs of scorch marks.
Reverend Lynch's Bible was also said to have been scorched except for a single passage: "And the Lord shall come at the sound of the trumpets." This was a passage that Lesches had often shouted to Lynch in their heated arguments.
The official records of Lynch's death said it was caused by an electrical accident. The incident supposedly happened when Lynch reached over to shut off a reading lamp attached to his metal headboard and accidentally touched a steam radiator at the same time. Winona County coroner P.A. Mattison determined that the lamp was the source of the current that sent the fatal surge of electricity coursing through Father Lynch's body.
However, the records of the Mississippi Valley Power & Light Company showed that the lamp fed off a charge of 110 volts. Experts say that this was not enough to kill someone, let alone char a body beyond recognition.
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