Annabelle Mansion, one of the last remaining homes built for the children of Vicksburg forefather William Alexander Klein, is officially on the market — and its owner says the house is “priced to sell.”

Meki Goetz, whose late mother Carolyn Stephenson owned the property from 2004 until her death in 2019, said Monday that it’s time for her family to get out of the bed-and-breakfast business. The 1868 home is suited for a private residence or a bed-and-breakfast, and the sale includes an adjacent lot that formerly housed additional guest rooms.

Goetz owns the home alongside her husband Matthew Goetz.  “Someone might want to make this their home, but it also has the potential to make money as well,” Goetz said. “I had the swimming pool of the house filled in for safety reasons, but (the property) does include that adjacent lot.”

The main structure, located at 501 Speed St., boasts five bedrooms and four bathrooms, as well as original floors, doors, and fixtures throughout. Built in the Italian-Victorian style, the front porch features white-painted wrought iron detailing in contrast to the red brick exterior. The home is currently listed at $240,000.

Goetz and her brother, Michael Stephenson, have recently overseen extensive renovations to the home, as evidenced by the updated kitchen area and living area, originally designed as the innkeepers’ quarters.

Thanks to the careful curation of its late owner, Annabelle boasts a period-appropriate Chippendale dining room with furniture that dates back to the 1850s and 1860s.

“Whether (the home is purchased by) a family or whether it’s someone who wants a bed and breakfast or Airbnb, (the dining room) is set,” Goetz said. “It’s already set up for them.”

While the dining room furniture is not original to the home, there is one original piece of furniture that has withstood the test of time: the built-in king-size canopy bed, located in what Goetz called the “Rose Room.” The peach room features a Victorian walnut bed.

Other items of furniture and fixtures are negotiable and can be purchased with the home, she said, or if a buyer wishes to purchase it with a “clean slate,” an estate sale will be held at a future date.

Friendly Haunts

The historic home also comes with a ghost or two, Michael said.

One spirit resides in the “Rose Room” and her presence is made known through the rose-scented powder she wore when she was alive. Other paranormal happenings have taken place in the area of the main stairwell.

“When you go into the Rose Room, you’ll smell roses,” Michael said. “There’s also supposed to be something going up and down our stairs. I’m a hard one to believe in that.”

He added that professional paranormal research crews, including from the television show “Ghost Adventures,” have visited the home in the past and confirmed paranormal activity, although he’s never had any interactions with spirits in the home.

While older homes require much upkeep, Michael and Goetz both agreed that, in the right hands, Annabelle would thrive.