Haunted House

Location of West Auckland ‘legend’ “The Haunted House”. A concrete house built in 1912 by Tom and Samuel Hall (relatives who owned the land) known as “Sylvan Heights”. Many photos exist at Auckland Library, Swanson Heritage and online with Swanson Heritage noting only the chimney stack remains at 1014-1016 Scenic Drive, Auckland after a major collapse of the house in the 1980s. Many locals remember the ruin well with many photos taken in the 1950s…some showing tourist buses at the nearby tearooms (DeVines and later Cassels at 1012 Scenic Drive). On a Facebook page by Timespanner a relative of family who lived at Sylvan Heights suggests there was a fire in the house that resulted in the death of a boy and that a book exists that details that historical event. Photos do however, not show a burnt ruin. Another poster suggests only happy memories. There is a story of young Gilbert Hall (son of Tom or Samuel) at 14yrs old taking a horse and cart with building materials from Mt Albert to the build site and then enlisting young in WW1 and being killed. Some note Samuel Hall also lost his life in WW1 and Sylvan Heights was abandoned by 1924. Whether that was due to the death in WW1 of Gilbert, Samuel or both or simply due to not gaining income from the property is unknown. Certainly by 1926 when the tearoom opened the house was abandoned. Locals certainly know of this location due to the ruin. Many photos are filed as “The Haunted House”,Swanson.

Hello, just reading the reviews on this website, and wanted to add some information. Samuel Hall (who built the concrete house, with his brother in law Tom Hill) was my great great grandfather and Gilbert Hall was his son. Samuel didn't die in the war, he died in 1931 (born 1851 in Ireland) in Mt Albert, Auckland after the family left the house in 1924. There is a book The Empty Concrete House on Scenic Drive" written by Ben Copedo that gives a lot more information about my family and the house. It may still be available from the West Auckland Historical Society."