I got the information of Phantom Manor's "history" from the website It is an excellent Phantom Manor site if you're looking for photos or stories.
Chapter 4: The Flashback
"Ravenswood Manor was originally owned by Henry and Martha Ravenswood," Leota explained, as a picture of them appeared in the crystal ball. Adrianna saw some similarities between these two people and the bride.
"Henry was the rich owner of the Thunder Mesa Mining Co, and the patriarch of one of the Thunder Mesa founder's families. When gold was found in The Big Thunder Mountain in the year 1849, the town of Thunder Mesa became the…shall we say… 'dead center' of attention. Mr. Ravenswood used his money to build a mansion on a hill, an area of Thunder Mesa known as Boot Hill." The picture then changed to show Boot Hill in it's better days – it was a bustling miner's town, full of people and life.
"Mr. Ravenswood had a young daughter named Melanie...the woman that you've seen here in this house. He was very proud of her, but when Melanie fell in love, and her lover proposed to her, they were planning on leaving the Thunder Mesa town. When Mr. Ravenswood heard that, he was furious and he would not let that happen. But Henry and Martha were killed in the earthquake that shook Thunder Mesa in 1860." The images in the crystal ball suddenly shifted to show the earthquake occurring. The floor shook slightly when this scene appeared, and a few tarot cards fell onto the floor.
"The earthquake provoked an explosion in Big Thunder mine, causing Boot Hill to become damaged and ravaged; a shadow of it's former self."
"Did Henry manage to prevent the groom from arriving, even from beyond his grave? Some believe so, for on the wedding day, the fiancé never appeared. The future bride had a broken heart and she isolated herself for the rest of her life. She had never got out of the Manor but, she has been seen behind the windows, in her bride gown. Mortals, of course, were too scared to investigate and stated to call this supposed haunted house, Phantom Manor. And we have all been trapped here since, the Phantom terrorizing Melanie night and day for eternity."
The scene disappeared, and Madame Leota's face returned.
"And that's what happened."
"So her name's Melanie?" Adrianna repeated.
"Yes – she was quite beautiful, actually."
"'Was?'" Questioned Mike, "We've seen her throughout the house…she still looks young."
"Things aren't always as they appear…surely you've learned that by now," Madame Leota said with a gleam in her eye.
"Of course…Melanie must be long dead now…but trapped forever as a spirit, doomed to wait for her groom." Adrianna mused. Leota nodded.
"The Phantom is keeping her here, still deranged and believing she can never leave. And by doing so, has trapped the rest of the inhabitants of this once prominent manor. You will see more of them, I'm sure – I called them with my incantation."
"Great. More ghosts." Mike groaned halfheartedly. Adrianna smiled. She was the one who had dragged him into this in the first place, but he was being optimistic about the situation. Or at least as optimistic as he could be.
"Go on, the party's already started," Leota said mischeviously, as another door appeared on the other side of the room and opened, "The Misses will just die if you're late."
"Ha ha," Adrianna said sarcastically.
"That will lead you to the ballroom – the party has been repeating itself for quite some time now, every single night…but perhaps there will be a change in the agenda this evening," Leota hinted.
Adrianna smiled at the soothsayer, and she and Mike continued on. As they left, Madame Leota made one more prediction before disappearing into the swirling mists of her crystal ball…
"Mortals who tread here, do not be afraid, you'll save the bride and this evil will fade…"