St. Charles History Museum archivist and curator Eric Krupa finds that “old ghost stories” about the town frequently “capture everyone’s interest.”

A scary-good place to begin the lowercase “h” hunt for spooky lore in St. Charles is with a family who spelled “Hunt” with a capital letter.

Constructed in 1841, the Hunt House at 304 Cedar St. is recognized as the oldest brick building in St. Charles and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bela Thaxter Hunt, one of St. Charles’ first settlers, built the home in the Greek Revival style. Nearly two centuries later, some believe the spirits of previous owners still linger — including one not named “Hunt.”

The home remained in the Hunt family for multiple generations until Jane Dunham purchased it from Bela’s granddaughter, Effie, in 1980.

Dunham carried out her vision to convert the home into a museum that celebrated her family history and that of St. Charles and Wayne. The Dunham-Hunt Museum featured an array of artifacts, and Dunham herself offered a unique backstory. She was born in the French-influenced landmark known as Dunham Castle, at Dunham and Army Trail roads in Wayne.

Over the years, some of her personal items reportedly went missing, which fueled speculation that Dunham haunted her former home after her death in 1995.

“She did like to talk a little, let’s just say that, to spice things up. But I never got to meet her,” said Krupa, who was raised in the Tri-Cities. “Lots of people around here knew her.”

Might Dunham have communed with Hunts both living and deceased? Legend has it that the funeral of a young Hunt boy was held in the home, as his death predated funeral parlors. That story gave rise to the belief that members of the Hunt family have lingered in the house long after it left their ownership.

“When I worked in the house, there was always that sense that something’s right behind you,” Julie Bunke, former director of the St. Charles Heritage Museum, told the Kane County Chronicle in 2011.

Still, Bunke never felt frightened while giving house tours.

“The only thing that I can explain,” she said, “is that with many historic homes, people lived and died in their homes.”

An account from the April 30, 1931, edition of the St. Charles Chronicle suggests that even walking near older buildings could unsettle some townsfolk.

“Those old ghost tales have caused me, when I was a kid, to take to the middle or far side of the road when passing by the old Universalist Church at corner Fifth and Cedar Avenues or old Tremont Block at corner Main and Fifth, especially after twilight or dark.”

So read a story headlined, “St. Charlesites of 60 Years Ago Were Afraid of Ghosts.”

Are residents still fearful today? That depends on whom you ask — and where.

The curiosity endures, at least. Krupa confirms that he often gets questions about “this old and fun stuff,” even outside of the spooky season.