Seymour Place stands at 201 East Main Street in downtown Batavia, New York. The two-story brick building was constructed in 1831 by architect and builder Hezekiah Eldredge. It was designed in the Federal style and originally served as the Bank of Genesee. Part of the building also provided living quarters for the bank cashier, combining commercial and residential functions within one impressive structure.

The Bank of Genesee operated from the building during an important period in the development of Batavia and western New York. Batavia had grown as the administrative center of the vast Holland Purchase, and financial institutions were essential to the settlement and expansion of the region. The original banking room occupied a prominent portion of the first floor, while finely crafted stairs, mantels, fireplaces, and woodwork reflected the prosperity and confidence of the era.

In 1886, the building was purchased by the Batavia Club, an organization composed of prominent local businessmen and civic leaders. The club converted the former bank into its private headquarters and created spaces for dining, meetings, entertainment, and social gatherings. A bar, dining room, and commercial kitchen were eventually added. The club also relocated the principal entrance so that it faced Main Street, giving the building the appearance recognized by later generations.

A fire damaged the original kitchen wing in 1966, requiring that portion of the building to be rebuilt. Around the same time, urban renewal projects were dramatically changing downtown Batavia, and many older structures were demolished. The former bank survived and became the only remaining nineteenth-century building in its immediate section of downtown. Its architectural and historical importance led to its placement on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.

The Batavia Club continued using the building until it closed in 2000. The property was donated to the Genesee Orleans Regional Arts Council in 2002 and was renovated for use as an arts and cultural center. During renovation work, the original dirt floors in the basement were exposed, and an old safe associated with the Bank of Genesee was discovered. The building was renamed Seymour Place in 2010 in honor of local benefactors who supported the arts council and its restoration efforts. Today, the historic rooms are used for art exhibitions, workshops, lectures, performances, meetings, social events, tours, and paranormal investigations.

Seymour Place has accumulated stories of unexplained activity connected to its long history as a bank, private club, and gathering place. Visitors and staff have described unusual sights, sounds, and odors in different parts of the building. The bar area is especially active in the folklore surrounding the property, perhaps because generations of Batavia Club members once gathered there to drink, smoke cigars, conduct business, and exchange stories.

The best known apparition is described as a tall man measuring approximately six feet two inches. He reportedly wears clothing resembling the fashion of the 1860s and is most often associated with the bar. Witnesses have occasionally described seeing him with a group of shadowy or misty men, creating the appearance of a gathering from another century. The identity of the tall man remains unknown, although some believe he may have been connected to the bank or the Batavia Club.

One guest reportedly noticed the cushion of a bar stool pressing downward as though an invisible person had taken a seat. No visible figure was occupying the stool, yet the impression appeared real enough to draw attention. Around the same time, the recognizable odor of cigar smoke was detected. The scent seemed appropriate for an old private club, but there was no known person smoking in the area when the odor appeared.

Unexplained voices have also been recorded near the bar. Investigators have captured what sounds like a man clearing his throat, even though no visible person was responsible for the sound. Another recording appeared to contain a playful voice saying "peek-a-boo." During a separate session, an investigator wished the unseen presence a good night, and a male voice appeared to answer with the words, "And you as well."

The second floor has produced reports of a pale or white shadow moving between rooms. Two individuals reportedly witnessed this figure on separate occasions. The similarity between their experiences helped establish the white shadow as one of the recurring stories attached to Seymour Place. The figure is generally described as crossing quickly from one room to another before disappearing from view.

Another reported presence is that of a young girl whose energy has been sensed in a room located to the left of the bar. Unlike the tall man and the white shadow, the girl has not been associated with a clearly documented visual appearance. Her presence was reportedly detected by a person who believed they could sense spirits. No confirmed historical identity has been connected to the child, leaving her story among the more mysterious pieces of Seymour Place folklore.

The basement contributes another layer of mystery to the building. Its exposed dirt flooring and old bank safe create an atmosphere closely connected to the earliest years of the property. The safe has inspired curiosity because its contents remain unknown. Although there is no confirmed story linking the safe to a particular spirit, its presence has encouraged speculation about forgotten documents, valuables, and secrets left behind from the days of the Bank of Genesee.

Much of the reported activity seems to reflect ordinary moments from the past rather than frightening or violent events. The impression of someone sitting at the bar, the smell of cigar smoke, a man clearing his throat, and a polite farewell all suggest the atmosphere of the former Batavia Club continuing beyond its active years. These experiences have led some visitors to believe that former members still gather in the rooms they once knew.

The spirits associated with Seymour Place are generally portrayed as curious, social, and nonthreatening. The playful peek-a-boo recording and the courteous response to an investigator have contributed to the idea that at least one presence is aware of visitors. Whether the activity represents intelligent communication, memories embedded within the building, or natural occurrences interpreted through its history remains unknown.

Today, Seymour Place embraces both its cultural mission and its haunted reputation. Guided tours and paranormal investigations allow visitors to explore the former banking room, bar, galleries, second floor, and other historic spaces. The combination of preserved nineteenth-century architecture, an unopened bank safe, generations of private club activity, and repeated unexplained experiences has made Seymour Place one of Batavia's most intriguing historic haunts.