Could The Addams Family’s Home Be From Central New York?
A spooky rumor from Central New York suggests that the iconic Addams Family mansion may be inspired by a college building. The legend points to Syracuse University’s Hall of Languages as a possible model for the creepy, kooky home of Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, and Pugsley Addams.
Architectural Inspiration
Designed in 1873 by Horatio Nelson White, the Hall of Languages features a distinctive Second Empire style. Its spooky towers and ornate windows give it just the right eerie charm that fits the Addams Family’s Gothic mansion perfectly.
Local Connections to The Addams Family
- Seaman Jacobs, a screenwriter for The Addams Family and other classic sitcoms, graduated from Syracuse University in 1932. He also contributed to the campus humor magazine, The Orange Peel.
- One of Jacobs’ scripts for the 1964 series is preserved in Syracuse University’s special collections.
- Author Victor Bockris, in his 1994 biography Transformer: The Lou Reed Story, mentioned that the Hall of Languages looked like it could be from a horror movie set on a college campus.
- Bockris claimed a writer from the show, who attended Syracuse around Lou Reed’s time, might have used the building as inspiration for the Addams home—although he did not name this writer, and the claim remains unproven.
“The Hall of Languages looked like something straight out of a horror movie about college life.” — Victor Bockris, Transformer: The Lou Reed Story
This connection keeps the legend alive, blending pop culture with local history in a way that intrigues both fans and historians.
Author’s Summary
The eerie resemblance between Syracuse University’s Hall of Languages and the Addams Family mansion, coupled with local ties to the show’s writers, fuels a lasting and captivating legend.