The intended story of the Haunted Mansion was a sea merchant captain, who built the Mansion for his Bride to be, she still waits for him in the attic. (The weather vane in the shape of a sailing ship is part of the 'theme' of the sea merchant captain) The story goes that some how he hung himself before he married his bride, hence the Hanged Man in the Stretching Gallery this is why she is in the attic, she never got to marry him.

I don't remember if he killed her. Something about 'she' discovered he was actually a blood thirsty pirate who had ill gotten gains or some very taboo thing. This original story board was published in the Line some years ago. (The Line is Disneyland’s Cast Member News letter for those of you who are not familiar with it.) I have the copy of that issue some where in my trove of Disneyana now that might help clarify the reason the Bride is there.

His name was NOT Gracey as it is in the film but I believe, in posterity to one of the top fellas of the project his name was used. I think he was the artist who drew the facade for the Mansion or had some very significant role in the Mansion Project.

Did you ever notice the clock at the entrance to the Mansion? It is in the landscape beds, posted in the brick planter on the right hand side of the entrance, this was from a jeweler's shop on a street in New Orleans, Louisiana.

There is also a sun dial in the front grass area, again, from New Orleans, an abandoned mansion. I am told sun dials were commonly used because the slaves were not permitted to go into the house to read the time and of course they were uneducated to read a clock in the first place but they could tell when the shadows on the sun dial meant what time of day it was, and which chores were next.