Glen Ferris Inn

Photo by Theresa Racer

*UPDATED JANUARY 2022*

On January 21th, 2022, the Spectral Research and Investigation team will be traveling to Fayette County to investigate the haunted and historic Glen Ferris Inn!

I think I first became aware of the hauntings at this beautiful structure through the wonderful book, A Guide to Haunted West Virginia. Authors Walter Gavenda and Michael T. Shoemaker visited the Glen Ferris Inn, located on the banks of the Kanawha River at Kanawha Falls and share some of the spooky rumors about the old building.

Allegedly, the Glen Ferris Inn is haunted by an apparition affectionately known as 'The Colonel.' The Colonel is described as a man with a long beard, dressed in a Confederate officer's uniform. He's mostly seen in the hallway leading to the inn's original kitchen.  Oddly, he's reported as only being seen from the waist up! Gavenda and Shoemaker note that The Colonel, although seemingly sulky, can be a tad helpful, and even playful. In one instance, a cook carrying some items out of the walk-in cooler had the door closed behind her. The door was too heavy to close by itself, and no one was around, so she thanked the Colonel, and went on with her work. In another instance, a former owner of the inn noticed some strange activity going on in a bird bath in the garden. Although it was a calm, clear day with no other disturbances, the water in the birdbath frothed and sloshed around in a frenzy! That kind of activity makes the reported early morning phantom footsteps seem rather mundane in comparison.

In recent years, the ghosts of the Glen Ferris are still making their presence known. The Colonel has been seen in Room 102 as recent as 2018. A couple was staying in the room when the wife rolled over and saw the image of the Colonel sitting in the chair by the bed. He had a long, white beard and was wearing a hat. He simply got up, walked towards the door, and vanished. 

In addition to the Colonel, it seems as if one or more children may also be haunting the old inn. In a recent video interview (The Frontiersman Travel Adventures), an employee named Tina said she was dusting the big buffet, located in the inside dining room when she heard a little girl's voice say something like, 'hello, there!' Another employee, Jennifer, confirmed that she had heard the same voice at a different time. Further, there is a chess/checkers set in the main lobby. It is said that when no one is around, you can hear children playing with the game. 

So who is the Colonel who still haunts the halls of the hotel? Many believe that he is a Confederate officer, and indeed the inn does have a connection with the Civil War. However, the answer may not be so straight forward! 

The original structure that would blossom into the Glen Ferris Inn was built probably between 1810 and 1815, possibly by two Irish men. Records show us that the property belonged to a group of brothers named Hough or Hugh in 1809, but it wasn't until 1817 that the property transferred from John and Molly Hansford (being noted in the deed that this was the old William Morris property) to Aaron Stockton. 

Aaron Stockton was born in New Jersey, and after a brief stint in the militia during the War of 1812, made his way down to the Kanawha Valley to work in the salt industry with his brother in law, William Tompkins. Stockton was a businessman...and a good one at that. He owned quite a bit of property throughout what would be Fayette and Kanawha Counties, operated a mill and a ferry, manufactured boats, and even discovered cannel coal on one of his properties. But, for our purposes, he's mostly well known for being the keeper of a tavern, located on the banks of the Kanawha.

What would later become the Glen Ferris Inn started off as a family home for Aaron, his wife Elizabeth, and their six children. However, by 1827 the James River and Kanawha Turnpike was established, running directly by the home. The family started taking in the occasional stagecoach traveler overnight before finally seeing a wonderful new business venture. In 1839, Stockton paid $20 for his first tavern license, allowing him to accommodate overnight guests, as well as serve food AND alcohol. The family home had officially become Stockton's Inn.

Those who knew Stockton had some...differing...ways of describing him. Physically, he was known as being a big man, but I don't mean 'tall.' Rather, he was known for being rather portly, and in his older years, sported a long, white beard. Personality wise, he was seemingly well-liked by his neighbors and those who did business with him. However, it has been noted that Stockton could be reckless, quarrelsome, and litigious (and sure enough, I did find some newspaper articles involving him suing others for various reasons). He was also known to be a gambler, but at least one source points out that it was less about the gambling and the money, and more about having fun with the boys. Oh, and did I mention he had a nickname?  He was known as THE COLONEL! Although he did serve in the War of 1812, he didn't earn that title there. Rather, it was common in those days to refer to tavern and/or ordinary owners as Colonel. 

In my opinion, that's probably where the ghost got its name, but people do insist that the man they're seeing is from the Civil War era. That's also a possibility. 

Camp Reynolds, a Union camp, was stationed across the river from the Stockton Inn, and the inn itself was taken over by Union troops and used as a Quartermasters' Depot. There were some minor skirmishes, with cannon fire being shot across the river, but luckily, little to no damage was inflicted upon the inn. There are also rumors that the inn was used as a makeshift Civil War era hospital, and that the ghostly Colonel was a patient who passed away there. Although there isn't any real documentation to prove it, many larger homes and buildings were used 'unofficially' to treat and nurse patients back then, and it is completely within the realm of possibility that anyone ill, injured, or dying would have been taken to the tavern. It may also be important to note that Stockton was a Confederate sympathizer and slave owner.

Stockton survived the war, but passed away in 1869. That same year, his youngest child, Jane, married William Hawkins and they inherited the property. Jane and William continued to take in travelers under the name of the "Hawkins Hotel", but when the railroad came through in 1874, much of the stagecoach traffic dried up, and the inn mostly reverted back into a private family residence. The property was inherited by their daughter, Margaret (Maggie) Hawkins Williamson, who, in 1910, hired Bonaventura Bosia to make some extensive improvements. Mr. Bosia added the third story, the famous classical columns, and the unique wall around the property. Throughout this time, Mrs. Williamson stuck with family tradition and hosted travelers, as well as the occasional boarder. 

In the 1920s, the inn finally left the Stockton Family and was purchased by Electrometallurgical Corporation (EMCO) and its parent company, Union Carbide. This was a pretty interesting time for the inn. The building served as housing for EMCO workers working on building the ferroalloy plant as well as the Hawks Nest Tunnel. There was more simple, dormitory style rooming for young, unmarried laborers, and nicer suites for the higher-ups and visiting executives. In addition, the building became a recreational facility for the company, with a movie theater, billiards, dining, and more. Dances and parties and suppers were held there and more renovations were undertaken. And, if there was any space available, those outside the company could also rent a room. 

Then, the 1930s and 1940s saw a huge increase in automobile traffic along what was now known as US Route 60. As less space was needed for workers, EMCO started opening up the building to the public more and more, and it officially became known as the Glen Ferris Inn. In 1981, the Norwegian firm, Elkem, inherited the inn when it bought out Union Carbide's metals division, and continued operating the Glen Ferris Inn as a tourist stop, offering dining and overnight accommodations. Then, it 1996, the hotel was purchased by Dan and Rebecca Hill who continued to improve and update the inn. Although ownership briefly transferred to business partners Tom Willis and HB Gil, the inn was soon back with the Hills, who owned it until just recently. The Glen Ferris was purchased in September 2021 by Pete and Steve Lopez, and is ready for its next chapter!

Spectral Research and Investigation is thrilled to be a part of this next chapter as we explore the history behind the hauntings. We will be using a combination of scientific research and historical documentation to hopefully uncover who the Colonel really is---Aaron Stockton, or an unnamed Confederate soldier. I hope you'll join us as we go live throughout the evening, sharing our research and findings in our quest to provide answers to the owners, and answers to our own questions about the ghosts who haunt the Glen Ferris Inn!  

I also hope that whatever OUR findings, you'll book a stay at this wonderfully historic hotel the next time you're in the area! I've eaten dinner there (outstanding food at super reasonable rates with great service) but I've never spent the night.  I've heard nothing but good things about it, though, and it seems like the perfect place for a cozy weekend getaway for those wanting to check out sites such as Hawks Nest State Park, The Mystery Hole in Anstead, the ghost town of Thurmond, and Cathedral Falls. And even if you don't get to see the ghost of the Colonel sitting by your bed, you're sure to get a good meal and a good night's sleep. Be sure to check out the Glen Ferris Inn's official website as well as their Facebook page for specials, updates, and information on booking your stay. 

Further Reading:

Glen Ferris Inn Website: History of the Glen Ferris Inn

Glen Ferris Inn National Register Application

*Note: Multiple historic newspaper articles have been compiled for this location--too many to individually list out here. Copies of such will be given to the client in our post-investigation report. Copies for your own research can be requested by sending me a message at the email listed: theresarhps@yahoo.com