NJ's Most Haunted Restaurant: The Dublin House

The Dublin House
Red Bank, NJ

When Food Network released its list of the most haunted restaurants in each state, the top honor for New Jersey was given to the Dublin House, located at 30 Monmouth Street in Red Bank. The Dublin House, which serves as both a popular bar AND restaurant, offering up authentic Irish fare, is a gorgeous old building with a lot of history. But what makes it so haunted? Let's take a look back into it's history.

The building started off as a one story private residence, located across the river in Middletown, NJ. It was built prior to 1840, and shortly after it was built, was moved to Red Bank. Around 1868, a local lawyer by the name of Robert Allen, Jr. purchased the home and moved it again, keeping it in Red Bank but moving it from its previously unrecorded located to 60 Broad Street. Allen extensively remodeled the home, adding a second and third story to the home. He lived there with his wife and and children until his death in 1903. 

After his death, his oldest daughter, Roberta Dunn Allen Patterson, inherited the house. Around 1905, she and her husband, George Hance Patterson, moved the home to the location where it sits today and again, undertook extensive remodeling. George passed away in the home on September 7, 1939, and Roberta would follow him on January 20, 1953. Both are buried in Middletown's Fair View Cemetery. (Theresa's Spooky Note: I'm actually writing this blog on January 20, 2022, although it won't be posted until the 27th. While looking for a haunted location in New Jersey to help complete my Haunted America page, I felt drawn to the Dublin House for whatever reason. It wasn't until the writing process began that I realized that I didn't have the date of Mrs. Patterson's death, so I looked it up really quickly. I had to do a double-take when I saw that today was the anniversary. I love this little synchronicities!)

Patterson Tombstone
Source: Find-a-Grave user Kat

Anyway...

It is believed that Mrs. Patterson is the one who haunts the Dublin House today. Both staff and patrons alike have reported quite an array of paranormal activity over the years, which started as earlier as 2004 when the current owners purchased and began renovating the structure once again. Even though the home was renovated numerous times during her lifetime, at first it seemed as if Mrs. Patterson wasn't a fan of not being in charge of the decision making process concerning her house. Workers would find their tools missing or moved, and its reported that several newly constructed walls mysteriously got knocked down by phantom forces. 

The current owners and staff aren't the least bit shy about sharing their experiences, and quite a few of them have had experiences! Co-owner Eugene Devlin once reported that a door slammed shut behind him when he was the only person in the building. He further recounted a story about a bartender who was inside cashing out after his shift. He turned away for a brief second to grab a bottle of water and turned back around to notice the money was blowing all over the bar, despite their being no draft or anything else that could cause it.  Locked doors become unlocked, lights are turned on and off, and liquor bottles are scooted off shelves. 

It is said that Mrs. Patterson can get a tad rowdy when things don't go her way. She loves things tidy, and will often move items in an effort to straighten a cluttered desk or area. In 2012, a patron was in the women's restroom and heard the voice of another woman going off on a tirade about 'damned kids' making a mess. She quickly hightailed it out of there when she realized that she was the only living occupant in the room. 

Mrs. Patterson has also given patrons quite a fright by following them and whispering into their ears. But, for the most part, she is a benevolent ghost. She loves music and the staff will often arrive to work in the morning to find that the radio that had been turned off the night before is back on. They've grown accustomed to her and remember to greet her each morning upon arrival. As long as the restaurant stays tidy and Mrs. Patterson is informed of any renovations, the floating trays and coffee being brewed by itself are kept to a minimum. 

However, Mrs. Patterson may not be the only ghost at the Dublin House. In 2005 the resident bartender and local historian, T.J. McMahon, passed away. In his honor, a big glass case was put up on the first floor, holding some of the documents and memorabilia he had collected. After it crashed to the ground for no apparent reason, it was secured VERY sturdily, making it impossible for staff to even open the glass doors. So, much to the surprise of waitress, Meghan Matoni, she arrived at work one morning to find a picture frame within the case turned around. No one had access to the case, and it was turned so far that it would be hard to blame on natural causes. Does T.J. then haunt the bar, or is Mrs. Patterson trying to let her feelings about him be known? Either way, Mrs. Patterson is definitely the dominating force at the Dublin House. Over the years, ghost hunting teams have investigated the property and agree that she is most active on the third floor. 

The Dublin House is where the Jersey Shore Ghost Tours meet, and has been a popular spot on that tour since its inception in 2009. It has been written about in countless articles, and also featured in Patricia Heyer's book, Ghosts Along the Navesink and Shrewsbury Rivers. I suggest if you ever find yourself in Red Bank, New Jersey, stop in at the Dublin House for some bangers and mash or a pint of Guiness. Just make sure you clean up after yourself and remember to say hello to Mrs. Patterson! 

Links:

The Most Haunted Restaurant in New Jersey: 94.5 PST

Haunted Restaurants in New Jersey from Asbury Park Press

5 Haunted Restaurants on the Jersey Shore: Fun New Jersey Magazine

Red Bank Ghost Tour Exposes Spooky History

Red Bank: Ghostly and Partly True Tales

A Haunting on Straley Avenue (Princeton, WV)

Photo by Candace Nelson. Source

You all know I LOVE finding new-to-me haunted locations in West Virginia! Last August, I stumbled across not one, but TWO haunted locations I had never heard of before, both located in Princeton, WV. I came across an article on the Visit Mercer County tourism website entitled The Ghosts of Princeton and Athens. In an interview with Patricia (Pat) Smith, current director of the Princeton Railroad Museum, she discusses some paranormal activity going on at the museum. A local investigation team has even investigated the location, collecting evidence on a shadowy presence in the museum's attic! I'll be blogging about that location at a later date, but I first wanted to hit on another location mentioned by Pat in the article. 

Pat talks about her former restaurant she used to run, which was located in a former private residence. She doesn't mention this restaurant by name, but a little digging led to the discovery that the restaurant was actually Nonna's Italian Kitchen, located at 315 Straley Avenue. 

The first inclination that something paranormal was happening was when a customer approached Pat and asked if there was a dining room upstairs. She was hearing the sounds of laughter, and people going up and down the staircase. In her words, they were 'having a real good time!' The restaurant did indeed have upper floors, but these upper floors were completely closed to the public---there was no dining room upstairs, and certainly no party, public or private, taking place. 

Map Card for 315 Straley Avenue

That was a little weird, but Pat didn't think too much of it until one night after closing, she was taking a moment, just sitting in her car, unwinding from the hectic day. She noticed the curtains in one room rising up, then back down, in a very deliberate manner. Then, the upstairs lights turned themselves on.  For whatever reason, Pat didn't go back to check that night, but she and her staff arrived early the next morning, expecting to see missing items or other signs that someone had broken in. Nothing was missing, and nothing was out of place---except for a floral arrangement that had been placed on the steps leading down to the basement. Interpreting this as a feminine touch, the ghost was dubbed 'Mary.' 

Paranormal activity continued at the restaurant. Almost nightly, between 9 and 9:15pm as the restaurant was closing, staff would hear the foyer door creak open. Pat believes this might have been the ghosts carefully opening the door to see if they were still there. 

At first glance, it seems like the activity is fairly benign and harmless. However, some people have had less than positive experiences with the ghosts. A waitress who was in the attic heard a rather harsh voice tell her to leave. She didn't just leave the attic--she quit that day. Pat's adult daughter also had an experience where something gripped her arm with quite a bit of force.

Bluefield Daily Telegraph (8 Feb 1933)

And then there is the incident with another customer, that may or may not be malevolent---but certainly shook him up! An older gentleman approached Pat one day to let her know that the place was absolutely haunted. He had been in the restroom, and upon trying to exit, found the door stuck shut. It wouldn't budge, no matter how hard he tried to open it. As he was struggling with the door, he felt a woman's hands begin to stroke his hair. That gave him the incentive to get out of that bathroom NOW, and he managed to jerk the door open. 

So, who could be haunting this former brick home on Straley Avenue? If we look at the history of the home, the Mercer County Assessor's information states that the home was built around 1910. Unfortunately, the map card (listing former owners) only go back to 1954, so I'm not sure who actually built the house...but can safely say that the Evans Family spent quite a bit of time living in the home!

Irvin Ezra Evans was born in Pennsylvania in 1889 to parents Joseph H. and Elizabeth Christ Evans. He married Nida Lane Hale in Mercer County on October 22, 1921. He was a veteran of WWI and worked as a railway mechanic. The first documentation I can easily find online (one day I might make it down to Mercer to do some proper research on this case, lol) of the family living on Straley Avenue is a newspaper article from February of 1933 in which Irvin is meeting with city officials about putting in a drainage pipe to combat the water coming off of Straley Avenue ruining his lawn. 

Irvin passed away on September 11, 1954 from cardiac thrombosis. Although his death certificate notes that he died at a local hospital, he was living in the home at 315 Straley Avenue at the time. According to the map card, less than two weeks later, Nida signed over the deed to their son, Irvin H. Evans. It remained in his possession (and presumably acted as a family residence) until 1995 when Wilma Stone and Susan Folden purchased the property and opened up a quaint little gift shop called The Gingerbread House! In 1999, ownership would be transferred to Gifford and Pamela Coulburne. Under their ownership, the old Evans home would serve as The Magnolia Room, Nonna's Italian Restaurant, and today...is used as Yolanda's Grooming and Training. 

Update: October 2025

Since the original writing, I've learned that this location also served as office spaces, but most recently has sat vacant. Because of its status as being unoccupied, Appalachian Ghost Tours was given the opportunity to hold a private investigation of the old home, followed a couple of weeks later by a public ghost hunt. 

Both investigations proved to be interesting, with experiences much like the ones previously reported. On both nights, investigators and guests were touched and/or scratched in a forceful manner. Cat balls were triggered multiple times in the upstairs room where someone was seen moving the curtains up and down when the home was a restaurant. Spirit box activity included a long list of women's names, with many direct questions answered during Estes sessions. We're still not 100% sure who the resident ghost or ghosts may be, but there is reason to believe that the house does carry over some energy from possibly a time before the house was even built. Hopefully, we can return to the Magnolia Room and come closer to unlocking her secrets. 

The Gingerbread House (1995)

Sources and Further Reading:

Visit Mercer County--The Ghosts of Princeton and Athens

Bluefield Daily Telegraph (14 February 2015)--Curating Princeton's History: Smith Seeks to Preserve Area's Railroad Roots. Article by Greg Jordan. 

Irvin Evans Death Certificate

Marriage Registry

Candace Lately Blog--Princeton Edition: Nonna's Italian Kitchen

The Gingerbread House: Store Offers Unique Gifts from Days Gone By. Bluefield Daily Telegraph Archives. 13 August 1995

Irvin Evans Obituary
Beckley Post Herald
12 September 1954

Haunting of The Windham Restaurant

Windham Restaurant-From Facebook

I think I may have found the most haunted restaurant in the entire world. Seriously, you could write a book (and I hope someone does!) about all the paranormal activity that has been reported at this historic New Hampshire restaurant. 

In September of 2001, Vess Liakas and his aunt, Lula, opened up the Windham Restaurant on Range Road in Windham, NH. The building is a converted family home that was built around 1812 on the site of a farm dating back even further, to about 1729. The house was occupied as a family residence until the 1980's, when it became home to several different restaurants over the years, including The Riviera. While the restaurant experiences some of the usual 'haunting' activity, such as objects (mostly dishes) falling, moving on their own, and even breaking, disembodied voices (including a gruff male voice saying 'Get Out!') and cold spots, Riviera employees have reported one of the strangest things I've heard.  During the holidays, employees claimed that they'd come in to work and and see wrapped Christmas boxes actually floating in mid-air, above the third floor staircase!

The ghosts of Windham seem to enjoy physical interaction as well. Many females have felt someone touch them, especially their hair. Often, female guests and employees will feel the touch, and then one of their earrings or necklace will mysteriously come unclasped and fall off.

There are also several apparitions seen. An old man in a blue suit is believed to be the spirit of a man named Jacob. It is believed that Jacob died when he had a heart attack and fell down the stairs. A young boy named William is believed to have been killed outside the restaurant when he was hit by a horse and carriage. He was brought into what was then a private home, where he died of his injuries. He is sometimes accompanied by an unknown little girl apparition. Another regular is a teenage girl. She is believed to have lived in the home in the early 1980's and passed away from a car accident nearby. 

Other apparitions seen included a group of three men sitting at a dining room table that disappeared into thin air, and various shadowy, human forms seen throughout the building. The majority of activity seems to take place in the basement and on the second floor, where two main dining rooms are located. Fortunately, Liakas believes that even though quite a few people have been startled, or even frightened, by the ghosts, for the most part, they aren't malevolent. Rather, they're mischievous. 

Because of all the activity, over a dozen paranormal investigation teams have investigated the Windham, and apparently, much of their data is similar to each others' and supports the claims. There have also been a TON of articles written about the restaurant. I've linked a few below! 

Food & Spirits; Windham Restaurant Believed to be Haunted, by Doug Ireland. The Eagle-Tribune, 31 October 2016

Dining with Ghosts at the Windham Restaurant, by Lynne Snierson. New Hampshire Magazine, 5 October 2014

The Ghosts of Panorama at the Peak

Source: Whiskey Fire, 2012

Although currently closed, the Panorama at the Peak Restaurant for over a decade offered up farm to table favorite meals, awe-inspiring views, and a plethora of ghosts! The restaurant, located just outside of Berkeley Springs, WV, was built in 1929 and over the years garnered quite the haunted reputation.

According to The Big Book of West Virginia Ghost Stories, by Rosemary Guiley, Panorama at the Peak began in 2004 when partners Leslie Hotaling and Patti Miller purchased the old Panorama Steakhouse. Already, the restaurant was known to be home to several ghosts, as the former owners had strategically set up protective crystals throughout the property to keep the spirits at bay.

Fortunately, however, all the ghosts at Panorama at the Peak seem rather benign and playful. The most-often encountered is the spirit known as Captain Grey. No one knows who the Captain was in real life, but believe he was the first white man to settle the area, and thus, guards the land. The captain gets his name for his outfit---he is seen wearing dark pants, a dark jacket, and a cap similar to what a sea captain would wear.  He appears as solid and full as a real person, beard and all, and is often mistaken for such. He has been seen in the upstairs in the former residential area, but prefers to frequent the pub section of the restaurant, located in the oldest part of the building. 

When seen in the pub, he always sits in the same booth. Occasionally, he is accompanied by the spirit of a young girl about 12 or 13 years old. This ghost also appears as a solid, living person, wearing a white dress, white bobby socks, and sporting long hair. 

For whatever reason, Captain Grey has never been spotted in the kitchen---but the kitchen does seem to be one of the more active areas of the restaurant. Scott Callanish, who was hired as an executive chef in 2007, has had multiple encounters with multiple entities, many of whom are very playful. An unseen presence likes to turn off one of the stove's burners and throw rice paper, sheet by sheet, around the kitchen. Scott simply has to tell the offending phantom to knock it off, and it usually does. In one incident, one of two turkeys that were put in the walk-in to thaw went missing.  After an extensive search, Scott told whatever ghost took it that they better put it back in the walk-in before it went bad.  Shortly thereafter, the turkey was returned to the walk-in.

Two other ghosts are seen near the kitchen--a woman in her 40's and a young girl around 12 years old. These two are seen running out of the pantry, and then running out the front door of the restaurant. Psychics who have visited the restaurant believe that this is a mother and her daughter. After the daughter died, the husband left the mother, and she became trapped between the worlds. In 2011, psychics helped the mother cross over, and she and her daughter have not been seen since.

Another ghost 'disappeared' or moved on after the 2011 intervention by psychics. A little boy around the age of 8 had been seen in the kitchen area. The boy, with brown hair, jeans and a t-shirt, began appearing to Scott two to three times a week, so Scott set out a ball and a truck for him to play with. Both items were moved from their original location overnight. Psychics visiting the restaurant believe that the boy was killed when his grandfather pushed him down the stairs, and although he wasn't specifically the target of the 2011 crossing over, he seemed to have moved along with the mother and daughter. 

Rosemary notes one more ghost in her book: Psychic Donna Wolfe Gatti, who often came to the restaurant, claimed that Patti's own grandmother was one of the ghosts who hung out in the kitchen, tossing flour around. Could she also be the one who liked to play with the stove top and the rice paper?

Fresh Seafood Company Haunted by an Apparition in Plaid

Fresh Seafood Company. Photo by Theresa

I cannot tell you how excited I get whenever I hear about a new-to-me haunted location, especially one so close!  Awhile back, one of my Theresa's Haunted History Facebook page members shared a newspaper article from September 2016 about a haunted seafood restaurant in Jefferson, WV...a location only about a 15 minute drive from me!  I was intrigued, but as I was bogged down with other things at the time, I just sort of put in on the back burner.  Until now...

The restaurant is The Fresh Seafood Company Restaurant and Market, owned by Tim Cerullo.  It is located in the St. Albans/Jefferson area at 6230 MacCorkle Avenue, beside the Venture Lanes bowling alley, sort of tucked behind it to the side, by the Kanawha River.  I don't come through Jefferson too often...and my family (besides me) really doesn't eat a lot of seafood, so I never really paid much attention to this location.  I had seen the sign, but it never really registered that there was such a quaint little HAUNTED restaurant back there.

According to an article by Ben Calwell in the Kanawha Metro, the ghost haunting the Fresh Seafood Company Restaurant and Market is a friendly one. Employees have reported seeing a gentleman in plaid pants and glasses who simply vanishes into thin air.  Cerullo himself experienced the spooky manifestations when he saw a seashell move on its own, actually flipping over a desk.

Photo by Theresa

The restaurant area is located in an old house, and Cerullo believes that the home's former occupants are still around.  The ghost (or ghosts) seems quite pleasant, and I definitely wanted to know more!  Since the worldwide unpleasantness won't let me get out to actually access documents at the library and courthouse, or to even go EAT at The Fresh Seafood Market's beautiful dining area, my research was limited...so expect a follow-up one of these days.  Anyway, I did find out a little about the history of the location...

The Beach House, as the restaurant area is known, gives a bit of its history on its own menu.  It simply states that George Washington once owned the land where the restaurant now sits and that the house dates back to before MacCorkle Avenue was built.  It was a lot harder than I thought it would be to figure out just when MacCorkle Avenue was built!  MacCorkle Avenue is named for William MacCorkle, former Governor of West Virginia and a state Senator.  He passed away in 1930, but I found newspaper references from the mid 1920's referring to MacCorkle Avenue addresses in the Kanawha City area.  The area of MacCorkle Avenue that runs through Jefferson is also still considered to be part of Route 60...so from that reason, I'm guessing the house was built possibly around the 1920's or 1930's.  That's PRETTY close to what I found through online property searches.


From what I can gather, Tom Cerullo purchased the property in December of 1996, a sale which can be found in Deed Book 2401, page 976.  There are actually several deeds associated with the property the restaurant is on and surrounding lots, all acquired by Cerullo in December of 1996. And, all the deeds were formerly held by the same family.

Two of the deeds were under the name of Edna Wood Carden, who acquired the property on Christmas Day, 1939. The two other deeds were both under the joint ownership of E.L. and F.E. Hadsell, who acquired the lots on April 18, 1944.  A little digging through the genealogy site, Family Search, provided some clarification.  Edna Wood Carden and Felix E. Hadsell were married on September 5, 1943, in Lawrence County, Ohio.  This was his first marriage, but Edna had been married before to a man by the name of Carden.  With no additional details on the marriage, it appears that Edna owned the property where the house now stands (and possibly the house itself) during or slightly after her first marriage, and then lived there with her new husband, Felix, acquiring adjoining property a year after they were married. Another frustrating thing to note is the property info online doesn't list any information about the house itself.  All those fields are left blank on the summary page, including year built.

Map Card-Kanawha County Assessor

And until I can find more information, this is where speculation REALLY comes into play.  WHO is the man in the plaid pants and glasses?  One guess could be that it is Felix Hadsell, who presumably lived in the home from the early 1940's until close to when the restaurant opened.  Felix was born on August 6, 1909 and passed away on July 22, 1995.  He is buried in South Charleston's Sunset Memorial Park, along with his wife, Edna, who passed away on December 27, 1992.  Could the apparition instead belong to Edna's other husband, Mr. Carden?  I haven't been able to find anything out about him, including whether or not he even LIVED on the property in question.  Or, is the ghost someone else entirely?  I found a newspaper article from 1970 about the winners of a horoscope contest.  One of the winners was Edna Hadsell, of 6230-A MacCorkle Avenue.  With the addition of the A to the address, does that mean that someone else owned or rented and lived in another section of the house/property and are now haunting it?

Questions like these are driving me crazy, and I can't wait until this unpleasantness is all over and I can get out in the real world again!  I'd love to do some additional research, perhaps interview the owner (the 2016 article states that the wholesale market was opened 29 years ago and the restaurant 22 years ago) and some employees, and of course EAT there myself!  I'll be coming for the ghost stories, but definitely staying for the delicious-looking fresh seafood!

Resources:

Something Fishy Going On at Landmark Eatery Near St. Albans. Metro Kanawha article by Ben Calwell.  September 21, 2016

Fresh Seafood Company Facebook

Find-a-Grave Entries for Felix Hadsell and Edna L. Wood Carden Hadsell

Kanawha County Assessor Map Cards

Marriage Certificate for Felix Hadsell and Edna Wood Carden from Family Search

Chaplin's: Georgia's Most Haunted Karaoke Bar

You can find Chaplin's Restaurant and Bar just outside downtown Roswell, Georgia. Located in the Founders Square Shopping Plaza on South Atlantic Street, this popular karaoke club and family dining establishment has been in operation since at least 1988. Owned by David Kamran and Joseph Radfard, the bar is named for legendary actor, Charlie Chaplin. And, like so many other locations in this historic town, the restaurant has a reputation for being haunted!

According to the book Roswell: History, Haunts and Legends, by Dianna Avena and based off the popular Roswell Ghost Tour, the activity at Chaplin's is quite unnerving to its various staff! In one incident, a manager was staying late to wrap up some paperwork alone in his office. While working, he heard a commotion coming from the kitchen. Cabinet doors were slamming, the oven doors were opening and slamming shut, pots were rattling---just complete chaos. Fearing a break-in, the manager approached the kitchen cautiously, but of course, found nothing. No burglar...and no signs of anything being amiss in the kitchen. 

That manager won't stay alone in the building anymore, and neither will most of the other staff. Strange noises, feelings of unease, and items being moved around by unseen hands are common experiences. But the freakiest thing experienced by those staying after hours is the sounds of a phantom horse and buggy! 

When the last patron of the evening has left for the night, and the karaoke machine has gone silent, its not unusual for staff members to hear the distinct sounds of a horse-drawn buggy clomping around outside. Of course, when the sounds are investigated, there is nothing there.  Only the echo of an event from long, long ago in the town's history.

It is believed by many that Chaplin's was built atop what was once a Cherokee burial ground and that the sounds are that of a horse and buggy carrying a body up to the graveyard to be buried, as was the custom for the natives in the area during the late 1700s/early 1800s before they were relocated on the Trail of Tears. Or perhaps, the horse and buggy are from a slightly more recent time in history, when the town was ravaged by the Civil War. 

We may never know just who or what haunts Chaplin's Restaurant and Bar, but to many staff members over the years, there is no doubt that it IS haunted. If you're ever in the area, Roswell is just a short drive from Atlanta. Many of its beautiful, historic homes are open to the public and the Roswell Ghost Tour is a must-see. Finish off your evening with some karaoke...and hopefully, a ghost!

Stay Spooky, Ya'll! 

Ohio's Ghostly Grub

Ohio has a TON of haunted restaurants! Below I've curated a short list of spooky places to eat throughout the Buckeye State. Any of these would be a great place to have a nice Halloween-season meal this month...or to just enjoy year-round. I know that whenever we go out of town, I'm frantically searching for local restaurants with a haunted reputation! If you've been to any of these places, or if you have a favorite haunted restaurant in Ohio, comment down below or hit me up on Theresa's Haunted History Facebook. 

Drawing by Suck2Day

1. The Galley Restaurant: Marietta---The building in which the Galley restaurant and Hackett Hotel now resides was built in the late 1800s. Many believe it is haunted by a 'working girl' by the name of Charlotte who tends to interact mostly with men. Charlotte has been known to throw glasses and chairs around the room and exude a general feeling of unease. Hackett Hotel and Galley Restaurant Website

2. Crosskeys Tavern: Chillicothe---Crosskeys has been open since the early 1970s, but there has been some sort of tavern or food establishment on the premises for many years prior to that. Somewhere in the history, a ghost dubbed 'Harold' decided to join the permanent staff. Harold behaves much like Charlotte, breaking glasses and moving items around. Unlike Charlotte, however, Harold's poltergeist behavior does not discriminate based on gender. Crosskeys Tavern Facebook 

3. The Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus: Columbus---This beautiful restaurant is my favorite place to eat while in Columbus; they make a darn fine burger! It doesn't hurt that the historic building is also believed to be haunted by a man who was shot and killed in the doorway. His name was Colonel Randolph Pritchard and it is claimed that he and his unknown murderer are seen and heard in the area. The Elevator Website

4. The Amber Rose: Dayton---Located just a short drive from the Air Force Museum, this restaurant is a must-see if you're in the Dayton area. The food is excellent and you might even catch a glimpse of the resident ghost. Staff report seeing a young woman with long dark hair, sometimes peering out the upper floor windows. The ghost MAY be a woman named Chickee who was one of the daughters of the family who originally owned the building and ran a grocery/deli there. During the Halloween season, the restaurant will hold special ghost events to share the history and the haunts. Amber Rose Website

Do you know of any other haunted restaurants in Ohio that you'd like to see added to the list?

Dayton's Amber Rose Restaurant

Photo from TripAdvisor

In early August, my family and I took a vacation to the Cincinnati area of Ohio. Since we had half a day between switching from our regular hotel to the Great Wolf Lodge, we decided to take a small detour north to visit the Air Force Museum in Dayton. That worked out perfectly, because I had recently heard about the Amber Rose Restaurant and its haunted history! We decided to stop in for an early lunch before hitting the museum.

The Amber Rose is a beautiful, quaint restaurant in the heart of Old North Dayton. Since becoming a restaurant in 1990, it has specialized in Eastern European cuisine, as well as local favorites. I wasn't feeling great the day of our visit, but my potato soup and club sandwich were absolutely mouthwatering. Our waitress was the sweetest woman ever, and the prices were quite reasonable. It was a clean, friendly, and inviting place to spend the lunch hour, but you couldn't help but pick up on a century's worth of history in the building...a history that just might include a resident ghost.

The building that houses the Amber Rose was built around 1910-1912 by Polish immigrant, Sigmund Ksiezopolski. 'Sig' and his wife, Emma, raised what I can gather from census records as five daughters and a son in the upstairs living quarters of what was then Sig's General Store and deli. Several of the daughters never married, and lived at home throughout their adult lives while helping out in the general store below. As a prominent immigrant family in the area, the home also served as a sort of community center and social club for the local Polish population.

Sig's General Store and Deli remained in operation and family owned through the 1980s before being purchased around 1989 by a woman of Lithuanian descent, Elinor Sluzas. Unfortunately, before Elinor could open her restaurant, fire heavily damaged the building, causing part of it to be rebuilt. But, all would work out as the repairs were completed and Elinor's Amber Rose opened for business in 1990.

Almost immediately upon opening the restaurant, Elinor noticed that something was slightly amiss. Her employees claimed that upon leaving the restaurant at night, they could see what appeared to be a young girl with long black hair and a white gown staring out the attic window. Staff and guests would also report dishes breaking for no apparent reason and the sounds of music, especially polka, emanating from an unseen place, heard often near the restrooms on the first floor. Slamming doors, mysterious balls of blue light, lights that turn on and off on their own, and other electrical disturbances are just a few of the spooky things that plague the Amber Rose staff.

However, one of the spookiest things to have occurred was a full bodied apparition sighted by one of the cooks. He claims that an apparition appeared directly in front of him, lifted up her ruffled skirt slightly, and then walked away. What is weird is that surveillance camera footage taken at the same time clearly shows an anomalous light bounce through the kitchen. Is it the ghost? Maybe, or maybe not...but who IS the ghost said to be haunting the Amber Rose?

In Chris Woodyard's book, Haunted Ohio III, Elinor relates an encounter that may shed some light on the situation. She ran into Rose Losko, one of the daughters of Sig Ksiezopolski, at the local supermarket and told her about the employees seeing the dark haired girl in the attic window. Rose told her that it must be "Chickee," a nickname for the youngest daughter of the family. Chickee had never married, and thus, spent her life living above the old general store and working there daily her entire life.

What is strange is that all the census records and other family documents I've found state that ROSE was the youngest daughter in the family, lol. Some websites, however, claim that Chickee is actually Genevieve, who was the middle daughter. It is true that Genevieve never married and lived her life working for the family business. She passed away on October 15, 1983 at the age of 73 and is buried in the nearby Calvary Cemetery with her parents.

Elinor has since retired from the restaurant business, but the current management keeps her original recipes. It seems like they've also held on to Chickee, as well as adding potential male ghost named 'Richard.' The restaurant hosts different paranormal events and has been the object of many paranormal investigations over the years. Come for the unique and delicious food, but stay for the chance to meet Miss Chickee, who hasn't quite let go of the family business yet.

Amber Rose Website
Video Proof: Amber Rose Restaurant is Haunted ! (Dayton's Most Metro)

The Pufferbelly Restaurant in Kent, Ohio

From UglyHedgehog.com

Inspired by a topic posted on the Mysteries of the Ohio Valley Facebook page, I did a little research and discovered (much to my delight!) that there are a TON of interesting places in Kent, Ohio believed to be haunted.  Hopefully I'll get around to covering a few more of those locations soon, but let's start with the place that started it all---The Pufferbelly Restaurant.

The city of Kent hasn't always gone by the name of Kent.  Prior to 1867 it was known as Franklin Mills, and was largely dependent on the canal system for its livelihood.  However, in 1863, Marvin Kent brought the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad through town and the area quickly became known as a railroad town.  As the popularity of rail travel grew, replacing the dependence on the canals, the small wooden depot became inadequate.  A new, brick depot was finished in 1875.

But again, progress and time would change the face of Kent, Ohio.  Rail travel declined rapidly during the 1930s and by 1970, the last Atlantic and Great Western train stopped at the old depot.  That would not be the end to the old building, though!  The next year, the Kent Historical Society was formed with a goal to save depot building.  Today, it is home to several small shops, including the Pufferbelly Restaurant, which opened in 1981.

And, like many locations with a long history, the Pufferbelly Restaurant is believed to be haunted!  In an article from the Kent Daily Star about Kent's Haunted Pub Crawl, two ghosts are mentioned.  The first is simply that of a train conductor 'who loved the station so much he refused ever to leave,' even in death.  The second ghost is that of a young woman who died on the nearby train tracks.  She and her boyfriend had been out drinking one night, and stopped their car on the tracks.  The girl fell asleep, and unable to be woken up, was hit and killed by a passing train.  Somehow she made her way to the Pufferbelly restaurant.

In a recent interview with TV2, the owner and manager of the Pufferbelly claim that the most haunted hot spot of the building seems to be the dungeon-like basement, where the ghost or ghosts like to play harmless pranks on unsuspecting employees.  There's even mention of an apparition wearing a hat...

Because of all this spooky stuff going on, several investigation groups have visited the Pufferbelly in hopes of capturing evidence.  One group, S.I.G.H.T., has gotten several odd pictures with different anomalies they believe are spirits trying to manifest.  And, World Paranormal Investigations-Ohio recently released on the Facebook page that they will be filming an episode of True Ghost Stories at the Pufferbelly this May!  I'll be sure to update if I see any updates!

The Haunted Hamburger-Jerome, Arizona

Photo from The Haunted Hamburger website

Happy National Cheeseburger Day!  After I saw mention of this holiday pop up in my Facebook newsfeed a couple of times, I decided I needed a cute little graphic of a ghost eating a hamburger or some nonsense for my page.  Well, you can't find EVERYTHING you want on the interwebs...but sometimes you find something even better!

The Haunted Hamburger is a restaurant in the small town of Jerome, Arizona.  At the turn of the last century, it was a boarding house for members of the United Verde Mining Company.  Private apartments, owned by a lawyer from Prescott, could be found on the 4th floor under the name of Wykoff Apartments.  By the 1940s, the building was a private residence, and in the 70s, it became a restaurant known as the Jerome Palace.

While its still known to many as the Jerome Palace, The Haunted Hamburger name comes from owners Michelle and Eric Jurisin.  When they purchased the building around 1994 and began renovations, they learned rather quickly that they were not alone.  Like we see in many hauntings, the renovations tended to stir things up, and the resident ghost or ghosts had a passion for stealing tools---namely, hammers--from the work site.  No less than three hammers mysteriously disappeared, only to be returned in strange spots after a former owner asked the Jurisin's if they had met their hammer-stealing ghost yet.

But hammer stealing, even in the afterlife, gets old fast, and the resident specters like to make themselves known in other ways as well.  Eric had a door slam shut in his face, a chef was pushed into a shelf, cans fly off of shelves, and the hot water turns on by itself.  Some guests have seen a little girl wearing a dress.  Other guests have taken photographs that show an anomaly much like the form of an adult female.  Dubbed Claire, this ghost is said to prefer the upstairs dining area.

In 2007, The Arizona Paranormal Society looked into the claims of this haunting.  They got some pictures they believe may be paranormal, but unfortunately didn't get any audio evidence.  You can find out more about their investigation at the link provided below.  Anyway, this sounds like a really unique place to enjoy a meal!  Obviously, they specialize in hamburgers, with the Haunted Burger, the Double-Haunted Burger, and the Ghostly Burger being favorites...but if you're not a meat-eater, there's a selection of no-meat options as well.

Sources:

The Haunted Hamburger Homepage

The Arizona Paranormal Society Investigation Page

Fodor's Travel Review

Toronto's Keg Steak House

2005, From Wikipedia

Happy Canada Day!  Today is July 1st, and that means a great big "Happy Birthday" to our friends in the north.  On July 1, 1867 Canada became a new federation with its own constitution by signing the Constitution Act--formerly known as the British North America Act.  And, what better way to celebrate than with a Canadian ghost story?

Today's tale comes from one of the most beautiful restaurants I think I have ever seen.  I thought Columbus' Elevator was an elegant and unique dining experience, but it doesn't hold a candle to Toronto's Keg Steakhouse.

The Keg Steakhouse franchise is known for housing its restaurants in really unique locations, and the old Euclid Hall in Toronto was a wonderful choice.  Construction on the mansion began in 1867, the same year that Canada gained its independence!  It was built for Arthur McMaster, the nephew of the prominent William McMaster, founder of McMaster University.

In 1880, Hart Massey and his family moved into the home after living for several years in Cleveland, Ohio.  The Massey's only daughter, Lillian, named the home, Euclid Hall, after the street they lived on in Cleveland. Lillian was a very educated young woman, but when her husband died in 1909, it was said that her health steadily declined until her own death in 1915.  That year, the home was given over to Victoria College.  Over the years since, it served as the first home to the radio station, CFRBC, now Newstalk 10, an art gallery, and a restaurant.  It was purchased in 1976 for use as The Keg Steakhouse.

According to one website, the hauntings of the former mansion-turned restaurant began as early as the 1950s.  There are actually many, many ghost stories and sightings associated with The Keg, but none so prevalent as the ghost of the maid.

Lillian

Legend has it that Lillian's death in 1915 so grieved one of her maids that the young woman tied a noose to the oval vestibule above the main staircase and hung herself.  While grief is the main reason given for the suicide, other theories claim that the maid was having an affair with a member of the Massey family, was possibly pregnant, and was afraid that Lillian's death would lead to her secret being discovered.  Whatever the cause, her body was found the other members of the staff and to this day, the spectral image of a maid is seen hanging from a noose in that area. However, somewhat contradictory to these legends, Lillian wasn't even living in Canada when she died, according to her biography.

Other sightings include a young boy seen going up the staircase to the second floor who likes to stop and peer at diners.  This young boy may or may not be the same ghost believed to be a son of Hart Massey, who, is seen angrily running around and who is to blame for an armchair found in a window frame.  Apparently, Hart scolded a young son for playing on the Sabbath, and moving a heavy armchair into the window frame was his childish way of retaliating!  Children are heard playing in the upstairs area where the children once played and slept when the mansion was a private residence, and a small child can be heard crying for his mother.

Lillian herself may also still be haunting the home. She has been seen on the second floor, but she's also credited with being the entity that haunts the ladies' restroom on the second floor.  She isn't SEEN in this location, but has scared several patrons by giving them the feeling that someone was watching them, flushing toilets, and rattling the handle on the stall doors.  In fact, one woman claimed that after feeling the eerie presence, she was shocked to actually see the latch on the stall door come undone and the door fly open!

Sources:
Ghost Walks and Dark History Tours
Why I Love Toronto

The Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus, Columbus

By WarthPhoto.com, via TheThirstyMuse.com

I'm taking a day trip to Columbus, Ohio over Memorial Day weekend, so obviously, I'm busy adding as many haunted locations as possible to the itinerary!  In order to kill two birds with one stone, I've chosen a haunted restaurant at which to dine!

The Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus is an institution on Columbus' High Street.  The building was erected in 1897 as Bott Brothers' Buffet and Billiards, a tavern and gentleman's saloon that sold cigars as well.

On a cold February evening in 1909, Colonel Randolph Pritchard, known to all as a womanizer, sat in the candlelit tavern.  He was summoned to the door and what he found there would change his life forever; in fact, it would END his life.  A woman was waiting for him, and as he approached her, she revealed a knife that she used to stab the Colonel over and over again.

Trying to summon help, the Colonel stumbled toward the doorway of the tavern and fell, bleeding to death in the snow.  His attacker, who many believe was a spurned lover, made her escape in a waiting coach, leaving no trace except for two dainty footprints in the snow.  The time of the murder was 10:05 p.m....a time that would be forever ingrained in the memory of those in the city, as the restaurant's large outdoor clock mysterious stopped, its hands frozen in time marking the hour of the Colonel's death.

Years later, building on that story, the tavern was renamed The Clock.  Today, it's known as The Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus, offering an upscale array of American cuisine and over a dozen specialty brews. And, while most people probably come for the food and the spirits...I'm going for the uh, spirits, lol.

As the legends go, the restaurant is haunted by both the Colonel AND his murderer.  The Colonel is seen manifesting as a brilliant ball of light throughout the facility.  But, his killer makes her presence known in a slightly more subtle way.  On snowy February evenings, especially on the anniversary of the stabbing, patrons and staff alike have observed two dainty little footprints appearing in the snow before their very eyes!  These phantom footprints fade as mysteriously as they appear, proof that the young woman is doomed to never leave the site of her greatest sin.  She was never caught, and her identity is not known, but many believe that she died the night of the murder, possibly freezing to death out in the winter storm that tore through the city that evening.

I personally haven't had much luck finding ANY historical evidence to support these claims, and several websites that cover the story claim that its just a nice legend...and a good back story to explain why the clock was broken and to draw in customers.  I'll let ya know what I find out in my travels!

Happy Haunting!

The Galley Restaurant and Hackett Hotel

From Hidden Marietta

Hidden Marietta just ran an awesome article about some of the many haunted places to eat throughout Marietta, Ohio...which linked to another another article on haunted accommodations as well!  I was pleased to see that I have already featured a few of the locations listed, such as Buckley House and Lafayette Hotel, but one location I hadn't heard of appears to be a recent addition on the Hidden Marietta tours:

The Galley Restaurant and Hackett Hotel

Located at 203 Second Street, the original Hackett Hotel was built in 1899 by John H. Riley, who arrived in town a decade before and quickly began building magnificent structures throughout the town.  The Hackett Hotel was strategically located across from the train station and rail yards, and featured such amenities as an in-house bowling alley and bar.  And...as a way to further accommodate the young men who arrived in Marietta by boat and by rail, the Hackett Hotel featured a bevy of "working girls."

By the 1960s, the hotel had fallen into disrepair, and it wouldn't be until the 1980s when new life was breathed into the structure, turning it into the Galley Restaurant.  Immediately upon opening, it was apparent that something was amiss.  Bottles would shatter to the ground.  Glasses would fly off racks and break.  Even chairs would mysteriously and violently be shoved across empty rooms by  unseen hands.  Employees quickly decided their resident ghost needed a name, so they christened her "Charlotte."

It is believed Charlotte was one of the Hackett's working girls because she tends to interact with men only...and interact quite malevolently at times.  In addition to the poltergeist-like activity of chairs and glasses being thrown about, those who encounter Charlotte report feeling very uneasy and threatened around her.  And...Charlotte isn't just limited to roaming the Galley Restaurant.  Her domain is the ENTIRE building!

Up until 2012, the third floor of the building held several small, private apartments, where gentleman residents occasionally ran afoul of Charlotte's shenanigans.  Just recently, however, those apartments were renovated and converted into a new, posh Hackett Hotel, featuring five brand-new rooms with a nod to its early 20th century beginnings.  And, like renovations tend to do, Charlotte's ghost got riled up.  A small child reported talking with a "woman in a long dress" that no one else present could see.

If you're looking for a fun weekend trip this year, definitely consider Marietta, Ohio!  Catch a bite at the popular Galley Restaurant, make a reservation on the Hidden Marietta tour, and spend a night in the unique Hackett Hotel.  You MIGHT just get to see Charlotte's antics up close!

Joe's Older than Dirt Cafe

From, Louisville Halloween

Located on LaGrange Road in the Louisville area of Kentucky, Joe's Older than Dirt Cafe has been serving decades of thirsty patrons in the mood for a cool drink, a hot meal, and a lively conversation.  And, as we know in this field...those things make a perfect setting for a ghost!

Back in 1936, Joe Keal, Jr. had a dream of opening a tavern.  The following year he did just that...in his parents' backyard!  (From census records, it looks like Joe and several siblings remained at home with their parents in Lyndon well into their adult years).  The tavern became an immediate hub of local social activity, and Joe was even known to hitch up the horse and buggy and go fetch visitors straight from the railroad depot nearby and bring them to his establishment.

Joe died in 1966, and although the bar was purchased and put in the very capable hands of Gary and Janet Gish who made the necessary renovations while keeping the bar's awesome ambiance (there's a TREE growing in the middle of it!), it seems like Joe is sticking around, keeping an eye on things.

Over the years, patrons and staff alike have witnessed a myriad of paranormal activity, such as disembodied voices, items being moved around, and the standard electrical disturbances.  But the most compelling reports are of the Man in the Red Plaid Shirt.  This man, described as being an older, taller man, is seen throughout the establishment, including behind the bar where he was seen from the waist up, his bright red plaid shirt leaving a lasting impression on Janet's mind.

This apparition has been seen in other areas as well, including the kitchen, the service alley, and in what is called the "old bar" section.  This area, before renovations, was actually Joe's bedroom while he was alive, and he has been observed walking through walls where doorways once stood.

Today, Joe's Place, as its called by the locals, is still a great place to enjoy a drink while watching the game (ANY game, as the place boasts 20 televisions) or to take the kids for a family-friendly lunch.  Prices are good, service is fair, and the decor cannot be beat.  Throw in a ghost or two and you've got a fun evening out!

Sources:
Ancestry.com
Consuming Louisville
Kentucky Spirits, Undistilled, by Lisa Westmoreland-Doherty

Happy Canada Day!

Today is Canada Day, so a big Happy Canada Day to all my northern readers!  In honor of this event, Theresa's Haunted History is featuring the first ever international ghost story to be posted...coming straight out of Vancouver, B.C.  Happy reading!

Source

The Old Spaghetti Factory, a popular local eatery, opened its doors to the public in March of 1970.  Throughout its history, the Old Spaghetti Factory has done more than host scores of hungry patrons...it has acquired two very distinct spectral guests as well.

The first ghost of the restaurant is known as the Train Conductor.  This shadowy gentleman, seen in full train conductor uniform, is often seen sitting at the same dining table.  This dining table just happens to be located inside the Number 53 trolley car, an antique car built in 1904 and owned by the B.C. Electric Railway Company.  When the restaurant opened, it was decorated with an antique theme, and the decommissioned trolley was installed as a centerpiece.  During its installation, however, a photo was taken of the car, distinctly showing a shadowy man entering the car.  The conductor is often blamed for cold spots, and the occasional severe bending of cutlery.

The second ghost is also a mischievous lil' devil...literally.  Known as "Little Red Man," this pint-sized phantom is described as having bright red hair and a ruddy face.  He likes to call people by their names, and hang out in the kitchen area, but he's most noted for scaring patrons who visit the ladies' restroom.  Two such ladies described a short little man who came in the restroom wearing a red shirt.  He laughed and ran out the door.  An attempted photo of the little man resulted in nothing but a blur on the fil