M.A. Kleen

For over three hundred years, Virginia’s taverns have accommodated weary travelers, from horseback riders of the distant past to modern commuters seeking a break from the gridlock. Some of these historic taverns dotting the highways and byways of the Old Dominion served storied figures like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Stepping into them is like stepping into the past, but be warned, phantoms of these bygone eras do not stay silent. The spirits you encounter may not be of the boozy variety.

The Buckhorn Inn & Tavern

The Buckhorn Inn & Tavern located in Churchville, Virginia was built in 1786 by John Buckhorn, and is among the oldest buildings in the Shenandoah Valley. The inn has served as a stopover for travelers on the Great Wagon Road and hosted many notable guests, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. In the early 20th century, the inn was converted into a bed and breakfast. It is now owned and operated by the Buckhorn Inn & Tavern Foundation, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Buckhorn Inn & Tavern is said to be haunted by several ghosts, including that of a former innkeeper and a Civil War soldier. Guests and staff have reported seeing apparitions, hearing disembodied voices, and feeling cold spots. Some guests have also reported being touched or even scratched by unseen forces. The most famous ghost at the Buckhorn Inn & Tavern is the ghost of the young woman who died in a fire. She is said to haunt the second floor of the inn, and she has been seen by guests and staff alike. She is often seen wearing a white dress, and she has been known to walk down the hallway or stand at the foot of beds.

Carter’s Tavern

Carter’s Tavern is located on the banks of the Roanoke River in Halifax County, Virginia. It was built in 1773 by Joseph Dodson and operated as an ordinary until 1843. The tavern was a popular stop for travelers on the Great Wagon Road and it is believed that George Washington stayed there in 1781. It was later abandoned and fell into disrepair. In 1972, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Edmunds purchased the tavern and began a restoration project that lasted for several years. The couple reopened it to the public in 1977 as a museum, however, it is currently a private residence. According to legend, a jealous husband shot and killed another man at the top of the stairs leading to the third-floor ballroom for dancing with his wife. The bloodstains can still be seen on the stairs, and the grief-stricken woman’s ghost remains trapped there, gazing remorsefully from behind the attic window.

Hanover Tavern

John Shelton, father-in-law to Patrick Henry, owned a tavern at this site in Hanover County, Virginia from 1750 to 1764. It was there Patrick Henry got his start in law and politics. The current Hanover Tavern was an extension on the original, which was torn down in 1822. Dozens of famous characters ate, drank, and slept there, which is why, perhaps, it has a reputation for being haunted.

The most commonly reported sightings are of a woman in black, a playful little girl, and a man in a brown suit. The woman in black is believed to be Ann Chisholm, who lived at the tavern in the 1860s. The little girl is thought to be the daughter of a tavern employee who died of an illness. The man in a brown suit is a mystery, but some believe he may be a former guest of the tavern. Paranormal investigators have conducted several investigations at the Hanover Tavern and have captured evidence of some of the reported activity. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, there’s no doubt that the Hanover Tavern is a place with a rich history and a mysterious past.

Josiah Chowning’s Tavern

Josiah Chowning’s Tavern on E. Duke of Gloucester Street is not original to Colonial Williamsburg, but in 1941 preservationists built this replica as closely as possible to its historical namesake. Little is known about the original owner or his establishment, but this attention to detail must account for the strange activity and apparitions encountered by patrons and staff. In one hair-raising incident, unseen hands tugged at a server’s dress.

Daniel Hard, a coach driver at Colonial Williamsburg, experienced the unexplained one evening. He was downstairs having a drink while his friend John, who worked at the tavern, was upstairs arranging the dining furniture for the next day’s shift. As John was coming downstairs, they heard the furniture move several more times. Curious, Daniel followed John back upstairs to find the furniture rearranged. Daniel watched as John set the room for the next day’s shift, but when they left the room, they heard rustling. When they went back in, the furniture was back in its original place.

Rising Sun Tavern Museum

Originally a private residence, in the 1790s this building on Caroline Street in Fredericksburg, Virginia opened its doors as the “Golden Eagle” or Rising Sun Tavern. A host of Virginia notables wet their whistles in its parlors. Today it is a museum and National Historic Landmark open to tours. According to folklorist L.B. Taylor, Jr., museum staff blame unusual happenings on the ghost of a former tavern proprietor named John Frazier. Frazier loved to play pranks and goof around–activities he continued from beyond the grave. Unscrewed lightbulbs, flying postcards and moving gift shop items, and tugged clothing are just a few reasons candlelight tours and paranormal investigations remain popular at the historic tavern.

Cork Street Tavern

The Cork Street Tavern in Winchester, Virginia has a long and colorful history that many believe contributes to its bevy of active spirits. Originally private residences, it’s rumored the ground floors became home to several businesses prior to Prohibition, including a feed store, Baptist church, and even a speakeasy. In 1932, John Hockman and William W. Warrick opened The Rustic Tavern at the location and added a log-cabin façade. Their pub was so popular it survived the Great Depression. To this day, one of the ghosts thought to linger there has been nicknamed “John” after this original owner. Items moved by unseen hands, disembodied voices, and an unnerving feeling in the basement are just a few of the strange phenomenon reported by patrons and staff. The presence of an unknown woman, nicknamed “Emily”, has also been seen and felt around the tavern.

Michie Tavern

Sometimes ghosts are said to move with an object, and that’s certainly the case for Michie Tavern southeast of Charlottesville, Virginia. Scottish immigrant John Michie (pronounced Mickey) originally raised this tavern in 1784 approximately 17 miles from Charlottesville along Old Buck Mountain Road. He was a supporter of the patriot cause during the American Revolution. A local entrepreneur named Mrs. Josephine Henderson moved Michie’s tavern to its current location at the foot of Carter’s Mountain in 1927 and opened it as a museum. At least a few revelers enjoyed their time at Michie Tavern so much they never left. Over the years, guests and staff have heard the sound of carousal coming from the third-floor ballroom, even when it is empty!

Wayside Inn & Larrick’s Tavern

The Wayside Inn & Larrick’s Tavern on Main Street in Middletown, Virginia has a claim on being the oldest continuously operating inn in America, and why not? It opened along the Old Wagon Trail through the Shenandoah Valley in 1797. Later, the Valley Pike and U.S. Route 11 brought a steady stream of traffic past its doors, ensuring its longevity. Its proprietors stayed neutral during the Civil War, serving both sides equally and thus avoiding the fiery fate of so many other homes and businesses in the Valley. Soldiers of both sides died and were buried on its grounds. Since then, patrons and staff have reported chilling encounters with phantom soldiers dressed in blue or gray. Others have heard a baby crying in the Old Servant Kitchen.

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References

• Hauck, Dennis William. National Directory of Haunted Places. New York: Penguin Books, 2002.
• Kinney, Pamela. Virginia’s Haunted Historic Triangle. Atglen: Schiffer Publishing, 2019.
• Schwartz, Susan. Haunted Charlottesville and Surrounding Counties. Atglen: Schiffer Publishing, 2019.
• Taylor, Jr., L.B. Ghosts of Virginia, I. Lynchburg: Progress Printing Co., 1993.
• Taylor, Jr., L.B. Ghosts of Virginia, II. Lynchburg: Progress Printing Co., 1994.
• Taylor, Jr., L.B. Ghosts of Virginia, III. Lynchburg: Progress Printing Co., 1996.
• Taylor, Jr., L.B. Ghosts of Virginia, IV. Lynchburg: Progress Printing Co., 1998.
• Varhola, Michael J. Ghosthunting Virginia. Cincinnati: Clerisy Press, 2008.