Carol Roy, who has been the restaurant manager for a dozen or so years, relayed stories about Emily, a little girl who died in the nineteenth century on the third floor of the tavern during a fire. Black charring is still visible on some of the wooden beams in the small third-floor attic room. Emily has actually made an appearance in the upstairs storage area of the barn. One late evening, a visitor to the tavern described walking into this area. There was a Christmas tree set up in the middle of the room. Placing decorations on the tree was a little girl dressed in a white baptismal gown. As the guest approached, the girl elevated into the air and disappeared. Stunned by what he had just witnessed, he explained the story to Carol, who told him that he was the latest visitor to see Emily. Emily is seen most often in the second-floor hallway, laughing and rolling her ball back and forth across the floor.
There are a great variety of brews at the Jameson Tavern including the Dr. Hyde’s Angry Ale.
One night after closing, while the bartender was tidying up for the night, she watched the toothpick holder at the end of the bar levitate, and the toothpicks were tossed about the room. On another occasion Carol told me that she and another employee were getting ready to leave for the night when Carol heard banging and a loud crash in the kitchen. She said the kitchen was totally dark and there was no one to be found, but when she turned on the lights she found all of the pots and pans scattered on the floor. Upon examining the rack that they were hanging off of, Carol noticed that the rack was intact and there was no possible way the pots would have fallen on their own; they had been hanging securely on hooks.
I was fortunate enough to do an investigation at the tavern with New England Cable News. After filming the first segment of the evening, the cameraman told me that he tried to make a call with his cell phone. When he turned the phone on, he heard a choir of children singing, followed by a little girl laughing. After the laughter stopped, he was able to complete his call. The cameraman could not explain why that happened to his phone. He said that he never experienced anything like it. At this point in the evening, he did not know that the tavern was haunted by the spirit of a little girl. After relaying the story about Emily, the cameraman was convinced that the Jameson Tavern was haunted.
Emily isn’t the only spirit at the tavern. There is a tall gentleman who has been seen standing at the front door wearing a black top hat. He’s been seen on many occasions, but when he’s approached he seems to disappear. Perhaps he is at the door welcoming the next visitor to the tavern. Some members of the staff have heard footsteps going up and down the front staircase after all of the guests have left for the night. I was told that sometimes when employees are feeling a little unnerved they go upstairs in pairs. It was a busy night at the tavern when four separate guests of the tavern asked the employees if the tavern was haunted. They had all felt the presence of an unseen person wandering throughout the dining room.
There are a number of places to visit in Freeport, including dozens of shopping outlets that now occupy historic homes, as well as an interesting McDonald’s situated inside a beautiful Federal mansion. Be sure that the Jameson Tavern is at the top of your list, because only here can you try their signature brew, Dr. Hyde’s Angry Ale, which is named after the original owner. To remember your visit, pick up one of their hilarious T-shirts that read “Jameson Tavern, Freeport Maine…A great little drinking town with a serious shopping problem.” You can marvel at the “see-them-swim” live lobster tank and the enormous Dr. Hyde’s Angry Angus Burger, which is piled high with tasty ingredients. As you unwind after your meal at this historic tavern, you might sense the tavern’s spirited residents gliding from the past into the present.
MASSACHUSETTS
BLANCHARD’S TAVERN, AVON
About twenty miles south of Boston, Massachusetts, is the town of Avon. Originally settled in 1700, it was officially incorporated in 1888. This small suburban town was named for the Avon River in Wiltshire, England. In fact, the town’s seal includes a bust of William Shakespeare, who hailed from Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Ranking as one of Massachusetts’s smallest communities, it comprises just over four square miles and nearly half of the area is wetlands. Avon is a busy suburb. It is located just off a major highway and has a large modern industrial park that employs over three thousand people. You might be surprised to find a Colonial tavern still operating on Main Street.
The story of William Blanchard takes place during the tumultuous days of the American Revolution. It is said that Blanchard saw more service to his country at the time than any other Avon villager. Born in the neighboring community of Braintree in 1747, he saw his first battle—at Saratoga—during the first three years of his service. He survived the desperate and legendary winter days in Valley Forge in 1777 and 1778. Later in 1778, he fought under the command of George Washington at the Battle of Monmouth, in New Jersey. This was the turning point in the American Revolution. During the conflict, William’s cousin, John, died at his side toward the end of the exhausting battle. Two years later in 1780, he fought at Stony Point, New York, along the shores of the Hudson River. Less than one year later he was discharged. After returning to Massachusetts in 1784, he founded Blanchard’s Tavern, which was located on a major route that led to points south of Boston.
The tavern and general store operated until 1938, when they were donated to the town of Avon and used as town offices. After World War II, the town of Avon grew quickly, and a new location for the offices was found in a more modern facility on East Main Street. It was arranged that the old town hall would be transferred to the care and preservation of the nonprofit, all-volunteer Blanchard trustees in 1975. Careful restoration was undertaken and great attention was taken in returning the property back to its eighteenth-century appearance. With advice from experts in Colonial Williamsburg and Old Sturbridge Village, the tavern completed the journey back in time and was reopened to the public in December 1979.
The sign for Blanchard’s Tavern features the image of William Shakespeare, who has a connection to Avon.
Sitting on one of the long wooden benches in the tavern, you can almost expect that when you look out the window you might see a long dirt road with Colonial travelers breezing by in a horse and carriage. The tavern bills itself as “the only operating tavern of the Colonial Period north of Williamsburg, Virginia.” You will find that Blanchard’s Tavern is only open on Saturday nights or by private rental. One of the most interesting characteristics of the tavern is its authentic period entertainment. Blanchard’s Tavern offers a wonderful variety of Saturday night entertainment, including storytellers, early American folk music and character performers from Plimouth Plantation. There is no telling who might step in the tavern door during your visit and lyrically take you on a journey through days gone by.
The tavern was a hideout for the locals from Native American raids and was also part of the Underground Railroad network of safe houses during the Civil War. It is said that there is a Revolutionary soldier, affectionately named David, who makes his appearance known on special occasions. During a Thanksgiving breakfast, six glasses mysteriously flew onto the floor with no plausible explanation. Apparently there was no one in the immediate area, but the incident proved quite unnerving during a peaceful celebration.
Guests have also found that when they take their hats off and place them on tables, chairs and counters, the hats go flying across the room as if thrown like a Frisbee by some unknown entity. There have been times when all is quiet in the tavern—before or after hours—and footsteps can be heard walking across the wooden floors in empty rooms. Some people have even commented that they’ve heard a mysterious low coughing sound in the far corners of the tavern. Days or weeks may go by at the tavern without incident, but just when the ghostly happenings have almost been forgotten, David makes himself known with a little spirited activity.
The menu at the tavern boasts some of the finest cuisine of the eighteenth century and is not to be missed on a Saturday night visit. With it
ems such as the Mount Vernon vegetable soup, meat pie and the Franklin torte, the food is a nod to authentic tavern fare. And who could resist a glass of elderberry wine, a mug of mead or a glass of hard cider? The atmosphere and attitude here are authentic, warm and inviting and dare I say, quite spirited!
Blanchard’s Tavern offers visitors an authentic eighteenth-century experience.
SUN TAVERN, DUXBURY
Located in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, Duxbury was once called Mattakeesett, meaning “place of many fish” by the Wampanoag. Beginning in 1627, this coastal colony first served as farmland for the Plymouth settlers and was officially incorporated in 1637. The community’s leader was Captain Myles Standish, who had arrived as one of the first colonists aboard the Mayflower. Duxbury’s first graveyard, appropriately named the Old Burying Ground, on Chestnut Street, was the site of the town’s first meetinghouse. During the days of the American Revolution, Duxbury was known as a rebellious community with little to no tolerance for any of the British Loyalists.
In 1778, a frightful blizzard blew into the area, severely affecting the Duxbury and Plymouth Harbors. The armed brigantine General Arnold, under the command of Captain James Magee of Boston, was in danger offshore. The ship dropped anchor and was hung up in an area known as White Flats. Fierce waves pummeled the ship and the bitter winter temperatures dropped below zero. In a blinding snowstorm, the crew desperately tried to survive the night, but by morning, seventy-two of them had frozen to death. The dead bodies were strewn about the ship and many of them were described as having ghastly, pained expressions. The residents of the area were stunned by the sight that revealed itself once the storm subsided. A mass grave for sixty of the dead was created in a hilltop Plymouth graveyard. To this day, many locals of both towns claim to see the image of this phantom ship in the harbors, almost like a mirage. This tragedy is prominent in the area history books from the eighteenth century, and over two centuries later, it is still a major topic of the maritime heritage discussion in these old townships.
Duxbury soon became known for the large quantity of ships that were built, from schooners to three-masted ships. Those builders soon owned entire merchant fleets that fished the Grand Banks in Newfoundland. With the shipbuilding success, Duxbury flourished and by the 1820s there were approximately twenty shipyards producing a variety of ocean crafts. One of Duxbury’s most famous ships, the Hope, could carry an amazing 880 tons and was the largest vessel built in New England during those years.
Eventually the shipping industry dried up, and Duxbury unexpectedly became a haven for summer visitors who found the town appealing and desirable for vacations. Finally, when Route 3 was constructed during the Eisenhower era, the town was directly linked to Boston and the population grew to accommodate many year-round residents who were taken in by Duxbury’s historic charm.
Welcome to the historic Sun Tavern.
Historic charm and fine dining are exactly what you will find at the Sun Tavern, located in a quiet and somewhat secluded area off of Route 3. Built in 1741 as a country home, the building is surrounded by a beautiful garden and the mood is most relaxing. In the late nineteenth century, the property was owned by a most curious and unfortunate character, Lysander Walker. Lysander became a recluse after his beloved wife passed away. He became so distraught that he stayed within the confines of the house, never venturing out into the town, let alone off of the property. This behavior contributed to his label of the “Last Duxbury Hermit.” The locals felt quite unsettled about his very odd behavior and forms of communication. For example, on a daily basis he displayed the American flag on his door, but when he needed something he hung a white cloth out of the corner window, and typically a concerned citizen would respond to his needs. As most everyone felt pity for the lonesome old man, they left him supplies, such as food from their gardens or milk from their cows. Many thought that the grief from the loss of his wife was consuming him. One day their fears were confirmed. A local schoolgirl walked past Lysander’s house and saw the American flag hanging upside down. Confused and frightened, she investigated, only to find Lysander in the house, dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Lysander finally found the peace he was seeking on his own terms.
In the 1930s, the property became the summer home of Father Francis Keagan. After a few years he offered a friend, Mary Hackett, the opportunity to operate a restaurant in her name out of the home. The dining establishment proved very popular with the locals for nearly thirty years, and there were dozens of regular patrons continually sampling the menu. The 1930s menu included steamed Duxbury clams with broiled live lobster for $1.50 and a three-course steak dinner, complete with Duxbury clam chowder, for $1.75.
In 1964, the successful restaurant Mary Hackett’s was purchased by David Wells, who changed the name to the Fiddler’s Green and converted it to an English-style pub. A humorous and outgoing Harvard graduate, David had a passion for food and for teaching and mentoring other aspiring chefs. David soon discovered that some nights he wasn’t alone in the historic building. He sensed another inhabitant who often seemed to shadow his footsteps. David had said that many nights when he snuffed out the last candle and stepped toward the doorway to leave, the candle relit itself, perhaps inviting him to stay just one moment longer. Many people were skeptical about David’s tales, but he felt certain that the strange activity was coming from none other than Lysander Walker.
One incident in particular seemed to make the skeptics think twice about David’s claims. On one occasion the security alarm went off, piercing the quiet night and resulting in the police coming to investigate the source of the disturbance. Taking their time to carefully check the building for any intruders, they found the restaurant empty. After they locked up the building and started to return to their patrol cars, they heard loud noises inside and sounds of what some have said were footsteps. Quickly making their way back into the building, with guns drawn, they confirmed that there was no one inside. No one, perhaps, but the ghost. Since that strange encounter, some visitors have also experienced unexpected cold chills in the restaurant, as if there was a ghostly character breezing by their table.
The Sun Tavern, in Duxbury, Massachusetts, was once a quaint country farmhouse.
In 1987 the property changed hands and became the Sun Tavern. The business changed hands again in 1996. Sadly, in October 2005, David Wells passed away. Today there are several dining rooms in the tavern and most are quite cozy. The exposed wooden-beamed ceilings and wide pine floors add to the rustic charm. The well-stocked bar is quite comfortable and offers a variety of signature drinks, including a wide selection of martinis, such as the banana-cream-pie martini and the harvest martini. There are a variety of dinner selections and the Veal Oscar is a standout meal. The tavern is open Friday night through Sunday night and has received many fine reviews. As the candlelight softly flickers out at the end of the evening and your visit to the tavern comes to a close, you may want to contemplate the existence of Lysander’s spirit and the ghostly tales revealed by David Wells.
THE KIMBALL TAVERN, BRADFORD
Located on a busy street corner in Bradford, Massachusetts, just outside of Haverhill, stands the beautiful Kimball Tavern. This wonderful piece of architecture was built in 1690 and still holds true to its original appearance. The many peaks and sloping roofs add to the visual appeal of the original building, and it is quite a standout amongst the other homes in town. The tavern stands empty these days and its future is most uncertain, but it is definitely worth preservation.
Bradford is located in Essex County, Massachusetts, and was first known as the Merrimac Lands, due to its proximity to the Merrimack River. In 1672, the town officially took the name Bradford—which had roots in Yorkshire, England—because many of the settlers of the town had emigrated from there. One of the founding families in Bradford, the Kimballs, played a vital role in the growth of the community, building many historic structures, including the tavern. The tavern was built on an important route fr
om Boston, Massachusetts, to Portland, Maine. Benjamin Kimball built the proud tavern after he married Mercy Haseltine of Salisbury, whose family also were original settlers of Bradford.
The tavern became the heart of the community and a regular meeting space for the villagers of Bradford. Travelers making the long journey were always certain to find good food and conversation around the fireplace at Kimball Tavern. The tavern stayed in the family for well over two hundred years. In 1921 it was sold to the Marble family, who found the old building a perfect backdrop for an antique shop and home. In 1967 it was purchased by Bradford College, which thought the old tavern a natural choice as part of its collection of buildings. It was said in 1803 that thirty members of the community met at the tavern and drew up the paperwork founding Bradford Academy. Bradford Academy later became Bradford Junior College for women, and then the coeducational Bradford College in 1971. In the 1970s, the upstairs of the tavern was converted into a modern apartment for the caretaker of the college. To this day there is a small sign posted outside of the tavern noting its historic connection to Bradford College. However, throughout the 1990s, the college struggled in vain to stay open. In 2000, with mounting debt and competition from other area colleges, Bradford College said goodbye to its last graduating class, and closed its doors forever. The fate of the tavern hung in the balance.
Haunted Pubs of New England Page 3