I was also told that the Pepsi vendor was spooked out of the basement fairly recently. As he was bringing equipment down to the basement, he felt something peculiar about halfway down the stairs. An ice-cold draft wafted over him and he couldn’t proceed any farther, as if an invisible wall was blocking the way. I was told that he dropped the equipment and it went booming down the stairs as he turned around and ran out of the basement. He actually refused to go back downstairs, and an employee from the tavern ended up finishing the chore.
Upstairs is the banquet room, which was empty during my visit. The room is quite large, with a modern fireplace. While this room didn’t feel as old as the downstairs, there was definitely some activity there. In most of the digital photos taken, bright white orbs could be seen moving around the room. The sunlight wasn’t terribly bright in the room and the ambient lighting came from a few small chandeliers. What was most interesting is that the photos that were shot looking down the back stairs that I had just come up revealed a bright orb directly in the center of the staircase. After exploring the banquet room and descending to the entryway, I took a photo of the front stairs. There was the same bright orb, almost as if this spirit had followed behind the exploration.
Be sure to stop in for hearty food and drink and perhaps a ghostly experience. Don’t forget to grab a ghoulish T-shirt as a souvenir.
THE WHITE HORSE TAVERN, NEWPORT
The White Horse Tavern, located in Newport, Rhode Island, is the oldest operating tavern in the United States. This is the quintessential seventeenth-century tavern, complete with a gambrel roof, clapboard walls and rough-hewn beams. Situated on a busy corner in downtown Newport, this prominent red building stands apart in a city that has one of the highest concentrations of Colonial homes in the country. The structure was completed in 1652 and served as a two-floor, two-room private home for Frances Brinley. In 1673, the property was purchased by William Mayes Sr., who converted the building into a tavern.
The tavern was soon connected to piracy when William Mayes Jr. inherited the property and became the tavern keeper. He needed a place to settle down, away from the high seas. Admiral Sir Edward Russell, the First Lord of the British Admiralty, had granted a letter of marque to none other than the notorious pirate Captain Kidd. Kidd was commissioned in 1696 to capture William Mayes Jr., along with other pirates of the Atlantic seas. So in 1702, William Mayes Jr. operated the tavern with the fortune plundered during his days as a pirate. Newport became a haven for many pirates, and often grand celebrations turned out in the streets when a pirate arrived into port. It was only a handful of years later that William’s brother-in-law, Robert Nichols, took over the tavern, along with William’s sister, Mary Mayes Nichols.
Just across the street from the tavern stands the Great Friends Meeting House. This was built by a society of Quakers who had escaped religious persecution in Massachusetts and then settled in Newport with the help of Roger Williams. This enormous Colonial building is still in excellent condition and, built in 1699, is one of the oldest houses of worship in the country. The Quaker society was very important to the economic and commercial development of Newport, as they were fine craftsmen. It is said that they—including the Townsend and Goddard families—were some of the best furniture makers in Colonial America.
It is interesting to note that the city councilors regularly dined at the tavern, and they charged their meals to the public treasury. The name the White Horse Tavern was chosen by tavern keeper Jonathan Nichols in 1730. The years of the American Revolution brought turbulent times to Newport, and taverns were the scenes of many impassioned discussions of the day. From 1776 to 1779, British forces occupied Newport. However, the rebels (Patriots) were soon joined by the French allies—thanks to the savvy genius of Benjamin Franklin—and eventually the British were forced to withdraw. The French stayed in Newport, under the leadership of General Rochambeau, until 1783, when they set out on their historic march to Yorktown to assist George Washington in the forthcoming victory over the British.
Newport, Rhode Island’s White Horse Tavern is the oldest operating tavern in America.
The tavern property stayed in the Nichols family until 1895 and was then sold to Thomas and Bridget Preece, who converted the tavern into a rooming house. The building became neglected and run-down and looked more like a tenement building than the historic tavern it once was. In 1954, funds were appropriated by the Van Beuren family to save the tavern, under the stewardship and ownership of The Preservation Society of Newport County. It took three years to renovate and restore the tavern, and in 1957 the doors were opened again as the White Horse Tavern.
In 1981, O.L. Pitts, of Fort Worth, Texas—along with three partners who were participants in Newport’s famous America’s Cup race—purchased the property. In recent years, stewardship of the property was turned over to Paul Hogan, who became only the sixth owner in 350 years. Today it is a fine-dining establishment with numerous rooms set aside for patrons. The décor is simple and elegant, and the property radiates unmatched class. The welcoming courtyard is accented by colorful borders of flowers, and as you climb the few steps onto the property, be sure to take a look around at the surrounding historic neighborhood.
Newport is famous for its yachts, million-dollar mansion row (summer “cottages” of the Gilded Age) and, of course, the jazz festival. However, Newport does not shy away from its supernatural history. With a variety of ghost tours shuffling tourists about mansions and antique homes, the ghostly past culminates every October with a month-long celebration of Halloween. This event rivals celebrations of neighbor to the north Salem, Massachusetts, and everyone seems to get into the spirited activity, as well as conjure up their own ghosts.
Well, it doesn’t take an incantation to stir up the ghosts at the White Horse Tavern, for they have been there for many years, and they make themselves known very frequently.
There have been a handful of unofficial paranormal investigations at the tavern, and photographs have yielded orbs and strange-shaped shadows. There is one ghost who is seen so often he has been described not as a shadow, but an old man with long scraggily hair that hangs in front of his face. He walks around the upstairs of the tavern, and his footfalls are heard quite loudly throughout the establishment. Countless times people have heard and investigated these loud footsteps, only to discover no one on the stairs or in the rooms from which the sound emanated. Many people walking by the tavern have seen a figure of the same description standing in the windows looking down at the passersby.
Doors that have been locked mysteriously unlock and open, much to the surprise of the employees, who can still sometimes be a little taken aback by the ghostly happenings. Some patrons have said that they felt a strong presence of someone standing near the first-floor fireplace. The spirit has been so tangible that some people could feel the ghost moving the air in the room as it walked over to the fireplace. Oftentimes guests remark, “Did you feel that?” in unison as something seems to pass by their table. The beautiful candlelit windows do cast eerie shadows against the glass, and you can almost see that the light is dimmed by something moving around it, yet the room is empty.
The entrance to the White Horse Tavern features seventeenth-century architectural details.
There was an incident that happened under the care of the Nichols family in 1720 that completely lends itself to the ghost possibilities in the tavern. Two gentlemen travelers came to stay for the night. They both stayed in the same room, as was commonplace back in those days. In the morning, Mrs. Nichols expected to see the pair at breakfast. When they didn’t arrive downstairs, she went up to the room to investigate. She found that one of the men had left the tavern. As she was up early in the morning preparing breakfast, she assumed he had left in the middle of the night. The vanished man’s companion was still in the room, but he lay dead next to the fireplace. There were no signs of foul play, gunshot, wounds or bruises. This very bizarre scene was rather unsettling. Perhaps the man died of natural c
auses, but why did his friend leave him there? Smallpox was fairly common and the disease wasn’t fully understood. Amid thoughts that this stranger may have been a carrier, he was buried quickly in a pauper’s grave.
Unfortunately for Mary Nichols, she and her young companion, a Native American girl, were the only ones to have contact with these mysterious travelers. Fearing an epidemic in the city, they both were sent off to the smallpox colony on Coaster’s Harbor Island until they were deemed free of the disease. The conditions there were difficult, and quite miserable, as many people were on their deathbeds. It didn’t take long for the girl to pick up the disease on the island that was running rampant with it, and she never made the return journey back to Newport with Mary Nichols. The mysterious stranger was never seen again, and to this day no one has been able to unravel this mystery.
The mysteries of the tavern continue today. Who are the spirits that pass through the walls of this historic location? Be sure to dress business casual when you visit the White Horse Tavern, as they offer distinctive fine dining. The service is critically acclaimed, and their wine list has become almost as legendary as the ghosts. For a native taste, try the iced shellfish sampler, which contains fresh-shucked littleneck clams, cold-water oysters and beer-broth-boiled gulf shrimp accompanied by a fresh horseradish cocktail sauce.
Newport, Rhode Island, has some of the most beautiful examples of architecture from around the world in every era imaginable. However, the fact that the country’s oldest tavern still exists has an attraction all on its own. It certainly has attracted the phantoms and spirits of the past.
VERMONT
OLD STAGECOACH INN AND TAVERN, WATERBURY
Amongst the rolling green hills of Vermont, you will find the Old Stagecoach Inn and Tavern, located in Waterbury. Waterbury was established from a grant by King George III of Britain in 1763. The original charter went through Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. Most of the settlers had come from Waterbury, Connecticut, and that is how the town chose its name.
The Winooski River runs through the town on its way to Lake Champlain. Waterbury was a vital crossroad for those traveling to Burlington, Montpelier (the capital of Vermont) or Stowe. This location brought many travelers who were passing through toward other destinations. The establishment was built in 1826 by Dan Carpenter—a local lawyer and judge—and his brother. Mr. Parmalee was the tavern keeper of this busy destination. The Masons used the back of the building to have their meetings, as they were only able to use this and the other tavern in town. There were many misconceptions about the Masons, and there was a movement in town that tried to put an end to their assemblies.
Located on Main Street in Waterbury, the tavern served as the stagecoach stop on what was called the Winooski Toll Road. Certainly the tavern was a welcome sight to those who were caught in the often-unpredictable weather. The terrain of the route was quite rough, strewn with furrows and rocks, and the winter conditions of snow and ice made the journeys long and rather cold.
In 1848, the completion of the railroad changed the traffic pattern, and just fifty years later, travelers were riding the new electric trolley from nearby Stowe, Vermont. Some years after the trolley, travelers became the masters of their own destiny with the use of automobiles. The evolution from a country village to a resort town truly began during this time. Waterbury became a good overnight stop for those who wanted to enjoy Vermont’s cities and towns.
Annette (“Nettie”) and Albert Spencer purchased the property in the late nineteenth century. Albert had made his fortunes in Ohio. He owned a successful rubber plant. He purchased properties in some of the most exclusive communities around the world, including London, Paris and Newport, Rhode Island. With funding to transform the plain farmhouse and tavern, the Spencers went right to work. It was decided that extensive renovations needed to be done in order for the building to complement their other properties. The Federal style of the building was not befitting of the elegant style that Nettie was accustomed to. Her vision was to transform it into a Queen Anne–style domicile. Fine architectural details—including extensive wood paneling, an elegant porch and detailed stained-glass windows—were part of the transformation. However, despite all of the efforts and vision of the Spencers, they were hardly ever there. Jet-setting around the world to their other properties left little time for humble Waterbury, Vermont. It is even rumored that the locals weren’t terribly impressed with the improvements and felt the building looked rather gloomy and lifeless.
Upon Albert Spencer’s death in 1907, speculation about Nettie’s past became the talk of the town. Was it jealousy that fueled the ladies in town to start the rumor mill turning and send tongues wagging? Perhaps, but the sensational stories certainly lend themselves to her legacy and the lore of the Old Stagecoach Inn. In fact, some of the locals claimed that Nettie was a murderess and that she poisoned her husband Albert’s soup. Some even accused her of being a madam and owning a prosperous bordello in Cleveland, Ohio. The gossips were speculating on how she really obtained her wealth.
Nettie’s reputation was fueled by her own eccentricities, the likes of which Waterbury had never seen. The townspeople had never encountered anyone quite like her before. When she was chauffeured throughout the town in her elegant Lincoln Phaeton, the locals couldn’t help but turn their heads and stare. She was a heavy smoker and often sang hymns with a passion.
Mrs. Spencer still owned the Stagecoach during the devastating flood of 1927, when a three-day torrential rainstorm put most of Waterbury under water. Houses floated off of their foundations and large trees blocked the roads and collected other drifting debris. The floodwaters reached toward–the second story of Mrs. Spencer’s abode, although the home did recover when the waters receded. The town immediately constructed three dams at crucial points to prevent a future recurrence.
During the flood at the Waterbury Congregational Church, a strange thing happened. The statue of the Blessed Mother was washed off of its pedestal, and when the water subsided, it was found facing the center of the church altar. This miraculous incident caused many of the community to believe that this was a phenomenon of a higher power. Some claimed that their prayers were answered. A man named George Carty, of Burlington, claimed that there was a healing element present at the altar. George had been told by doctors that he would never walk again, and he was a frequent visitor to the church. Two years after the miracle, George visited the church, and he walked to the statue without any assistance. He left his crutches behind.
Nettie Spencer passed away in 1947 and is buried in a mausoleum in the Waterbury Congregational Churchyard. The following year, the property was purchased by C.B. Norton, who converted some of the rooms into efficiency apartments. The building was beginning a slow decline into disrepair. After Norton passed away in 1972, the property became a shelter-type residence for the poor and for outpatients of the nearby state mental institution. When Mrs. Norton died, the property was practically in shambles and the future of the property became a major topic of discussion. Fortunately, because of the building’s historic significance, an immediate decision was made to preserve the property—but how? The building needed someone to invest in its past and future.
In 1985, the building caught the eye of a Waterbury native, Kimberlee Marcotte, who had since relocated to Boston. How fortunate for her husband to be a building contractor and specialist in the restoration of old homes. A substantial loan for the renovation was obtained, and with guidance of the Waterbury Historical Society, the enormous undertaking began. The building was essentially stripped down to bare minimum and the transformation started. They devoted their energies and talents for two exhausting years, and finally in 1987 the inn opened its doors to the public.
The Victorian vision the Marcottes had was finally realized; the property looked glorious. However, the late 1980s and early 1990s were not a glorious time of prosperity for the country, as a recession had settled over America. What began as a burst of renewal and pro
mise had turned into few customers and business dropped off. The doors closed in 1992, and the dream faded away.
For over one year the inn stood empty, except for the occasional semi-interested buyer, but nothing materialized. From Westport, Connecticut, John Barwick and John Barwick Jr. found the property most appealing, and they decided to try their hand at becoming innkeepers. As soon as the sale was closed in September of 1993, a frenzy of preparations were completed for the inn’s opening at the end of the month. The conditions must have finally been right, and that year the inn was filled with enthusiastic leaf peepers who enjoyed not only the area, but also the comfortable amenities of the inn. Since that time the inn has prospered and has been a second home to the many visitors in Waterbury.
However, this former stagecoach stop was also a home to a ghostly inhabitant, whom many claim is the indomitable spirit of Nettie Spencer. Her playful spirit has been said to cause some interesting experiences at the inn. The parlor rocking chair is said to rock on its own, as though someone is sitting in it. Housekeepers have found the beds cleared of their bedclothes, the bedclothes neatly folded in a pile. A guest returned to his room and found his belongings, which had been packed neatly in his suitcase, removed and stacked up in two chairs of the room.
Haunted Pubs of New England Page 9