Halloween is coming soon, so not blog about what many people love – scary places. I’ve already blogged about the Winchester Mystery House, the Whaley House, and the Robertson County, Tennessee, the home of the Bell Witch.
Today, I want to talk about the Farnsworth House Inn in Gettysburg, PA. For some of you, the mere mention of the name Gettysburg conjures up images of a Civil War battle that was brutal and deadly.
The Farnsworth House Inn was actually used by Confederate soldiers during the 1863 battle. Sharpshooters holed up in the attic of the inn and shot from the windows, injuring not only Union soldiers, but killing innocent bystander Jenny Wade. In fact, the inn has at least 100 bullet holes from the Civil War on the south wall. The inn dates back to 1810 and during the Civil War, the Sweeney family lived there. It is named after Elon John Farnsworth, who was promoted to brigadier general on the eve of the Battle of Gettysburg. Farnsworth would die in battle before it ended three days later.
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Now an inn and restaurant, the Farnsworth House Inn is believed to be one of the most haunted places in America. There seem to be at least 14 spirits who haunt the inn, including soldiers, Jenny Wade, a young boy who was shot outside the inn, and his grieving father. It has been featured on the Travel Channel’s “Most Haunted Live.”
To play up to the haunted history, the inn offers the Civil War Mourning Theater, in which ghost stories and tales of the battle are reenacted. There is also the Spirit Theater in the basement, during which séances are conducted. In the summer, there are candlelit ghost tours that start at the inn, then move on to other haunted areas in Gettysburg including Jenny Wade’s house and East Cemetery Hill.
So, if you are in Gettysburg and looking for a truly chilling experience, check out the Farnsworth House Inn and stay in the Jenny Wade room…if you dare!