You’ll Never Forget Your Visit To The Most Haunted Restaurant in Kentucky
By Jenn Shockley|Published July 31, 2016
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Jenn Shockley
Author
I am somewhat a cliche'. I grew up running around barefoot on a farm in Kentucky.
I love writing, art, sunshine, all animals and my incredibly patient husband, who tolerates my "crazy animal lady" side.
There are some great historic places to grab a bite to eat, and some of them even host a ghost story or two. The Old Talbott Tavern is one such place, and is perhaps the most haunted restaurant in Kentucky. Guests can stay overnight for a one of a kind experience, or just enjoy the cuisine and the ambiance of the 1700s architecture.
This haunted restaurant in Kentucky is said to be frequented by quite a few spirits, some renowned, some unknown. It has been serving the community since 1779 under one name or another, so that shouldn’t be surprising. The spirits don’t always show themselves to diners, but unexplained cold spots are quite frequent. Even if you are an unbeliever, the food is still divine, especially the fried chicken and fried green tomatoes.
Here are nine things you may not know about the most haunted restaurant in Kentucky:
Photos taken throughout the bar and dining area usually have orbs or light and unexplained blurs. Some photographers take multiple images trying to dispose of the flawed areas that appear, only to see them repeatedly, image after image.
Guests and patrons who come by on a quiet night often report both heavy, booted footsteps and the steps of a child. Noises like bottles and whispers have also been reported. Guests who stay overnight complain of these sounds and are sometimes kept awake, although employees leave the tavern after hours.
This beautiful and very comfortable room is said to be inhabited by a young girl. Many guests awaken to the feel of a child cradled beside them, as if seeking warmth in her spirit state. The room is also reported to have a colder than average temperature.
Jesse James is said to have reported the very first ghost sighting in the Old Talbott Inn. It is said Jesse had been drinking heavily, and retired to his room. As he prepared for bed, he saw someone standing in his room and fired several shots… only to see them disappear. The holes in one of King Louis’s murals were put there by Jesse that night.
The Talbott has seen the likes of many an outlaw over the years, with Jesse James perhaps being the most infamous. He has been spotted several times over the years by employees and visitors alike strolling up and down the stairs, or entering his favored room. He is said to wear a long dark coat, frequently seen during his reign as an outlaw.
The Inn sports the French murals. What is unusual about these murals? They are said to have been painted by King Louis himself, or by members of his large entourage. The exiled king was quite fond of Bardstown and the Inn. He donated several works of art, along with the hand painted murals, preserved to this day.
The list of famous and infamous guests that have visited the Old Talbott over the centuries is impressive. The likes of Henry Clay, John James Audubon, Washington Irving, Stephen Foster, Abe Lincoln, William Henry Harrison, Andrew Jackson, Jesse James, and the renowned Louis Phillipe (The exiled King of France), General George Patton and General George Rogers Clark.
Six of his own children died within the taverns walls between 1886 and 1889. One child fell down the main steps to his death. An elder daughter fell in love, lost the love, and hanged herself in one of the rooms. Both of these spirits are occasionally seen floating around the stairs.
The Old Talbott Tavern has been serving travelers at their locations on 107 W Stephen Foster Avenue for over a century. It was previously known as the Hynes Hotel and the Newman House prior to becoming Old Talbott Tavern.
There are plenty of reasons to visit the Old Talbott Tavern, other than the fact it’s the most haunted restaurant in Kentucky. The food is excellent, the atmosphere historic, and the staff friendly and full of stories. You can also check out some other haunts in Kentucky here, some of which are historic.
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