DESCRIPTION

“The Most Haunted Restaurant in New York” (onlyinyourstate.com)

The Wayside Irish Pub is the social center of this village’s entertainment life, and has been so for many years. On a weekend night, people of the town come in for a meal and a group game or some other fun event! The Wayside is a three story structure with a restaurant and pub with party rooms for small social events on the first floor. The second and third floors look very much like the 1913 building, inside and out, with the exception of renovations done for the second floor large event spaces.

The banquet room is on the second floor, a large space for receptions, seminars, meetings, events and any other big gatherings. The second floor bar is just across the hall. The third floor isn’t completely restored or renovated yet, but is in decent shape. While the floors and walls are restored, the bathrooms are not, but they are usable space for storage and Wayside’s annual Halloween Scary House event. Mannequins of ghosts, when not in use, are stored here.

A fire in 1960 badly damaged this once grand structure. The first floor was renovated to offer a more relaxing atmosphere. It is no longer an upper class Italianate style structure, but instead a less formal and very popular place to relax and spend some down time.

There are still handsome wooden floors and walls, and a grand bar, but fewer bells and whistles, making it a nice, everyday comfortable place to enjoy a meal, have a beer or drink, and enjoy community activities.

They are open until 2:00 AM, and the locals make the most of it.

Tom and I arrived in Elbridge around 5:30 PM on a Saturday night, and business was booming! We walked into the pub and found it full of happy local folks in a jovial mood. We managed to find the last table available. They were preparing to have a group game of Pub Quiz. People were very friendly, the waitress was friendly, and the food was great.

This establishment is a beloved institution where folks have a blast, and have many stories about their experiences with the spirits who also love the positive energy that flows everyday and night, up through the first and second floors and down to the basement as well.

HISTORY

There has been an establishment on this property since 1830, when Squire Munroe built his Munroe Hotel and Tavern for stagecoach travelers on the Jordan and Skaneateries stagecoach lines. There may have been a bar in the basement for the local folks, reserving the first floor tavern for guests, who were served meals and drinks.

Munro eventually sold the building to Charles Stevens, who became the proprietor and host. It was a three story, Italianate structure, quite a nice hotel for the time, giving relief and creature comforts to travelers who had endured bumpy stage coach rides on hard seats while exposed to the elements, as there was no glass in the side windows.

When the stage coach lines were replaced with trains and the business from the Erie Canal, new patrons arrived to help keep the doors open and funds flowing into the coffers. Throughout the 19th Century, the owners came up with new ways to encourage support from the locals, such as offering space for social events, which kept the place very popular with town and farm people. Other patrons included hardy travelers on horseback, and soldiers on leave.

In 1913, a disastrous fire burned the original 1830 building to the ground. Luckily, guests and staff escaped just ahead of the flames by jumping out the windows into the arms of the townspeople, or sliding down the side of the building with people ready to catch them.

The inn was destroyed, but not for long. Two years later, H.S. Longcoy rebuilt the hotel to be even better, with more modern amenities, “finest decorations and the latest technologies,” but still in a grand Italianate style. Its new name was The Cross Keys Inn.

William Houston bought The Cross Keys Inn in 1941, and changed its name to The Wayside Inn. The inn did very well during the 1940s and 50s, becoming a favorite watering hole for locals and travelers alike, a great place to enjoy a meal with friends, the place to hold a social event, to spend the night with a loved one, and to rest from a long journey.

Over the years and under the ownership of several people, the rooms were converted into spaces for rent, providing places to live and work in a small village with not many apartments.

In 1960, another fire did extensive damage to the building. It was put back onto the real estate market to be sold “as is” and remained closed for five or six years. Finally, a potential buyer, Frederick Weber saw its possibilities and bought the property, fixed it up and opened his restaurant, Webers Wayside Inn, in 1967.

This may have been the time when changed were made on the second floor. To fulfill the need for a large banquet room for larger events, some of the rooms on the second floor were combined into one large banquet room, and a bar. A small kitchen may have been added as well.

Other named given to this establishment are The Elbridge Inn, Smart’s Wayside Inn, and its current name, The Wayside Irish Pub. It does a great business, despite the fact that the city of Elbridge doesn’t have an exit on the New York Interstate FWY.

Its aura is very friendly, positive and fun-loving, which draws the living and apparently spirits as well, who find peace from all the upbeat people who come to enjoy a drink, a meal and community fellowship.

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS

The spirits who reside here have a variety of issues but find some relief from restlessness in this positively-charged pub!

Nothing stirs up spirits like a major renovation.

Hampton Lillibridge House, GA (When this creaky fixer-upper opportunity was undergoing major restoration, many spirits made themselves and their feelings known.)

Custer House, ND (When General Custer’s House was rebuilt from scratch, Custer’s spectral family moved back inside, along with the spirits of officers who were killed at the Battle of Little Big Horn.)

Hartford Twain House, CT (After the Twain forever home was restored to its former glory, and furnished the way it was, Mark Twain and his family moved back inside.)

Wayside Irish Pub, NY (After the ’60’s major renovation, the spirits of those who are attached to this structure in life became strongly present and interactive with the living.)

Sorrow combined with pregnancy can cause a deadly depression, leading to suicide. Killing yourself doesn’t give you peace from emotional turmoil, which stays with you as a spirit.

Waverly Hills Sanitarium, KY (A nurse hung herself after finding out she was made pregnant through an affair with a sanitarium doctor.)

Edith Wharton Estate: The Mount, MA (A maid hung herself when she found that she was pregnant from an unavailable male. Her spirit continues to do her housekeeping duties, even as she relives her death.)

17-Hundred-90 Restaurant and Inn, GA (A young maid was seduced and made pregnant by a sailor who said he loved her and then left town. He vowed to return and marry her, but he was already married. She killed herself.)

Wayside Irish Pub, NY (A young teen, Sara, perhaps believing herself pregnant, hung herself on the third floor. She hasn’t escaped the emotional pain of finding out that she was only her beloved’s mistress and not his first love. She still pines away for him, waiting for him to return.)

Former spectral owners love their business so much, they like to reside in the structures they managed in life.

Thayer’s B & B, MN (Former owners and a variety of spirits who loved this place keep the living company.)

Eldridge Hotel, KS (The spirit of Col. Shalor Eldridge resides here in his afterlife, being a supportive presence, and tries to be helpful.)

Hotel Colorado, CO (The first owner is still front and center in the hotel’s business affairs, even correcting decor mistakes.)

Wayside Irish Pub, NY (The spirit of the owner who built the first hotel and tavern on this piece of land in 1830, resides here, enjoying himself and being a positive, supportive presence.)

Having good memories experienced at a favorite place can draw back spirits who also like to experience food and drink by being amongst the living.

Hangman’s Tree Ice Cream Saloon, CA (Spirits like to be around the living as they enjoy their ice cream.)

Brother Sebastian’s Restaurant and Winery, NE (A spectral patron isn’t letting the fact that he is a spirit stop him from enjoying himself.)

The Flanders Hotel, NJ (A female spirit that the staff calls Emily is still enjoying herself, along with many other former guests now in spirit form. They like to crash social music events.)

Wayside Irish Pub, NY (Spirits who enjoyed the fun in the Wayside Pub and had good memories there like to hang around and watch the living, letting them know that they are there, too.)

(There may have been a bar in the basement, where people enjoyed a drink and a game of cards.)

Being murdered or suffering a betrayal that ends in death can cause restless behavior in the afterlife and a variety of feelings, from wanting to escape memories of their upsetting end by enjoying what the living are doing to chronic bouts of agitation and tension, to wanting justice, and sometimes even to taking it out on people who remind them of their killers.

Harpers Ferry Guesthouse, WV (The Spirit of a well-to-do merchant deeply resents anyone wearing a federal uniform, and shows it in rude behavior. He blames the Union troops for his ruined life and death.)

(He also resents anyone breathing as he doesn’t want to share his house.)

East Wind Inn, ME (The spirit of a woman who was murdered by her husband, the love of her life, has shown her anger at men and has claimed the upper floors as her own, though she has mellowed over the years.)

Lumber Baron Inn and Gardens, CO (Two spirits of young women who were brutally murdered in their room when this place was a low-rent tenement, wait for justice and keep their minds off their awful end by watching the living go about their lives.)

Wayside Irish Pub, NY (The spirit of a 19th Century soldier died from being shot in the back, which implies he knew his killer. Apparently, he was killed in a bar fight. He may have tried to ignore the killer by turning away, and that is when he was killed.)

When the earthly remains are disrespected and not given a proper burial, spirits can be restless.

King’s Tavern, MS (Three people were murdered here and buried in the chimney. They haunt the structure today.)

T’Frere’s House, LA (A school teacher fell down the well, probably by accident. The Catholic Church ruled her death a suicide and buried her outside the Catholic Cemetery. Guess who is restless?)

Easton Library, PA (This Carnegie-funded library was built on top of a closed German Cemetery. Bodies that were not claimed by descendants were dug up and thrown into a mass grave that was paved over to be part of a parking lot entrance. Spirits now reside in the library, despite the library’s attempts to make amends by displaying a map showing here everyone was originally buried.)

Wayside Irish Pub, NY (Urban legend tells the story that the body of the soldier who was killed here was thought to be thrown down a dry well afterwards to hide it.)

Unexpected deaths that victims weren’t ready for, or life-changing wounds that led to death, can cause spirits to want to stay in a comfortable place in this world and continue on with their afterlives.

Fort Ontario, NY (Spirits of soldiers from all eras, and Jewish refugees who unexpectedly died here, still continue on the best they can in spirit form, not always realizing that they are in spirit form or don’t want to move on just yet; seeing only what they want to see.)

Tombstone, AZ (Spirits who unexpectedly died here or who suffered  tremendous or unexpected losses, have chosen to stay and continue on with their lives in town the best they can, sometimes interact with the living, either helpful or rude, depending on what they were like while alive.)

USS Hornet, CA (The spirits of sailors who died unexpectedly in freak accidents, like being decapitated by loose plane cables on the top decks of aircraft carriers, are known to haunt these ships.)

Wayside Irish Pub, NY (The spirits of at least three people who unexpectedly died here still have heavy hearts. Henry was a guest who died of a heart attack, Squire Munroe died suddenly, and an unknown traveler also died of natural causes.)

Children throughout history have been victims of accidents and diseases that would sweep through town, before medical discoveries that gave protection against scourges like small pox, typhoid, diphtheria and yellow fever became available.

Monteleone Hotel, LA (There are many spirit children who play on the 14th floor, some of whom were victims of epidemics.)

Bullock Hotel, SD (A spirit girl who died from small pox, tries to have fun entertaining herself.)

Waverley Plantation House, MS (Two young spirit girls are attached to this mansion. One died from an unknown disease, and one fell down the unfriendly, kid-killer stairs.)

Wayside Irish Pub, NY (A small girl died on the third floor, probably from a disease that was sweeping through town at the time.)

MANIFESTATIONS

In this upbeat pub, the spirits enjoy watching the living owners and employees work, and the patrons having a good time drinking, eating and playing games. Some also are stuck here because of their personal issues, sometimes showing their feelings through interactions with the living in the pub and other hot spots here. They find things to do to amuse themselves as well.

PARANORMAL FINDINGS

Since the reconstruction and renovation of the building in the 1960s, spirits have made themselves known in a variety of ways, feeling very comfortable to do so in such a positive, fun place, so enjoyed by the living. The living who are actively involved with this building are believers that this structure is very spirit-filled indeed.

Because it is so well known to be “haunted”, many paranormal groups ask for permission to come and investigate, though the owner discourages them from coming, not wanting to upset the group of pleasant spirits who reside here.

One group that has been approved and has investigated is the Orange County New York Paranormal Investigators, led by founders Dan and Emily Pacella.

https://www.orangecountynyparanormal.com/investigation-events

Orange County New York Paranormal Investigators Mission Statement: “Our team is dedicated to understanding the history of the places we investigate. We believe in using modern techniques and technology to gather evidence while respecting the spirits that reside there. We work to scrutinize each and every piece of evidence to ensure its legitimacy. We are looking forward to the encounters that lie ahead.”

With their irresistible ways, Dan and Emily and team have caught hard evidence and have had personal experiences with the Wayside Irish Pub’s spirits.

In a phone interview, Dan shared what his team experienced and caught on their equipment. They have found that the spirits were intelligent, friendly and playful.

The first thing they did was to set up various pieces of equipment to see if they could record any voices on the second and third floors, the two areas they were able to investigate. The pub was open to 2:00 AM and was full of jovial patrons having a blast, making loud noises that aren’t conducive to paranormal investigations. That limitation didn’t matter because the spirits came to them.

On the third floor, their equipment recorded a little girl saying, “It hurts!” A disembodied scream was also caught. On the second floor, there was a, “Hi!” and a “Hello,” (friendly greetings indeed.)

When they arrived on the third floor, they tried to contact Sara, but the spirit of the soldier showed up on three different pieces of equipment. He told them he was part of the U.S. Military through Phasma box, and his name was Robert through Ovulus and camera outside the door.

He also told them, “I stopped by here for a night.” “Shot in the back.” Voice said, “In a bar fight!” Because he responded with the U.S. Military and not the Continental Army, he is from the 19th Century.

Before Dan and Emily left that room, they also caught, “Help me!” This could’ve been Robert asking for help to leave and cross over. This makes sense to me because he was so eager to be cooperative, forthcoming and bold about telling who he was and how he died.

As they slowly walked the third floor, investigators heard from a spectral jokester that they found kind of creepy, a disembodied, sing-song voice saying, “I see you.” Perhaps this was Henry, the tease, looking for some chuckles by making them uneasy.

They found Sara in the very back room. They described her as being talkative with a younger voice. Using the voice box, she said “Can’t you see it?,”Talk,” and “Hello!” While they were talking with her, light anomalies were caught by cameras all around where the voice was coming from.

Dan told me that something attached itself to him and followed him around, tugging on his ears, arm hair and clothes like a young person would do, which unsettled him a bit. He suspects that it was Sara who wanted more attention from him. This activity began when he sat down in a second-floor room.

In the second floor bar area, he asked, “Who are you?” A spirit answered “Somebody.” There also recorded a scream.

In the second floor reception area, they heard a disembodied voice that sounded regal, which could’ve been the good Squire Munroe himself, who may have been British or from an upper class family.

They are planning a 2:00 AM investigation when the bar is closed, when the place is quiet and the spirits have it to themselves.

STILL HAUNTED?

A big Yes Indeed is in order.

The Wayside Irish Pub is a favorite of both the living and the spirits. Its flowing, positive and friendly energy makes the restless spirits feel better and forget for a while what is making them unhappy or disappointed in their lives, so sadly cut short. One spirit has requested help in leaving, so hopefully a medium can be invited to help.

LOCATION

101 W. Main Street
Elbridge, NY 13060

The Wayside Irish Pub is located on the Main St. of the small New York village of Elbridge.

SOURCES INCLUDE

The Big Book of New York Ghost Stories, by Cheri Revai, Stackpole Books, 2009.

https://www.orangecountynyparanormal.com/investigations-events

https://www.orangecountynyparanormal.com/evidence

https://waysideirishpub.weebly.com/history.html

Wayside Irish Pub, Elbridge, New York 13060, United States. Created by: Breanna Clark
https://pocketsights.com/tours/place/Wayside-Irish-Pub-58303:6547

https://www.newyorkhauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/wayside-irish-pub.html

https://hauntedhistorytrail.com/explore/wayside-irish-pub

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