Occoquan Virginia
Occoquan Inn and Down Under Tavern
Fooling around with a married person can end in death.
A second spirit also stays, finding chuckles in teasing.
DESCRIPTION
From the outside, the Occoquan Inn: Restaurant and Down Under Tavern looks much as it did back in 1810 when this establishment opened for business, except for the current paint color and the possible additions that may have been made during when the town was growing. I get the feeling that this building wasn’t as big when it was first built, but I have no proof to back up my theory.
Perhaps the first floor was expanded at some point in its history to create another dining area, giving the restaurant some space to host social and special events as well as dining for locals and visitors. The restaurant’s deck off the first floor dining room is found on the left side of the building. People can sit on the back deck and watch the river.
The building still has its historical quality outside and mostly inside as well. Upon arriving, Tom and I liked the green boards and purple shutters on upscale windows, on the first and second floor. The elegant windows of the original bedrooms on the second floor, have dentils along the roofline above them. The rest of the second floor outside structure on either side of these windows have no windows, being built in a plainer style. Perhaps more rooms were added on the second floor as well. Today, some of the rooms on the second floor are perhaps used for storage, private offices or perhaps living quarters for owners or staff.
The first floor of the Occoquan Inn is home to their lovely restaurant, with two dining areas that have many elements of the original dining room and a wonderful, elegant historic aura as well; added to please their patrons. The dining rooms are also large enough to host social events as well.
The Occoquan Inn has been described as “an up-scale dining establishment with a warm and romantic atmosphere” located in an 1810 structure. Their menu offers American cuisine at its finest. Hand Cut Steaks, Lobster Tails, Fresh Seafood, Poultry, and more! Their menu is online.
Their website states:”We have a cold one waiting for you!” Occoquan Inn’s Down Under Tavern was built in the basement area under what used to be the Inn’s dining room, located on the right as you enter it on the first floor. The Occoquan’s Down Under Tavern is more relaxed; boarding on funky but has a pleasant, comfy and homey aura for the drinking crowd who love it.
While having the charms of an 1810 pub, the Down Under Tavern has modern perks that draw in today’s business: “Three Televisions, Discounted Bar Food Menu, Nightly Specials, On-Line Digital Jukebox, Discounted Menu Specials during Football Games, Video Games, Happy Hour; Monday thru Friday.” (Occoquan Inn and Down Under Tavern website).
The Down Under Tavern does its best to entertain its patrons. Sports fans come to enjoy a football, basketball, or baseball game, with their favorite drink. Patrons also like to play table games and video games as well. Customers like to play card and dice games with friends while enjoying a cold brew. There is also a small stage where “live music on Friday and Saturday nights, nightly specials, and discounted Bar Food” are popular as well.
HISTORY
The Occoquan Valley was first settled by the Dogue Indians who gave this area its name. “Occoquan” means “at the head of the water” or “at the end of the water.” It refers to the location of this area in reference to its position near the end of the Occoquan Creek that empties into a major waterway, the Occoquan River.
The town of Occoquan got its start in 1734 as the result of the Virginia General Assembly’s decision to build a Tobacco Warehouse on the north side of the Occoquan River. Twenty years later, the town of Occoquan was a bustling industrial city with “certain forges, tolling mills, bake houses, saw mills, store houses, and dwellings.”
Two factories of great pride were their Iron Works Foundry which is said to have made cannonballs for the Patriots during the Revolutionary War, and having the first automated Grist Mill for the grinding of grains.
In 1795, The Virginia General Assembly voted to create a toll road at the Occoquan River, to create a well made major route that took the traveler from Washington D.C. to Richmond, Virginia. This highway was called Route 1. This first direct highway ran through Occoquan city bringing travelers and businesses to Occoquan, leading to more economic development.
Up into the early 1800s, the Dogan Native Americans lived in peace with citizens of Virginia. They simply left Occoquan Valley when their land was being usurped by incoming people who needed space and places to live.
The town of Occoquan continued to grow and prosper economically with industry, the development of the fishing market, and the cotton industry with all the other businesses needed to create clothing.
In 1805, The great Southern Mail Route came through Occoquan, delivering mail from the North to the South. During the Civil War, it remained the last route to deliver mail between the North and South, because other mail routes were blockaded.
Occoquan became a stop on a Stagecoach line in 1809, which encouraged the growth of the hospitality services in town. In 1810, The Occoquan Inn was built on prime real estate with a view of the river. Locals and travelers enjoyed a meal and perhaps a brew. Rooms on the second floor were either rented out to new workers in town, guests who got off the stagecoach and needed a place to stay, and staff who worked at the Occoquan Inn.
During the Civil War, Union soldiers burned the toll road and the huge cotton mill. Confederate General Wade Hampton made his winter quarters at the Hamilton Hotel in Occoquan.
In 1874, Occoquan became an incorporated city. In 1878, a new bridge was built across the river to replace the one that was burned. The first tourists from Washington D.C. came by boat to enjoy this waterfront town in 1890. This attracted traveling shows and circuses on the wharf at the end of Washington Street.
In 1916, a major fire roared through town destroying much of it. I don’t know if the Occoquan Inn burned. Because they were near the river, they could’ve formed a bucket brigade and saved it from sparks.
In 1929, Route 1 was relocated so it didn’t run through Occoquan, stopping some of the lucrative traveler business, which didn’t help their economy at the beginning of the depression.
In 1972, another disaster, Hurricane Agnes, hit the city, causing flooding that did heavy damage to the buildings along the river, including the Occoquan Inn. With aid money, the owners may have replaced and updated it a bit to meet their needs business-wise.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS
The spirits of people sometimes come back and choose to stay in the structure that they most liked while alive in this world.
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, CA (Spirits of the prominent and the ordinary haven’t checked out for a variety of reasons).
Geiser Grand Hotel, OR (Restoration of formerly fixer-upper opportunities can act as giant environmental triggers, drawing spirits who loved the original building back into this world to relive memories, supervise, encourage the living, and enjoy the renewed surroundings along with the living; sometimes actually doing what they did when they were alive).
Moore’s Old Pine Inn B & B, UT (The original inn building has a houseful of benign, friendly female spirits, and two child entities).
Occoquan Inn and Down Under Tavern, VA (An English gentleman who used to rent one of the rooms of the old Inn has decided to stay in spirit form.
People who are lonely and vulnerable, or don’t understand when to say no to their desires, sometimes enter relationships that they shouldn’t and wind up dead. When they become spirits, they like to hang around the place where they had this relationship, and like to let the living know that they are still there despite any mistakes they have made.
Biltmore Hotel, FL (In the middle of love making with her lover in a room, the woman’s husband showed up and shot them both. Their spirits are still having an affair).
Broadview Hotel, KS (Clarence and his wife checked into the hotel for an event. He found out that his wife was having an affair with another guest. Clarence lost it emotionally and shot his wife, and then threw himself off the balcony in despair).
Cary House Hotel, CA (A rather cheeky, but dedicated male concierge spirit met his end after he flirted with the wrong woman. His spirit continues to flirt with living women).
Occoqun Inn and Down Under Tavern, VA (When the local Native Americans Dogue tribe were pushed off their land by settlers, they left Occoquan except for one lone male Dogue Native American. Being alone, he “sought company” with the wife of the owner of Down Under Tavern, and lived upstairs in one of the rooms. They became romantically involved and slept together. Uh Oh. Eventually, this Dogue Native American was caught coming down the stairs from his lover’s bedroom to the first floor, and was shot dead by the woman’s husband).
MANIFESTATIONS
The Spirit of the Dogue Indian
He is described as being tall with long black hair, with a dignified demeanor.
He is polite and well-mannered.
Keeps Himself Busy
He likes to visit the inn, restaurant and tavern.
He walks up and down the stairs. His footsteps are heard as he does so.
He may visit the bedroom where he and the wife of the owner used to have their flings, remembering all the desire they had for each other.
His Personal Appearances
He likes to appear in the smoke of the fireplace downstairs in the restaurant.
He has been seen in the large mirror in the upstairs Ladies’ Bathroom.
The Spirit of The English Gentleman
This spirit is known for his “puckish sense of humor.”
He finds ways to amuse himself, teasing the people who come to the restaurant and tavern.
Entertaining Himself
He loves to lock the Ladies’ Bathroom from the inside, and likes to turn on the water faucets in the men’s bathroom, as people walk out of the bathroom.
He sometimes chooses a customer to startle for the fun of it. One patron was playing a game that used dice. When it was his turn, one of the dice was missing. The spirit threw the missing dice right at the patron, which unnerved him for a moment.
His Unseen Presence
While he hasn’t appeared to the living, owners and staff sitting in the bar have felt a bone chilling air surround them that stands up all the hairs of the body.
Then, it goes away, as the spirit moves on.
His Other Interests
Perhaps this spirit tries to be helpful as well.
He borrows tools. He takes items like hammers and returns them a few days later leaving them in the same spot that a living person had left them.
He likes to open the cash register and stack neatly into piles of all the quarters and dimes, perhaps having an interest in how much money was made.
PARANORMAL FINDINGS
Both spirits have been around for a long time, which means many people have had personal experiences with them through the years.
Paranormal Research for Bothersome Entities have had an investigation here and rated it P3: Substantial Activity (EVPs, Footsteps, etc.). Two of their investigators saw a white mist floating out of the restaurant and going up the stairs.
STILL HAUNTED?
Yes Indeed! It is considered one of the most haunted buildings in Occoquan. The spectral English jokester enjoys being with the guests and staff, and the spirit of the The Spirit of the Dogue Native American still has fond memories of the love affair that got him killed, and enjoys being at the inn and tavern.
LOCATION
301 Mill Street
Occoquan, Virginia 22125
http://www.occoquaninn.com
Occoquan Inn: Restaurant and Down Under Tavern is located in the historic down town of Occoquan, at the corner of Mill Street and Union Street. As Mill Street runs parallel to the Occoquan River, the Occoquan Inn Restaurant deck and the rooms above it have splendid view of the Occoquan River.
SOURCES INCLUDE
- The Ghosts of Virginia
by L.B. Taylor Jr. pg. 180-181
Progressive Printing Company – 1993 - The Ghost Hunter’s Field Guide
By Rich Newman
Llewellyn Productions – 2011 - occoquaninn.com/our-ghost-story/
- occoquaninn.com/down-under/
- historicoccoquan.com/history/HistoricTimes.htm
- historicoccoquan.com
- www.ghostprobe.com/id16.html
Our Haunted Paranormal Stories are Written by Julie Carr
Our Photos are copyrighted by Tom Carr
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