Some paranormal activity is connected to home ownership, but it can also come from murders caused by adultery, cruelty, and probably greed.

”We have taken control! The living are now our source of amusement as we try to make them leave. It isn’t as fun as killing, but scaring them will have to do for now.”

DESCRIPTION

Tom and I visited it when the restaurant and tavern building was empty of patrons, and for sale.

The King’s Tavern building has three stories, is 237 years old, making it the oldest structure in the very old river port city of Natchez, MS, which got its start during the time of Spanish settlement way back in the 1700s.

Besides the wood from sailing ships and river boats, sun-dried bricks were also used as building material. The result is a building which has an ambiance and decor of another era from the outside.

Though the outside of the Kings Tavern has the rustic 1780s authentic wooden /brick architectural style, the inside on the first floor has brick walls and is a lovely place for cozy, quiet, intimate meals in one section, and a tavern in another area.

The second floor is very much designed in the arts and crafts style, with nice wooden tables and chairs to complement the charm of the place. It must be for regular dining, as well as banquets, dinner parties, luncheons, receptions and other meetings.

The King’s Tavern also provides meals for the large tour buses full of visitors who are traveling along the Natchez Trace Pathway on either the first or second floor.

The third floor has bedroom areas that can be set up to rent to bed and breakfast travelers, or more likely very brave paranormal investigators.

HISTORY

Around 1769, when the British moved in and established Fort Panmure. The King’s Tavern building was originally built to be a block house for the fort. As there was no saw mill near this frontier town, this building and other structures were constructed using beams taken from scrapped New Orleans sailing ships, which were brought to Natchez via mule.

Another source of wood used in the King’s Tavern building construction were barge boards from flat river boats, which were dismantled and sold after arriving in Natchez with their goods after traveling down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Boatmen couldn’t take their flat boats back up these rivers, so they just added to their profit by selling the boats as wood, which was needed to build Natchez.

After the Revolutionary War in 1776, the British left town, and the Spanish took over for a while. They eventually vacated as well, leaving the town of Natchez On-the-Hill with little protection from the lawlessness that grew. The development of three streets of buildings in the area right down by the docks, known as “Natchez Under-the-Hill,“ became a wild and woolly frontier river port, serving the public that had unsavory interests: gambling, paid sex and drinking. It was the red light district on steroids.

During this time, people with no redeeming values also settled into Natchez, to prey on the boatmen and visitors, making a living from gambling, and robbing people, sometimes not thinking twice about killing their victims.

After selling their goods and their flat boats for lumber, boatmen would spend the night at the King’s Tavern, and then head home along the Natchez Trace Pathway. Highwaymen would hold them up, and usually kill them.

In 1789, a New Yorker by the name of Richard King moved his family to Natchez on-the-hill where he bought this block home and opened a combination tavern/inn/as well as the place where the town’s mail was dropped off.

His inn business was very successful because of the need for boatmen and weary stage riders to have a secure place to rest for the night. The upstairs rooms on the third floor were comfortable accommodations.

Selling drinks to townspeople and visitors as well was also a money maker. King also found himself to be very popular with people, because he received/sent the town’s mail. Everyone congregated on the steps of his tavern, socializing and reading their mail. He enjoyed a celebrity status, and he and his wife became prominent and very much respected people in Natchez.

Unfortunately, the Kings couldn’t refuse to rent to the highway men who had no self-control or mercy. The infamous, sadistic Harpe brothers were beasts who took delight in torturing, mutilating and finally killing their victims.

The Harpe brothers as well as other such men would then return to Natchez and stimulate the economy, perhaps buying a drink or staying at the King’s Tavern, if not in the Natchez Under-the-Hill area.

However, with the invention of the steamboat, which could travel down and up the river as well, the need for this dangerous foot travel along Natchez Trace ended with this form of modern transportation. This development cut down on the lucrative stage business significantly, dropping the economic activity at the King’s Tavern.

Richard King sold the King’s Tavern in 1817. The building was once again a private home, becoming the Postlewaite/Bledsoe forever family home for several generations, a total of 150 years, beginning in 1823.

In 1973, the building was sold and it eventually became a tavern and restaurant to serve both locals and visitors, taking the original name, The King’s Tavern. It opened to both the living and the spirits who reside there. It became famous for its delicious steaks.

The Covid years were hard on the owners, who were foreclosed on by the bank. As of 2025, this property is still for sale, so I bet the bank is eager to sell it. Interested in buying a haunted restaurant and tavern? Apparently, not many people are. Perhaps it has too many strong spirits for it to be used as a commercial business, but may be sold as a paranormal hot spot for investigators.

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS

There are two theories as to why King’s Tavern has spirits. I will present both as possibly being the true cause of the manifestations, as each may be partially right. Though I respect the research done, it is possible that they missed some information in their efforts.

The newest theory comes from the Mississippi Paranormal group who state on (https://msspiparanews.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/haunted-natchez-and-king%E2%80%99s-tavern) that members of the Postlewaite/Bledsoe families who lived there for 150 years are the likely candidates.

This group claims that the other stories of murder are not true because they couldn’t find the facts to back them up. They don’t believe that bodies were found, and that people would’ve noticed the decomp.

(Ghost Adventures, Season 8, episode 17, showed us the pictures taken in 1974 by The Democratic Newspaper of the dagger being held by its female owner, and the reprinted black and white photos of the three skeletons found in the chimney during the 1930 renovations).

If it wasn’t murder, what could explain the hauntings?

Former spectral owners sometimes resent how the living have taken control of their house.

McRaven House, MS (So many spirits who reside here didn’t like the living staying in their house, so now it is a museum, and favorite hot spot for ghost hunters to visit).

SK Pierce House, MA (“The Living have no rights. We impose our will. You serve our whims).”

Hampton Lilibridge Townhouse, GA (A disturbing presence was felt by all in the bedrooms that of a former owner not willing to share the house at first).

The King’s Tavern, MS (The angry and frustrated male spirit may be upset with the living for some reason, and tries to get them to leave).

Sometimes women who claim their home as theirs, choose to reside as spirits, and continue to fulfill their roles as matriarchs.

Longwood House Museum, MS (Julia Nutt made the best of it, while living in an unfinished mansion, by enjoying the rooms and blessings she had, such as her family and her many rose gardens. Her spirit continues to stay in her forever home, still being the matriarch. She is willing to work with the living people around her).

The Edith Wharton Estate: The Mount, MA (Matriarch Edith Wharton is still the gracious hostess and employer, always cordial with both visitors, docents and employees).

Goodman-LeGrand House Museum, TX (The spirit of Sallie finds ways to subtly let the curator know in pleasant ways that she is pleased with the museum and the curator’s efforts to find more treasures still in boxes).

The King’s Tavern, MS (Elizabeth Postlewaith and her husband bought the tavern from the Kings and turned it back into a family home. Only three years later, her husband died of Yellow Fever. Not about to give up, Elizabeth moved in with their eight children and raised them there. She died in the house and apparently never left).

Sometimes if a servant is disgruntled while alive, they can haunt the place that they think mistreated them.

Ringwood Manor, NJ (The spirits of a cranky spectral owner and the restless servants she abused reside in this house museum).

The Eagle Hotel, PA (The spirit of the maid who was under harsh criticism, lost her mind and burned down the hotel, killing herself).

John S. Cain House, CA (The spirit of a surly Chinese maid still has a grudge)!

The King’s Tavern, MS (The servant girl, Madeline may have indeed had an affair with Richard, but maybe Mrs. King simply fired her).

The well-known, accepted reasons are the murders of Richard’s mistress Madeline, a baby, and two unknown men.

Cold blooded murders can lead to hauntings by the victims and sometimes their murderers.

Mission San Miguel, CA (Victims of a vicious slaughter are restless spirits. Their dastardly murderers are reliving their evil deeds, or are stuck in this world).

The Bissman Building, OH (The traumatized spirit of Peter Bissman’s granddaughter, nine-year-old Ruthie, was assaulted in life and brutally murdered in the building’s basement and found in a pickle barrel. According to EVPs, Ruthie is afraid of an evil spirit that visits the building. He may have been the person who brutally murdered her, and may be checking to see if she told on him).

Ashley’s of Rockledge, FL (The spirit of Ethel Allen’s killer is stuck here, worrying what her spirit who haunts the place will reveal about him).

King’s Tavern, MS (The spirits of one or two of the male murderers who killed Madeline and perhaps the others may be stuck here to spend eternity).

(Baby Killer Strikes … .The younger Harpe brother was having a drink at the tavern, paying for it with some stolen robbery money. A mother with a fussy baby was staying in the attic room, trying to quiet the child. Harpe swaggered from the tavern area, went up to this attic room, and grabbed the baby away. He swung the child by its feet, smashing it hard against the brick wall, killing it. The spirit of the guilty Harpe brother may visit to be sure that the spirit of the woman doesn’t tell on him).

Adultery or jealousy can lead to murder, when the killer feels justified in doing so.

Plains Hotel, WY (On the newly married couple’s honeymoon, a distraught bride shot her newly beloved, his sex partner, and then shot herself).

Ashley’s of Rockledge, FL (Ethel Allen, who loved to flirt with customers in the tavern, was brutally murdered by a jealous suitor).

O’Henry’s Roadhouse Building, IL (A gangster with temper and jealousy issues killed brutally).

The King’s Hotel, MS (Sometimes being a wealthy, prominent and well-liked individual can create the false impression that such a person can get away with anything. Richard and his wife fell into that trap. Richard King had hired a pretty, sixteen-year-old named Madeline, a beautiful, engaging young woman as a server. Richard seduced Madeline, and she gladly became his mistress in a hot passionate affair. YIKES!).

(The story goes that the stately Mrs. King found out about their illicit love. Supposedly she decided to hire some thugs, perhaps one of the Harpe brothers, from Natchez Under-the-Hill, to stab Madeline. While Madeline didn’t get a cement kimono or go to sleep with the fishes, Mrs. King or the man who killed her took Madeline’s body and bricked her up along with two other victims in the chimney wall in the main room of the basement tavern).

Disturbing the remains of the dead can cause hauntings.

The Easton Library, PA (The land of the old German Cemetery was designated the spot for the new Carnegie Library to be built. Bodies that weren’t claimed by families, were dug up and put into a common grave in the parking lot. The graves of two historically important people were moved to a spot in front of the library. The result is that the library is now enjoyed by both the living and the spirits).

The Cedar Grove Mansion, MS (The joint has traditionally been jumping because family graves were moved from the backyard to a city cemetery).

Kelton House, OH (In June of 1864, Sophia’s and Fernando’s eldest son, 18-year-old Oscar Kelton, was killed in Mississippi, fighting the Confederate Army. Fernando asked his son’s buddies where they buried him, and he went and retrieved the body. The spirit of Oscar now resides at the family home).

The King’s Tavern, MS (During the 1930s, the Postlewaith family needed to do some renovations to shore up the building. While repairing the chimney/fireplace in the main room of the tavern, the mummified bodies of Madeline and two men were discovered. The murder weapon, a dagger, was found in another fireplace in another room. Although all three bodies were respectfully buried, the spirits attached to the bodies now reside in the building. As there is no record of this, perhaps they were buried by the coroner’s office in an undisclosed place after being examined).

Sometimes the spirits of murder victims are angry, wanting justice, or can’t rest until their story is revealed.

Lumber Baron Inn and Gardens, CO (Two young women were murdered by a fellow tenant. Their spirits stay in their former room, and forget about how they died by watching the living, and making friends with the other spectral residents who support them. They want justice, as do the other spirits who reside there).

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, TX (The spirit of the murder victim in a robbery that took place here still patrols the building, looking for his killer, wanting justice).

Legal Tender Saloon and Eating House, NM (During the 2000s, a local young woman disappeared, probably kidnapped and killed. Her body was never found. Her spirit found her way to this building, where she expresses her anger and frustration).

The King’s Tavern, MS (The two male murder victims could be slaves, servants or tavern guests who annoyed Mrs. King in some manner. Most probably, they were boatmen or travelers killed by the same men who killed Madeline, around the same time. While both want justice, one of them also shows the living how angry he is feeling).

(The spirits of the murdered baby and its mother are still trying to find peace. The baby wants its needs met, and the mother is still trying to comfort it to try to prevent the baby’s murder, as she relives the whole awful event).

Other spirits of murder victims just make the best of it and continue to enjoy being with the living, engaging in tomfoolery.

Ashley’s of Rockledge, FL (Ethel Allen was brutally murdered in this building. Her spirit has been trying to enjoy this world, while telling the living in various ways what happened to her).

Glensheen Mansion and the Congdon Estates, MN (Matron Elizabeth and her faithful nurse Velma Pietela were violently murdered by her daughter Marjorie who planned it, and the killer, hubby Rodger, known as the couple from Hell. Rather than focus on the betrayal, the spirits of Elizabeth and Velma have found peace by enjoying the property, and watching the living enjoy it too).

The Scarlett O’Hara Pub, FL (The male victim of a spiteful murderer enjoys watching people have fun. He shares his unhappy story while playfully getting his own chuckles).

The King’s Tavern, MS (The spirit of Madeline chooses to not think about her violent demise, but focuses on playfully getting her chuckles letting people know she is still there).

MANIFESTATIONS

The violence of the past has resulted in spirits of various moods.

The spirits from the Postlewaite/Bledsoe families have different opinions about the living in their house.

PARANORMAL FINDINGS

The paranormal activity started when renovations were done in the 1930s. The awakening of the spirits has also activated others connected to the building or the spectral victims.

Former owners, staff, patrons and investigators through the years have had many personal experiences with the spirits mentioned above. Some of the spirits have talked via EVPs.

The more sinister spirit or spirits have claimed the building. Some of these more aggressive spirits have grown powerful enough to attach to, or possess the living, as the Ghost Adventures crew and other groups have found out.

One creepy EVP that was recorded by the Ghost Adventures crew, was “We’ll get ya!” After that, both Zac and Nick felt like a strong spirit trying to take them over, but didn’t quite do it.

Many groups have conducted investigations here. A lot of hard evidence has been caught. Zac of Ghost Adventures sat near the basement tavern fireplace and got two names, Andy and Madeline.

In the Attic, a misty apparition was filmed sitting in the rocking chair, and then floated over to another chair beside it.

Smoke and Mirrors Paranormal group caught many EVPs, one of them a young child’s voice saying “Mommy!” Madeline also told them her name.

To see what else they caught or experienced, catch Ghost Adventures on Discovery Plus, Season 8, Episode 17.

STILL HAUNTED?

Yes Indeed!

The King’s Tavern has more than its fair share of strong spirits who have their issues. One female spirit wants to be helped. Some benign spirits are willing to share the building, while others have grown powerful, and want to bully the living.

The building needs to be exorcised of some of the more aggressive spirits, perhaps leaving the benign spirits who want to stay. As it is, it would be hard to run a business here.

Perhaps The King’s Tavern will follow in the foot steps of other famous haunted properties, with too many spirits. Waverley Hills (KY), The Whaley House (CA), The Dumas Brothel, McRaven House, and SK Pierce House are now museums, and offer paranormal tours and favorite hotspots for paranormal investigations.

LOCATION

619 Jefferson Street,
Natchez, Mississippi 39120
(601) 446-8845

King’s Tavern can be found near the corner of North Union Street and Jefferson Street, in the Historical downtown section of Natchez.

Get off 84 at the South Canal exit. Go right on Canal Street until you come to Jefferson Street. Turn right and travel around 4 blocks until you come to N. Union Street. The King’s Tavern is on the left hand side of Jefferson, a few buildings past N. Union Street.

SOURCES INCLUDE

• natchezms.com
• cableone.net
• prairieghosts.com
• wlbt.com
• Haunted Places: The National Directory, by William Dennis Hauk, The Penguin Group, 2002
• Haunted Inns of the Southeast, by Sheila Turnage, John F. Blair, Publisher, 2001
• Discovery Plus, Ghost Adventures, The King’s Tavern, Season 8, Episode 17
• https://msspiparanews.wordpress.com/2011/04/23/haunted-natchez-and-king%E2%80%99s-tavern/

Our Haunted Paranormal Stories are Written by Julie Carr

Our Photos are copyrighted by Tom Carr

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VIDEOS TO WATCH:

The Library – Volume 12 – The King’s Tavern | Natchez, Mississippi – It’s Haunted History 

The Haunting of King’s Tavern and the Bloody History of the Harpe Brothers | Natchez, MS

MISSISSIPPI – King’s Tavern! – Paranormal America Episode 23

King’s Tavern Investigation by Southern Paranormal

The King’s Tavern, Natchez, Mississippi

The Dark And Haunted History of The Kings Tavern