Gettysburg Pennsylvania
Inn At Herr Ridge
Spectral, fun-loving Confederate soldiers can’t resist anything run by electricity.
The spirits of past owners probably still enjoy their memories,
as well as doing some subtle supervising.
The spirits will let the living know that they are there in startling ways.
DESCRIPTION
“Something for everyone during every season.”
The inn is an elegant beauty! Originally known as Herr Tavern and Publick House, the people who have owned it since 2008 renamed it The Inn At Herr Ridge. This 32,000 sq ft establishment falls under the real estate category of being “a Banquet, Bed and Breakfast, Inn.”(https://www.crexi.com/properties/1160924/pennsylvania-the-inn-at-herr-ridge)
It was put on the market on June 12th 2023, at the price of $2,495,000. After seven months on the market, as of January 30th, 2024, it is now still for sale. It is unpriced, as the owners are looking for the best offer.
It is a very tempting property, as it offers so much! There are three main dining areas, and two other smaller ones as well. There are twenty seats on the front porch, the breakfast area has eighteen seats, the old tavern has thirty seats, the bar seats twenty, and the main dining area has room for fourteen people.
There is a large banquet room that seats fifty guests in the inn’s wing. The wooden barn wedding/event/meeting facility can seat two-hundred people, with a service bar and concrete floors.
The restored inn is authentic with much appreciated amenities added, aimed at romantic couples who are willing to spend more money for a memorable experience in an historic and lavish inn. Bed and Breakfast rooms one through four, are part of the original structure, and come with fun-loving spirits. Rooms five through twelve are located in the wing of the original structure. Rooms fourteen through eighteen are on the first and second floors and the lower level.
Room twelve is used as the massage room. There is also a spa on the property.
Most of the rooms come with a gas fireplace, jacuzzi shower/tub, but two of them come with a shower-tub. In the annex, now called the apartments, there are “four unique guest suites,” that each have their own kitchen/living room.
HISTORY
Its beginning stretches back to 1815, when Thomas Sweeny constructed his Sweeney Tavern and Publick House in a very good location, on a ridge with a great view, and near a major roadway that led west, the road now known as Highway 30. It became a favorite watering hole, and a place for visitors to spend the night.
During the early 1800s, Thomas fell into the bad company of robber David Lewis, who started another illegal venture, counterfeiting, in the basement.
Unfortunately, Thomas’ prosperity circled the drain, and he was forced into bankruptcy in 1827, and sold it all to Frederick Herr and his family. Frederick changed the inn’s name to Herr Tavern and Publick House, which he and his wife Suzanne successfully ran for almost forty years.
Frederick Herr allowed a friend to set up his counterfeiting business in the basement. Frederick laundered this funny money to travelers who stayed in his inn, and were going west. Neither man was ever caught.
During the 1850s, the Herr family’s facilities were part of the Underground Railroad that ran through the nearby city of Chambersburg, helping former slaves to escape to Canada.
On the evening of June 30th, 1863, the night before the Battle of Gettysburg, Union General John Buford’s Cavalry camped on Herr Ridge, near Frederick’s tavern and inn. The calvary men probably had a drink or two in there, and even a meal.
Early the following morning, on July 1st, a few gun shots were heard, before the fireworks of war began in the valley down below, and traveled up the ridge to Herr’s backyard.
The Herr family and their overnight guests nervously watched from the Publick House’s rooftop terrace the battles taking place all around them and in the valley below. One shell hit the corner of the Publick House, causing little damage but resulted in unwanted thrills.
The Confederate forces pushed Buford’s troops off Herr’s property to just outside of Gettysburg, at the cost of many wounded. Hurt soldiers wandered into the Herr’s yard, and barn.
Herr Tavern and Publick House became the first hospital for wounded Confederate soldiers, being so close to ground zero. The Herr family found themselves hosting surgeons and the wounded, trying to comfort the dying, and feeding everyone else.
All the common space was used for patients. The original four rooms became operating rooms, where limbs were cut off and thrown out the windows into wagons to combat the threat of gangrene. No anesthetic was available, and sterilizing instruments was unheard of. Many died there.
In 1868, Frederick Herr died, much to his surprise. His establishment was sold to the Read family, who had their own ideas. The tavern and public house building were renamed The Reynolds Hotel, and reopened as a full-serve hotel, bar and boarding house (extended stay inn). It offered rooms, food and drinks for the many visitors who came to see where the Battle of Gettysburg took place.
This whole property was sold many times to people with ideas on how to use it throughout the years.
After visitors started staying in the hotels and inns located in town around the turn-of-the-century, it was sold to a private owner who set up his commercial dairy farm.
In 1910, a teacher by the name of Maude Boucher set up her school of music in the old public house.
Sometime during the 20th century, it became a rental property for many years. In 1977, a real go-getter by the name of Steven Wolf bought the property, with plans to restore it and improve it for modern uses.
In May of 1978, he opened Herr Tavern and Public House Bed and Breakfast. It had four guest rooms, a restaurant with five dining areas, and the “casual-atmosphere” Livery Tavern, which has an outside deck as well.
Steve enjoyed great success until the huge 1987 windstorm that almost leveled the oldest section of the Public House. Undaunted, he rebuilt and restored it once again, and perhaps added some newer touches and improvements.
In 1997, Steve reinvested money back into his business by building a wing off the original inn, for the banquet room and seven additional guest rooms, expanding his opportunities to serve the needs of the community and travelers.
In 2001, he bought the property next door, and built an annex, which became home to “four unique guest suites,” that came with their own kitchens and other perks.
He now had sixteen upscale guest rooms, with amenities to please the kind of guests he hoped to attract.
In 2008, Steve sold it to new owners who changed the name to Inn At Herr Ridge. They continued in the tradition of appealing to up-and-coming tourists by focussing on adding elegance and amenities. These perks also attract people looking for a romantic place to stay, like couples celebrating anniversaries, newlyweds’ honeymoons and other occasions.
Hopefully soon, some prospective owners will fall in love with this place, and continue to run it with enthusiasm.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS
Structures that have been used for war hospitals, often have spirits of soldiers who didn’t survive their injuries.
Biltmore Hotel, FL (During World War 2, it was a hospital for recovering soldiers, some of whom died there. These spirits have chosen to spend their afterlives in this beautiful hotel).
Carnton Mansion, KY (During the Civil War, it became a Confederate hospital for the wounded of all ranks. Some of the spirits of soldiers and officers who died here have moved in, and made the place their residences in their afterlives).
Gettysburg Hotel, PA (This hotel became a very busy hospital for many wounded soldiers, as it was located near the battlefield. The spirits of soldiers and a nurse are spectral residents now).
The Inn At Herr Ridge, PA (The spirits of some of the soldiers who died in the hospital set up at the inn, still reside here).
The spirits of soldiers, many of whom were young men when they died, find ways to have fun and tease the living for their personal chuckles.
General Wayne’s Inn, PA (The spirits of Hessian soldiers knew how to entertain themselves. Besides playing with anything electrical, they enjoyed the tea, and blew air on women’s necks who were sitting at the bar).
Kolb Court Housing Development, GA (An exclusive housing development was built on the former Kolb Court farmland and battlefield. The new homeowners soon found their recent purchases being visited by spirits of soldiers who died there. One soldier actually moved inside of one couple’s home, and had fun teasing them).
Cashtown Inn, PA (The spirit of a soldier who died inside from his wounds, likes to tease the living by making bedside checks).
Inn At Herr Ridge, PA (The good-natured spirits of wounded soldiers who died here, love to play with modern devices, and find ways to startle the living, both staff and guests).
People who have had to leave their forever jobs or businesses due to circumstances beyond their control, or who die before they were ready, may decide to reside there, doing what they can to encourage and help the next owners of their property.
Bair Bistro, WA (Located in the historic Bair Drug and Hardware store building, their personnel have the help of the former owner, the spirit of Warren L. Bair himself, who wants to spend his afterlife working in his beloved store).
Boulder Theater and Cafe, CO (During the 1920s, it was called The Curran Theatre, and George Paper was the manager who loved his job. He died suddenly from a freaky accident while he was trying to fix a ceiling light. He refused to accept his death, and continued on as a spectral owner/manager, giving himself new responsibilities).
Hotel Colorado, CO (The spirit of the first owner is still front and center, even correcting decor mistakes).
Inn At Herr Ridge, PA (The spirits of two of the early owners, Thomas Sweeny who had to sell, and Frederick Herr, who died before he was ready, may be residing here to offer a positive aura, an encouraging atmosphere, and to supervise in subtle ways).
MANIFESTATIONS
Electrical Gadgets are Fun!
People who were living during the Civil War only had oil lamps for light sources. The spirits are fascinated by electricity and can’t help being drawn to electric-powered items.
Spirits of soldiers love to turn on and off lights of all kinds, TV sets, fans and any other electrical device that presents itself as being fun to play with.
Signs of Residential Spirits
People hear disembodied voices and footsteps throughout the inn.
Perhaps the spectral owners, Frederick and Suzanne, and Tom, are discussing ideas and opinions.
Doors and windows may open and close by themselves.
One sign of spectral supervision is that items are moved to places that spirits think are better spots.
Personal Appearances
Staff and owners have seen full apparitions making themselves at home all over the inn.
In rooms one through four, spirits of soldiers like to appear by the rooms’ fireplaces.
The spirits are happy, at ease, and in good moods, creating a welcoming aura.
People can feel cold spots and sense unseen presences keeping them company.
Hey! I’m Here!
Unseen presences find startling, fun ways to announce to the living that they are there.
The spirits like to jiggle the door handles of all the guest rooms.
They probably know the staff’s names, or even the guests, and call out to them.
They may do bed checks with the guests in rooms one through four.
The spirit in room one likes to relight candles that the guest has just blown out.
Fun in the Bar
Spirits may gently touch the living. While sitting on the stools in the bar, people have felt someone unseen gently push them forward.
Spirits in the bar like to play with the hanging glasses by moving them gently, from side to side.
An unseen presence moved between two people who were sitting on stools at the bar. They both heard a disembodied voice ask for a beer.
PARANORMAL FINDINGS
The owners, the staff and guests have all had personal experiences with the friendly bunch of spirits.
The staff have their own spirit stories that they may share with “polite” guests.
Guests who stay in the original four rooms, have books in their rooms to write down their experiences.
Spirits who visit the bar still enjoy seeing people drink, yearn for their own drink, and have fun with the other living customers.
STILL HAUNTED?
Yes Indeed! Spirits of soldiers are having too much fun to move on, and are content to spend their afterlives here.
The spirits of Tom, Frederick and Suzanne may enjoy staying in their old business, very pleased with how living owners have built it up so nicely.
LOCATION
900 Chambersburg Road
Gettysburg, PA 17325
The inn’s location ensured that it would never be abandoned. It is near Hwy 30, perched on a ledge that overlooks the valley.
SOURCES INCLUDE
- Photos taken by Tom Carr
- The Big Book of Pennsylvania Ghost Stories, By Mark Nesbitt and Patty A Wilson, Stackpole Books, 2008.
- https://www.innatherrridge.com/about-us.html
- http://www.city-data.com/guides/pa/gettysburg/accommodations-herr-tavern-publick-house-30745.html
- https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/usa/top-ten-states-to-visit-2024/
- The Terrifying Tale Of Pennsylvania’s Haunted Inn At Herr Ridge Will Give You Nightmares, By Beth Price-Williams|Published March 11, 2021
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inm2jexTvBYHaunted Collector: “Spirits of Gettysburg/Headless Horseman” Sneak Peek | S3E6 |
- https://www.gettysburgtimes.com/life_entertainment/columns/article_b754f18e-f609-5d9e-bf63-5f73e2ef5a25.html
- https://www.crexi.com/properties/1160924/pennsylvania-the-inn-at-herr-ridge
