Is Abigail's Haunted? Some Say Yes

on Hartford Road is home to the famous legend of Abigail Pettibone, and her restless spirit. The subject of several paranormal investigations — and a favorite of mediums and ghost enthusiasts — the staff and manager of Abigail's have fun with the story, and report several odd occurrences at the historic building.

When the new owners purchased the Pettibone Tavern after the restaurant suffered smoke and water damage in a fire, they were aware of the ghost story, but have not made it the main feature of their marketing. Markus Lehofer, manager of Abigail's, said the ghost story is well known and most patrons of the restaurant are aware of it.

"It wasn't a conscious decision to keep marketing the ghost story. We didn't realize how ingrained that story was," Lehofer said.

"Basically, we went back to the story as it had been told over the last twenty years. The Chart House really ran with the story; they had ghost tours in the attic and the basement," the manager said. "The bottom line is, when a story like that gets started, people add a little bit here and there, and it becomes an entity of its own."

Over the years, dozens of patrons have reported ghostly activity at the restaurant. Such things as candles re-lighting after they'd been blown out, or cold drafts emanating from behind lit fireplaces, and voices calling the names of patrons or employees.

"There is a paranormal entity in the building, they don't mean any harm to anyone, but they have abilities, such as audible voices, creating hot and cold drafts, and moving objects. These are things I've heard from customers (and it) matches with what people who used to work here, or customers, have said about what they've heard and felt."

"It's like you're just standing around working, and you hear your name called, and then turn around and there's nobody there," said Lehofer.

"I've heard my name called," said hostess Meg Kelly. She shuddered as Lehofer recounted some of the stories related by past customers.

Lehofer maintains a healthy skepticism for many of the stories about the haunting, but is definitely willing to believe that the paranormal exists and could be present at the restaurant. He said the thing about the supernatural is that if you are willing to believe in it, you are probably more likely to experience it. Of the activity at the restaurant, he said he has never felt like it is dangerous or scary.

For example, one evening while he and a co-worker were working late in the upper bar area they heard a loud bang, like a large wine bottle falling on the ground. After checking around, they found no evidence of anything falling.

"We went out in the lobby and looked around, and there was no reasonable explanation for what we heard," he said.

Lehofer was checking the lady's bathroom when he heard his co-worker cry out.

"It sounded exactly as if somebody was dragging a sofa across the carpet," his co-worker told him. They found no evidence of anything having been moved, but it prompted them to leave."OK, that's really weird, let's get the heck out of here" was the thinking.

Originally constructed in 1780 in the midst of the Revolutionary War, Pettibone's Tavern as it was known then hosted several historic patriots including Captain Pehlps and Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys. It is likely George Washington and John Adams visited the tavern during the Revolution according to a historical sketch provided by the restaurant. The original tavern burned to the ground in 1800 and was completely rebuilt on the same foundation in 1803.

Abigail Pettibone, the ghost reputed to be haunting the tavern was said to have been married to a whaling captain who was often at sea. One evening, he returned early from a journey and found Abigail in bed with her lover. Legend has it the Captain murdered Abigail and the young man with an ax, and their restless souls still haunt the establishment.

Nobody is quite sure when the legend of Abigail Pettibone was born, and its historical veracity remains dubious, as the famous Ghost Hunters of the Sci-Fi Network reality show reported when they conducted an investigation of the restaurant in 2008. They were unable to detect any paranormal activity, but another ghost hunting outfit called PROOF Paranormal conducted an investigation in October 2009 and claimed to detect two spirits residing at the restaurant.

"Back in the days before refrigeration, back when this was a stagecoach stop, when people would die and the ground was frozen, they would store bodies in taverns like this before they could be buried. They would use an outside wall that could stay cold, so potentially there were deceased people stored here," Lehofer said, offering the possibility for the origin of the haunting spirts.

The PROOF Paranormal investigators claimed two separate spirits were present at Abigail's, a female aged 28 to 34, and a male spirit of indeterminate age. The group spent three nights with electronic recording equipment. According to their official documents, "The investigators reported the feeling of being watched," and "having witnessed 'shadow people' or energy masses moving about the basement and second-floor dining area."

Whether or not supernatural activity exists at Abigail's, one thing is certain, the restaurant provides tremendous atmosphere and character for its patrons. Featuring a great menu, full bar, and several dining areas, the restaurant offers a great experience for the believer and skeptic alike.