Situated along a sweeping bend in the Susquehanna River, Marietta has a colorful history dating back more than two centuries. Originally known as Anderson’s Ferry, the settlement developed into two neighboring communities, New Haven and Waterford, which merged in 1812 to form the borough of Marietta.
During the nineteenth century, Marietta became a bustling center of commerce. Lumber rafts floated down the Susquehanna, canal boats transported goods, and iron furnaces illuminated the riverfront. The arrival of the railroad brought even greater prosperity. Wealthy industrialists built magnificent homes, while hardworking laborers, immigrant workers, and rough-and-tumble river men crowded the town’s taverns.
Among the establishments catering to these travelers was a substantial brick hotel and tavern erected around 1823 at what is now 280 West Front Street. Originally serving ferry passengers and river travelers, the building later welcomed canal workers and railroad passengers. Over the decades, it operated under several names, including the Depot House, Railroad Hotel, and Mrs. Bell’s Boarding House. Today, the historic establishment is known as the Railroad House Inn.
The building continued to evolve with Marietta. During the 1960s, it became a countercultural gathering place, followed by a lively disco in the 1970s. In 1989, the property was transformed into a charming bed-and-breakfast restaurant.
Throughout its long history, thousands of travelers have passed through the Railroad House Inn. But according to local legend, some guests never checked out.
The Haunting of Room 6
Perhaps no room at the Railroad House Inn has a darker reputation than Room 6, where an unnamed guest supposedly ended his life with a gunshot many years ago.
Former owner Donna Chambers had an unsettling experience shortly after moving into the building. While cleaning Room 6, she suddenly heard what sounded like a gunshot. There was no apparent explanation for the noise. Only afterward did she learn of the tragic story associated with the room.
Other visitors have reported equally disturbing experiences.
An employee named Jean Adams once spent the night alone in Room 6. As she lay in bed, she felt the unmistakable sensation of someone climbing onto the mattress beside her. Although no one was visible, she sensed another presence sharing the bed.
Then she reportedly heard a voice complain, “Move over. You’re taking up all the room.”
Understandably unnerved, she shifted to the side. After a short while, the mysterious presence disappeared.
Other guests have reported inexplicable knocking sounds coming from within the room’s walls, as though someone or something was trying to make contact.
And the strange activity hasn’t been confined to Room 6.
While living in a first-floor apartment at the inn, former owners Rick and Donna Chambers occasionally watched their bedroom doorknob move up and down, as if an unseen visitor were attempting to enter. On one occasion, Rick leaped from bed and threw open the door.
The hallway was empty.
The Unwelcome Guest in Room 9
If Room 6 is known for its mysterious noises and unwanted bed companion, Room 9 has earned an even more unsettling reputation.
Several guests have described encounters with what they believed to be a male presence lurking in the room.
One New Year’s Eve, the sister of former owner Raphael Aguon visited from California and spent the night in Room 9. Unaware of the inn’s haunted reputation, she experienced something so disturbing that she confronted her brother the following morning.
Was the place haunted?
When Raphael acknowledged the inn’s reputation, she explained that she had sensed a man standing at the foot of her bed. Whatever she experienced was frightening enough that she refused to spend another night there.
Another woman awakened to the sensation of a male presence attempting to communicate with her. She felt as though the unseen visitor was demanding a response. Finally, she shouted, “Stop!”
A loud thump followed, and the presence vanished.
Still another guest reported hearing footsteps repeatedly approaching her bed, although no one was visible. Then, as she lay beneath the covers, the bedsheets began pulling away from her. Terrified, she clung to her sleeping husband until the disturbance eventually stopped.
Who, or what, might be responsible?
One theory connects the mysterious presence to Colonel Thomas Alexander Scott, the influential Pennsylvania Railroad executive who served as the company’s president from 1874 to 1880. Local histories associate Scott with the Railroad House, and tradition holds that Room 9 was his preferred accommodation.
Scott died in 1881, but the inn’s ghost stories include an intriguing historical mystery. While renovating the building, former owners Rick and Donna Chambers reportedly discovered an old invoice for a keg of beer and a case of wine. The document was dated May 17, 1900, and bore the signature of Thomas Scott. How could a man who had been dead for nearly two decades have signed the receipt? To this day, the mystery remains unresolved.
Nevertheless, guests continue to tell stories of an unseen man who apparently dislikes being ignored.
Other Restless Residents
The unexplained activity extends well beyond the inn’s guest rooms.
Employees have reported footsteps echoing through empty dining rooms, mysterious pushing sensations, and even the sound of a typewriter clattering away somewhere in the building. A search for the phantom machine reportedly turned up nothing.
One waitress descending into the basement spotted a man sitting at the bar. As she passed, he casually greeted her with a friendly “Hello.” When she turned to respond, the mysterious customer had vanished.
Another apparition appears to be much younger.
A former chef once glanced into the mirror behind the bar and saw the reflection of a little girl standing nearby. Startled, he spun around, but no little girl was there. He later reported seeing the same girl near the staircase. Her identity remains unknown.
Not all the inn’s ghosts are confined to the main building.
A former summer kitchen, later converted into guest accommodations and known as the Cottage, reportedly had a particularly unusual resident. Women staying there occasionally awakened to discover an elderly lady sitting in a rocking chair, quietly knitting. Curiously, the apparition seemed to appear only to female guests. By the time their husbands awakened, the mysterious woman had disappeared.
Even the gardens have their own resident spirit.
During the late nineteenth century, a woman named Anne Marie reportedly lived next door to the Railroad House, where she tended the gardens and helped provide food for the inn’s guests. According to local legend, she dreamed of marrying a wealthy traveler who would provide her with a comfortable life. Unfortunately, she died before finding her husband.
Some believe she continues tending the gardens in death, occasionally appearing to male employees and unmarried gentlemen enjoying the inn’s outdoor Biergarten.
Whether these encounters are genuine brushes with the supernatural or simply colorful tales accumulated over two centuries, the Railroad House Inn has earned its place among Lancaster County’s most intriguing haunted landmarks.
And should you decide to spend the night, perhaps it’s best to avoid Room 6 or Room 9. After all, you never know who might join you in bed.
Planning Your Visit
The Railroad House Inn is located at 280 West Front Street, Marietta, PA 17547, offering overnight accommodations, seasonal dining, and a historic cellar bar. The restaurant is generally open Wednesday through Saturday for dinner and Sunday for brunch, while guest rooms are available seven days a week. Check current hours, menus, and room availability at railroadhouseinn.com before visiting.
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Resources
- Railroad House Inn website
- Pennsylvania Canal Hotel and Ferry House, Kyle Cappucci, Elizabethtown College (2021)
- Marietta Restoration Associates: Marietta History.
- Lancaster County Magazine: Casual Fine Dining & Pub Fare (2017)
- Central Pennsylvania LGBT History Project
- Marietta – Historical Marker Database
- Anderson’s Ferry by S. M. Sener
- Ghosts of the River Towns
- Ghosts of the Railroad House
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