Titles in the America’s Haunted Road Trip Series:
Ghosthunting Florida
Ghosthunting Kentucky
Ghosthunting Illinois
Ghosthunting Maryland
Ghosthunting New Jersey
Ghosthunting Ohio
Ghosthunting Pennsylvania
Ghosthunting Texas
Ghosthunting Virginia
Also of interest:
Cincinnati Haunted Handbook
Haunted Hoosier Trails
More Haunted Hoosier Trails
Ghosthunting New York City
COPYRIGHT © 2010 by L’Aura Hladik
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any fashion, print, facsimile, or electronic, or by any method yet to be developed, without the express permission of the copyright holder.
Published by Clerisy Press
Distributed by Publishers Group West
Printed in the United States of America
First edition, first printing
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hladik, L’Aura.
Ghosthunting New York City/L’Aura Hladik.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 000).
ISBN-13: 978-1-57860-448-7
ISBN-10: 1-57860-448-6
1. Haunted places—New York (State)—New York.
2. Ghosts—New York (State)—New York. I. Title.
BF1472.U6H593 2010
133.109747’1—dc22
2010020570
Editor: John Kachuba
Cover design: Scott McGrew
Cover and interior photos provided by L’Aura Hladik unless otherwise credited.
Clerisy Press
PO Box 8874
Cincinnati, OH 45208-0874
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Welcome to America’s Haunted Road Trip
Introduction
BARS AND RESTAURANTS
CHAPTER 1 Bridge Café
Bridge Café is said to be the oldest bar in continuous operation in New York City. As you’re enjoying the signature pineapple martini, you might hear a picture falling off the wall or the ghost of Gallus Mag pounding across the floor upstairs.
CHAPTER 2 Brooklyn Inn
The Brooklyn Inn is a cozy place at the corner of Hoyt and Bergen Streets, complete with a mysterious ghost lurking at the end of the bar.
CHAPTER 3 Ear Inn
A ghost named Mickey may give you a pinch or a shove as you sit at the bar of the Ear Inn.
CHAPTER 4 Manhattan Bistro
The ghost of Elma Sands might dine with you here. If you order a bottle of wine, it may serve itself by flying off the shelf.
CHAPTER 5 McSorley’s Old Ale House
A traditional Irish pub with a nontraditional ghost or two, plus the famous McSorley’s cat.
CHAPTER 6 Old Bermuda Inn
Mysterious fires and a glowing light in the window signify that Martha Mesereau is waiting for her husband to come home from the Civil War.
CHAPTER 7 One If By Land, Two If By Sea
This romantic restaurant is home to the ghosts of Aaron Burr and his daughter, Theodosia.
CHAPTER 8 White Horse Tavern
Have a drink at the same bar as Dylan Thomas did—but don’t consume as many whiskey shots as he did, or you too will end up haunting the tavern.
CHURCHES
CHAPTER 9 St. Mark’s in-the-Bowery
The ghost of “Peg-Leg Peter” is just a hobble behind you here.
CHAPTER 10 St. Paul’s Chapel
A site of shelter after the September 11, 2001 attacks, St. Paul’s also has a headless body buried in its graveyard. The ghost returns regularly in search of his head.
CHAPTER 11 Trinity Episcopal Church and Graveyard
Alexander Hamilton is buried here, and his spirit wanders the graveyard periodically in search of his nemesis, Aaron Burr.
HISTORICAL SITES
CHAPTER 12 Conference House
Captain Billopp still guards his former home, The Conference House, with the help of some British soldiers who were buried in the basement.
CHAPTER 13 Ellis and Liberty Islands
Twelve million people arrived at Ellis Island hoping to become Americans. Many were admitted, while many others were sent back to their countries of origin. Either way, their ghostly sounds and sights linger here.
CHAPTER 14 Richmond Town
Richmond Town is a collection of several historical buildings from various locations around New York City. Ghost children still attend school at Voorlezer’s House, while disembodied footsteps are heard at Guyon-Lake-Tysen House.
CHAPTER 15 Snug Harbor
These days, Sailor’s Snug Harbor is known as Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden. But the name change hasn’t dampened the enthusiasm of the ghosts who frequent the Music Hall and the Matron’s House.
CHAPTER 16 Van Cortlandt House
Trapped in an endless cycle, the ghost of a Hessian soldier repeats his death at Van Cortlandt House. Ghostly sounds of jingling keys are heard, along with disembodied footsteps.
MUSEUMS
CHAPTER 17 Alice Austen House
This historic home, known as Clear Comfort, overlooks the river. It’s a beautiful spot to enjoy a picnic—but be mindful of the ghosts of Alice Austen and her great-grandmother.
CHAPTER 18 Garibaldi-Meucci Museum
Garibaldi converted this home into a postmortem shrine to his friend Antonio Meucci, whom many say was the true inventor of the telephone. Today, Meucci is still trying to make one last long-distance call from beyond the grave.
CHAPTER 19 Merchant’s House Museum
Gertrude Tredwell lived and died in her father’s house, and apparently she still hasn’t left. Her father, Seabury, makes his presence known as well.
CHAPTER 20 Morris-Jumel Mansion
Years after her death, Eliza Jumel admonished noisy children visiting Morris-Jumel Mansion.
PARKS
CHAPTER 21 Fort Wadsworth
No battle ever took place at Fort