The Wayside Inn Ghost | Real or Imagined?
The historic Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts, has long been famous for its Yankee charm and hospitality — but is it haunted, too?
By Alyson Horrocks|Mar 07 2022|
Longfellow's Wayside Inn
Photo Credit: Alyson HorrocksIn the pastoral countryside of Sudbury, Massachusetts, sits a charming relic of the colonial past. Having begun life as a modest, two-room family residence in 1707, and officially becoming a working inn by 1716, Longfellow’s Wayside Inn has survived and flourished in its nearly three hundred years of hosting guests and travelers. Originally known as Howe’s Tavern, this quaint inn was made famous when Henry Wadsworth Longfellow employed it as the setting for his book of poetry, “Tales of a Wayside Inn” in 1863.
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
Had it not been for Longfellow, the old inn might never have come to the attention of Henry Ford, the billionaire founder of the Ford Motor Company and admirer of Longfellow, who purchased the property in 1923. Restoring the inn and land to their former tranquil glory, his goal had been to turn it into a living history museum, adding a grist mill, old red schoolhouse, chapel, and more, thus saving the land from modern development. Due to this series of well-timed redemptions, the Wayside Inn has survived to become the oldest operating inn in the United States today.
However, it is not just its age and history that imbues this beautiful inn with legitimacy but also its tales of the Wayside Inn ghost. For what New England inn worth its salt does not come with its haunting tales, real or imagined? Though skeptics may chuckle, the mystery of things that go bump in the night seems to hold a unique appeal for believers and non-believers alike. Considering that at the heart of most rumored hauntings is a tragic and mysterious story, it’s little wonder that they intrigue so many of us, and the ghost story of the Wayside Inn is no exception.
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
I visit the Wayside Inn as often as I can, usually to take in the ambience of the old bar room, which is part of the original house, or to eat a meal in one of the cozy dining rooms. So far, I have yet to encounter any visitor from the spiritual realm. Instead, I am always met with a warm, welcoming atmosphere as I whittle away the hours among friendly patrons and staff.
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
On a recent visit, however, I came specifically to hear the story of Jerusha Howe, the reputed Wayside Inn ghost. The inn had been built by the Howe family and was handed down through four generations. Jerusha’s brother, Lyman (known as “the squire”), was the last in the line of the Howes to run the inn. The Howes’ innkeeping legacy ended with Lyman since he never married or produced an heir by the time of his death in 1861.
As a young woman growing up in the inn, Jerusha was known as “the belle of Sudbury,” and her musical and artistic skills were renowned. She famously owned the first piano in town and put it to frequent use for visitors. Some say she still puts it to use today, with ghostly tunes played in the middle of the night.
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
Little is known of Jerusha’s romantic affairs in life, but as the story goes, she was engaged to an Englishman. The legend claims that he sailed home to England to make arrangements for the wedding and was never heard from again. There has been speculation that he drowned at sea or he simply abandoned her, and perhaps he never existed at all, but no matter the truth of the story, Jerusha chose to never marry. She lived out her days at the inn by her brother’s side, dying at the young age of 45 in 1842. Of course, as is the case in the best ghost stories, it is said she died of a broken heart.
Jerusha is believed by many to be spending much of her afterlife in the bedroom she used during life, room 9. The room dates back to the late 18th century, and I found its rustic charm warm and inviting. The nostalgia of a simpler time can be a little haunting and perhaps unnerving to those who haven’t spent much time in an old house. Each little nighttime creak and thump may take on a more ghostly form in one’s mind when in an old and unfamiliar place.
Some guests in rooms 9 and 10 have reported smelling Jerusha’s citrus perfume or feeling her sweep past them on the stairs. There have even been claims of being awakened by her touch or seeing her presence at the foot of the bed. Whether these nighttime occurrences are real or frights conjured by the imagination, the room is charming and would be a thrill and pleasure to stay in for those intrigued by history and the legends of the Wayside Inn ghost.
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
An odd and unique custom has developed over the years at the Wayside Inn, which is referred to as the Secret Drawer Society. Little notes, usually reporting on any Wayside Inn ghost encounters or lack thereof, are stuffed into little cracks, crevices, and drawers throughout the room. Some of the notes, plucked from their hiding places, go back decades. Often, guests will spend hours searching the room and reading the secret testimonies of those who have come before.
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
If some essence of Jerusha still resides at The Wayside Inn, she never appeared or made her presence known to me. When I left Longfellow’s Wayside Inn that day, I remained undecided on the alleged haunting. However, I did learn more about this mysterious woman from the 19th century, who was smart, talented, and refined. I learned of a competent woman who, despite a reportedly weak constitution and a possibly broken heart, ran an inn alongside her beloved brother, Lyman, with a smile on her face and a determination to please those around her with music and art. I learned of her fierce love for her family and her appreciation for education. Though her accomplishments were ordinary, I delighted in getting to know her. The mystery of her British fiancé may never be solved, and questions of her continued presence will remain with every floor creak and phantom smell at the old inn, and in that way, at least, she will have achieved lasting notoriety and immortality.
Haunted or not, Longfellow’s Wayside Inn is a special, historic treasure with an atmosphere that keeps guests, myself included, wanting to come back for more. If Jerusha is indeed the Wayside Inn ghost, I don’t blame her for never wanting to leave.
Photo Credit : Alyson Horrocks
Have you ever visited the Wayside Inn or seen the Wayside Inn ghost?
Wayside Inn. 72 Wayside Inn Road, Sudbury, MA. 978-443-1776; wayside.org
This post was first published in 2015 and has been updated.
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I’ve been investigating the paranormal for many years as founder of The Central Massachusetts Paranormal Society. I’ve had many paranormal experiences. During one visit to the Wayside Inn -it’s not far from where I live – we had a number of experiences, but not with Jerusha. During one overnight in Room 1 I felt as though there was someone in the room with me. I kept getting up to make certain the door was locked. I checked in the bathroom and the closet. Nothing. Just as I was finally settling down to sleep I felt a touch, almost a caress on my cheek. During another stay with some friends we saw the shadow outline of a man on a wall and had our hair lifted but what we believe was a Native American boy. P.S. I’m part of the Secret Drawer Society.
Very interesting! Thanks for sharing.
My sister was married at the Wayside Inn on September 11, 2010. Given our interest in the paranormal, we thought it would be fun for us, and her bridesmaid, to stay in room 9 the night before her wedding. Knowing the history of the inn and the story of Jerusha we were so excited to stay the night in “her” room! When we first got there, we read all the notes, took pictures and explored all the nooks and crannies of the room. We found nothing unusual. We went about wedding business, rehearsal, dinner, etc and got back around 11:30pm. The room is a bit creepier at night and we found it to be very dark and chilly. We turned off all the lights and took more pictures, looking for orbs, of course; there were none. We finally called it a night around 12:30am. My sister and I were sleeping in the king size bed and her bridesmaid was in the twin bed across the room. I am a restless sleeper by nature and slept very little that night. However, I was fast asleep on my side facing the middle of the bed with my back to the wall, when I felt the bed sink down behind me, as if someone was sitting next to me. My eyes shot open. I could see the clock on the dresser read 4:37; I couldn’t move. Slowly I felt something lean over me and then the whole bed shook as if some one had placed their hands in the middle of the matteress and shook the bed with all their might! I was frozen. I couldn’t move or speak at all. I was trying the yell to my sister and kick her but it was like I was trapped. Then it suddenly stopped! I yelled to my sister to wake up. She woke up in a panic asking what was happening. Then her bridesmaid from across room asked, “you heard that moan?” “No” I said, “our whole bed just shook” then I asked my sister if she had felt it. She hadn’t but was terrified regardless. Then she said she felt someone touching her feet all night and she kept pulling them up closer to her. She said she thought it was me, but clearly by our positions in the giant king sized bed, my feet could never have reached the bottom of hers. We turned all the lights on for the remainder of the night, only falling asleep briefly after sunrise before we had to get ready for her weeding day. We believe we were visited by none other than Jerusha. Our experience matched many other stories written in the notes left behind by preivious guests – the moaning, the feet tickling, the bed moving. We became members of the Secret Drawer Society and left our own story behind for future guests to find. My sister and her husband return every year to celebrate their anniversary, but she refuses to stay in the “old” inn where Jerusha’s rooms are located.
Great Story. I believe you. I had experiences in that bed…not touch as much as auditory – heard beautiful light music all night, but also vividly heard dragging noises and shouting all night down those winding stairs. We had other encounters, very strange….I love the place. Esp. Room 9.
That’s amazing! Loved reading your story!
New England seems to have more than its share of haunted inns. Of course, there is so much more history in that part of our great country. Let’s hope that as the years go by, that the future generations will continue to preserve these wonderful structures with all the love and care that they’ve been shown up to the present.
After all, where would Jerusha go if she didn’t have her beloved Wayside Inn or even room 9?
I have spent many nights at the Wayside Inn over the years. The one time I stayed in room 9, I believe I had an encounter with Jerusha Howe. My husband and I had just arrived and checked in to the Inn. We were laying down, resting until dinner. I wasn’t asleep. I was wide awake but with my eyes closed. I felt the light touch of something on the end of the bed. Almost like the cat had come in, quietly, and leaped up on the end of the bed. Of course, there was no cat in the room with us. During the overnight, my husband said someone grabbed his leg. So, who knows. I have stayed in some of the newer rooms at the inn and never had any kind of experience whatsoever. I love the Wayside Inn. I visit there several times a year. The food, the atmosphere, the history, is all wonderful.
The Inn Was always one of my family’s most cherished places. My dad who was a selectman and wrote a historical column for years was also Colonel of the Sudbury Minutemen and militia. He was great friends with Frank Kopeis who was the innkeeper. I worked there for some time. Greeting people at the door. Working the gift shop and coat room. One day the housekeeper was out sick and He sent me to clean the two oldest guest rooms, one of which was #9. As I was making the bed I felt someone come in the room. I turned around in time to see long black taffeta shirts going swishing out the door. The sound was unmistakeable and the scent of oranges wafted into the room. I ran down to the desk and the receptionist said “you’re pale as a ghost. What’s the matter?” I told her my experience and she said,”Oh that’s Just Jerusha”. I never wanted to go in there again. It wasn’t because there was anything malevolent there. But I didn’t want to be suddenly startled coming around a corner. When I worked in the evening we often heard footsteps upstairs in areas where there were no guests. Having grown up in a very haunted house none of this bothered me. I never saw her again but I felt her presence many times especially in the evening. I do miss the place. Hopefully I’ll get back to visit this summer
My wife and I stayed at the Inn Oct. of 1988 and Oct. of 2008. The first visit was very pleasant, as well as the second. But the second visit, something happened. Now keep in mind, neither my wife or I have ever believed in such paranormal activity, my wife being very religious so she refuses to believe in such things. But after this last visit to the Inn, she now realizes that there our “spirits” among us.
We went to the lobby to checkout, talked a few minutes with the Inn Keeper, and I noticed my wife acting differently. She wasn’t her normal “talkative” self. After we got in the car, she asked if I smelled the over-powering woman’s orange perfume. I had no idea what she was talking about. She said there was an overpowering citrus perfume smell, it gave her an instant headache. I had no idea what she was talking about, I never smelled it. After we got home, I started to do some research about the Inn and came across the story of Jerusha Howe. Both of us got chills down our spines.
As founder/director of Boston Paranormal Investigators, an 11-yr-old local research group, I can attest to the reality of the experiences reported by others in Room 9 – from voices, rappings, and sobbing,to shadow people and orbs, much of it recorded electronically. There’s something going on, but more study is needed.
My great grandfather was born in the tack house around the pond, above where the new mill stands now. The original mill was an undershot wheel, not the style in place there now.
I grew up near the Wayside Inn (Although we called it Howes Tavern), the old grist mill, the MarthaMary Chapel and the Little Red Schoolhouse. I remember how nasty the pond next to the Wayside Country Store (where we used to get the best penny candy!) used to be, a realtor, Doug Langille used to live in the house on the pond. He used to salt his driveway with coins for us kids to find when we visited him. I recall the mill pond being nasty too, and it would foam up in the spring and cover the bridge and the grounds with foam so bad you couldn’t see to walk up to the grist mill. It’s been 50 years or more since I’ve been back and I am sure that it’s all changed, but for a little girl, despite the downside, it was a great place to grow up.
I stayed in room 9 last November. And while nothing paranormal happened during my stay, my companion and I spent many hours reading the notes left around the room, laughing and crying with the joys and sorrows of all who stayed and shared their lives with Jerusha, and by extension, us. In my estimation, room 9 is neither creepy nor chilling. It has no haunted qualities. It is filled with a warm, welcoming feeling that has been imprinted on it by all those who have stayed there. If Jerusha was there with us, we enjoyed her company.
My husband and I have celebrated our anniversary here 3 yrs running now.we only did dinner 3 yrs ago. Amazing food .. atmosphere.. last August we stayed in room 11. While we didn’t experience any direct paranormal activity ..I felt very surrounded by thick air in the room late that night and both my husband and I felt certain there were spirits half walking and floaty up and down the hall. Last night we stayed in room 9( Jerushas room)….a rustic romantic room that was extremely comfortable and pleasant.we will return next year. The 2 things we encountered were the strong scent of orange when we entered the room after being outside a bit and around 1 am the small light on my side of the bed flickered and flashed three times. When we were getting ready for breakfast this morning it occured again. Maybe just a short in the bulb but the orange ???? scent was vivid. We just love the inn and treasure our time there.next yr will be anniversary number 27 . Kim and tali
We visit the Wayside Inn every once in awhile for dinner. One rainy autumn night, about 10 years ago, we were with extended family and friends, and while we were waiting to be seated, both my wife and my sister witnessed a woman, dressed in colonial type attire, rushing frantically past guests and going down a flight of stairs into the cellar, the woman just disappeared into a closed door. Both my wife and sister questioned the rest of us, none of us had seen this woman. To this day, they both swear that it was a ghost.
About 2008 or so a Navy colleague and I drove up to visit Lexington and Concord over the weekend while stationed in Newport. He’d heard about the Wayside Inn and wanted to stop by for a ‘colonial cocktail.’ I went in the front door first as he took a picture of the place. Couple days later after we were back in Newport, he showed me that photo. You could see me half way into the front door, but by the bench to the right, were two ‘foggy’ forms, which on closer inspection I clearly saw two full figured apparitions, no faces, but enough clarity to see a gentleman in colonial era garb, I’d say ‘a tad corpulent,’ and next to him a women, in a colonial era gown, ruffle around the neck. Then sitting on the bench itself, a reclining figure sporting a tricorner hat. What I wouldn’t give for that picture now.