Bardstown is a charming town and well worth the visit. It offers interesting historical tidbits, great restaurants, a rich religious heritage, a delicious and entertaining dinner train, and it is the capitol of the Bourbon world. It is also a fun town for the paranormal aficionado (also a nice place to visit if you happen to be a ghost … so if you are a ghost reading this post, I can recommend popular places for poltergeists). In fact, it has so much to offer, I am going to write three separate posts on it. It's like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; just too much to put into one movie and do it justice.
I'm not a big paranormal fan, but then neither am I a fan of normal. If you are interested in ghost hunting, Bardstown has a lot to offer. Most of the paranormal activity is centered in two buildings that are right next to each other; the Old Talbott Inn and the old jailhouse (now the Jailer’s Inn). I did not personally see any paranormal activity, but I saw some normal activity at the train depot, and it made me very nervous.
The Old Talbott is the oldest stagecoach stop in America (or so they claim. I did not see any stagecoaches stop while I was there), and thus many famous and influential people have stopped there, if at least for refreshment if not for a bed. It was built in 1779. The list of historical figures that have visited or stayed at the Talbott is worth a visit to the Inn. Abraham Lincoln stayed there when he was five. His parents were in a land dispute, and losing the case propelled them on to Illinois. Stephen Collins Foster spent time there. He was the song writer who wrote My Old Kentucky Home, Oh Suzanna, Camptown Races, Beautiful Dreamer, and Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair. John Fitch, inventor of the steamboat, hung out there often. King Louis Phillippe of France stayed there during his exile, along with his two brothers and other nobles of his court. Legend has it that his entourage painted some of the murals on the wall. A century and a half later, Jesse James holed up there because his cousin was the sheriff next door and helped hide him out. One night, Jesse was drunk and thought the birds in King Phillippe's mural were attacking him, and he shot several holes in the wall that are still there. There is plexiglass over the holes, so I could not stick my fingers in them. I asked, and they would not let me.
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Wall with Jesse James' bullet holes: (Painting was burned off in a fire)
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Next door to Talbott's is the old Jailhouse ,which has since been converted into a bed and breakfast. That's right, you spend the night in jail. Which might happen anyway, when you are done with Talbott's bourbon list. Some of the doors still have the bars on them. I was not allowed to bang a tin cup on them and yell for breakfast. Between that and sticking my fingers in the Jesse James holes next door, I am actually not sure I am welcome back in Bardstown. A few rooms have been preserved with the metal cots, and the staff gives a tour every evening, telling stories. The breakfast was delicious, and I am sure much better than what the prisoners had 100 years ago. The jail opened in 1819, and was in use as a jail until 1987. There is a drunk tank, and a wall outside, in the back where executions took place. The hanging wall is now a pleasant floral garden where they serve breakfast in conducive weather. And they are very quick with the service; they do not leave you hanging. The chef executes a great egg casserole.
The inner most room of the Jailer's Inn was a women's cell. There are no windows here, and no quick exits. Most guests can't sleep through the night in this room, and most report creepy noises at night in this room. Many people report seeing Jesse James, a lady in white, orbs of light moving about, unexplained noises throughout the night in many of the rooms, objects being moved, furniture visibly jumping up and down without reason, shadows with nothing casting them, among many other strange experiences. I was also seen running around with a white sheet over my head, with eye holes cut out. Again, I don’t know why they asked me not to come back.
The pre-revolution Inn and the old retired jailhouse are, of course, natural set ups for ghost stories. I highly recommend a visit to these two places, as well as other Bardstown Highlights that I will be posting about soon.
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| This is the back wall, in the back yard, where inmates broke stone with hammers, and where the hangings were held off that wall. |
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| This is the wood ceiling of our bedroom for the night, and the former high security room. The extra beams in the ceiling were to make breaking out harder. It was a second floor room, and they would remove the ladder at night, so there was no way down from the second floor. There were no stairs; only a ladder that would be placed as needed. |
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| This is a nice courtyard in the back, where you can be served breakfast, with the view of the hanging wall and quaint courtyard and well. |
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A couple photos of our lovely room. All the rooms are different, and all are equally appealing.
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Please visit the websites... and moreover visit them in person! The Talbott Inn and Jailer's Inn:
Talbott Inn
Jailer's Inn
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