THE SPECTACULARLY HAUNTED JEAN BONNET TAVERN As the archivists of Western Pennsylvanias nightmares, the folks at Haunted Pittsburgh dont scare easily, but we confess that the night we spent in infamous room number 3 of the legendary Jean Bonnet Tavern in Bedford County made our blood run cold. The well-publicized tales of spiritual manifestations in that room put us in a state of palpable unease, and only the dawn could deliver us from the dread of night. Every year, countless travelers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike whiz by the iconic colonial fieldstone tavern that dates to 1762. The savvy ones who venture off the granddaddy of toll roads for a meal or an overnight stay are in for an unforgettable experience -- truly remarkable food, the incomparable charm of a bona fide old tavern, and a spectacular bevy of spooks. It doesnt get any better. For ghost seekers in Western Pennsylvania, this place is paranormal Mecca, and many have come to investigate. There are too many sightings, and too many other-worldly occurrences reported, to chronicle in a short space. A highway robber was hanged there in the late 1700s, and some people think his spirit has never left. Guests feel an unseen presence touching them; doors open and close by themselves; people decked out in frontier garb peer through windows from the outside; a man is seen sitting at the bar when theres no way the man could have gotten into the tavern; guests personal belongings -- shoes, eyeglasses, you name it -- move around on their own in the middle of the night; rolls of paper towel unroll themselves; a baby is heard crying when theres not a baby in the place; a strong military presence from a long-ago military conflict manifests himself in the basement; and the sound of a civil war veteran with a wooden leg walking around has been heard. Once a woman traveling from Chicago, who knew nothing about the tavern, got off the Turnpike and stopped in. From out of the blue, she asked the owner, Was someone hung in this building? When the owner confirmed that, indeed, a man was hanged there in the 1700s, the woman turned to her husband and said, See, I told you! The place isnt just teeming with ghosts, its rife with the history of Western Pennsylvania. Its been witness to the unfolding American saga since before the Revolution and, as but one example, troops summoned by President George Washington camped out there in 1794 on their way to quell the Whiskey Rebellion. Melissa and Shannon Jacobs own the place now, and Melissa told Haunted Pittsburgh a lot about the places ghostly heritage. Shes also had her own encounters. She said that she had heard stories from guests about the blender in the bar turning on by itself. She discounted these accounts – until very early one morning, when no one else was around, she was coming up the dark steps from the lower level of the building to the bar when, without warning, the blender came on by itself. Its more than a little jarring when a noisy appliance with a reputation for being haunted suddenly comes on in the darkness. Melissa confirmed that the power switch was still in the “off” position when she went to stop it. It should not be surprising that Melissa bought a new blender. It, too, came on by itself -- this time with the lid off, spewing strawberry daiquiri all over the room. So, yes, the spirit has a sense of humor, even though it was not the one who had to clean up the mess! Upstairs there are charming rooms where visitors can spend the night. Room 3 has a notorious rocking chair that suddenly starts rocking in the dead of night. When guests place a purse or a coat on the chair, they often awaken the next morning to find their belongings on the floor. Haunted Pittsburgh cannot recommend this place highly enough. Whether you are a believer of ghosts, or just love a good ghost story, or just like great food, you must visit the Jean Bonnet Tavern. Here is their Website: jeanbonnettavern/index.html Like them on Facebook here: https://facebook/pages/Jean-Bonnet-Tavern/59575610282?ref=mf And come on one of Haunted Pittsburghs Ghost Tours this weekend: hauntedpittsburghtours/
Posted on: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 12:17:32 +0000
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