Most Haunted Places in America: Old Stagecoach Inn

The Old Stagecoach Inn has a very long history and is located in Waterbury Vermont. Settlers from mostly Connecticut established the town in 1763 and it was officially recognized in 1780. The Inn has been a prominent structure in this town since it was built by millionaire Dan Carpenter in 1826. The Inn has been the main hotel, a stagecoach shop, a private residence and now a bed and breakfast, but it is this time as a private residence that makes the Old Stagecoach Inn one of the most haunted places in America.

The Inn served the people of Waterbury up until 1848 including being a gathering place for secret meetings held by the local order of the Masonic Movement. It was then that an affluent family with high social standings acquired the Inn. The Henry family and particularly Margaret Annette Henry, let people actually live at the Inn. It was Margaret Henry who transformed the house to the Victorian look in 1890. It was this look that it was restored to in 1987.

Margaret Annette Henry or “Nettie” as she was called was a bit of an eccentric in her time. She smoke cigarettes in a time where that was considered taboo, was even rumored to chew tobacco. She was also rumored to have a child which she did not claim, run a bordello in Ohio and she was an active participate in bootlegging during the prohibition. She was married until 1907 when her husband died and according to local lure, ““They say she did him in. Poisoned his soup.”

Nettie died in 1947 at the age of 98. Spending most of her last dies in her beloved house and in particular in her bedroom. Mrs. Spencer is buried next to the Old Stagecoach Inn in a mausoleum just inside the Congregational Church cemetery.

It is said that Margaret Annette Henry still watches over her home. Some of the paranormal activity described happening in the home is rocking chairs rocking on their own, furniture being rearranged, beds having there sheets stripped and folded before housekeeping gets there, strange noises and apparitions.

Most of the sightings are centered on room 2 which was Mrs. Spencer’s original bedroom. Most of the paranormal events around the house seem to fit Nellie’s personality, playful, mischievous and simple trying to put a little “good humored” scare into people. One of the most interesting ghost stories comes from the current owners, Mr. and Mrs. Barwick.

There had been a last minute cancellation at the bed and breakfast the night before that only Mr. Barwick was aware of. The next morning during breakfast, a couple people who were unfamiliar to him came downstairs. The following conversation took place (found on their website) to which Mr. Barwick cannot find an explanation:

To make sure, he asked if they were guests of the inn.
“Yes,” they replied. “We’re all in room three.”
“How many of you are there?” Mr. Barwick asked.
“Three,” they answered.
“Three,” said Mr. Barwick, “That room accommodates only two. Where did you all
sleep?”
“Oh, we managed,” they replied. “We couldn’t find a place to stay. This was the only one.”
Still puzzled, Mr. Barwick asked, “Well, what time did you come in?”
“Oh,” they said, “it was around two-thirty this morning.”
“Well, who let you in?” Asked Mr. Barwick.“Why, it was a lady, an older lady. Very nice.”
More puzzled than ever, he now asked, “What did she look like?” thinking it might have been one of the other guests who had been unaccountably awake at that hour.
“Gray hair, kind of in a bun, and wearing a long dress,” they replied.

Mr. Barwick asked the other guest if perhaps they had let them in and no one said they did. Could Margaret Annette Henry still be taking care of people?

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