Haunted Places in America: Seven Sisters Inn
Seven Sisters Inn consists of two beautiful Victorian houses in Ocala, FL. The Rheinauer House was built-in 1892, and the pink Scott House was built-in the late 19th century, after the original burned down. It’s believed that the Scott House was built on the site of a bloody battle between settlers and Seminole Indians.
The Rheinauer House, also known as the International House, contains 13 bedrooms. Each and every room has its own theme. The original owners of the two buildings had seven daughters, hence the name “Seven Sisters Inn”.
The themes of the rooms represent various places around the globe. There’s a safari Bengal room, a Cape Cod room, a Zen-like Oriental room, etc. In the early days, The Scott House was the home of the seven daughters.
The city of Ocala itself has a rich history. In the 16th century, it was the site of a major Timucua village and chiefdom. In 1827, the outpost Fort King was established near to where the Seven Sisters Inn would be built. The fire that destroyed the original Scott House occurred on Thanksgiving Day in 1883. The house, along with other buildings in downtown Ocala, were rebuilt with steel, granite, and brick rather than lumber. Ocala would become known state-wide as the “Brick City”.
Today, both of the houses are open to the public. The inn was closed down for a few years due to financial problems. Fortunately, it’s being reopened once again.Visitors to the Ocala area can stay at any of the themed rooms at the inn, where they may or may not encounter ghosts. The Seven Sisters Inn is notorious for its alleged hauntings.
Paranormal groups such as TAPS from the paranormal TV show “Ghost Hunters” have stayed at the inn and investigated the ghostly presences in recent years. Owners and guests alike have reported seeing a young boy, old man, and a strange woman wearing white passing through the walls and doors. There have also been reports of mysterious footsteps and shouting throughout the two houses.
There have even been reports of items disappearing from one room and reappearing in another. Fortunately, if there really are spirits at the Seven Sisters Inn, they are of the playful variety and not malevolent.