Before becoming the General Wayne Inn, the tavern went through numerous different names including The Wayside Inn, The William Penn Inn, Tunis Ordinary, and Streepers Tavern. It is supposed to to be the oldest functioning inn in America.
Its current name was given in 1793, after a famous figure called General Anthony Wayne, also known as “Mad Anthony” who was once a guest at the hostel.
The building is of no particular architectural style and its construction dates back to the year 1704. It must be noted that because of its history and age, the building became part of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in January 1976.
Today the General Wayne Inn is just a paranormal legend. It is was converted into a synagogue and Center For Jewish Life and, as of now, no visits are allowed as the new owners are dedicated to the new activities of their center. There are even some that claim they have put the wandering ghosts to rest.
An Impressive Guest List…
Plenty of famous people have visited and stayed at the Inn. Amongst the most famous, we can include: William Penn, George Washington, The Marquis de Lafayette
or Edgar Allan Poe.
The poet’s initials were carved by himself in 1843. They can be found in a window sill. It is also worth noting that E. Allan Poe wrote his poem, “The Raven” at the Inn, or to be more precise, part of the piece.
Murders and Suicides…
Tragic events took place at the General Wayne Inn and the first incident that may explain the people’s interest for the place is probably related to the 1996 grim discovery. Indeed, Jim Webb, the owner of the Inn, was found murdered at the Inn. The poor man had just taken over the running of the Inn when he met his brutal death.
The murder took place in his office. The killer was none other than his own business partner, a man called Guy Sileo. The mobile of the crime was a substantial life insurance claim. Guy Sileo was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Shortly afterwards, another violent and unexpected death followed with the suicide of the assistant chef- Felicia Moyse. She was 20 years old. To this day, the case remains unsolved although probable “suicide” was eventually registered.
Her death came as a surprise since she had been a witness at her boss’s murder trial. However, some firmly believe that she may have been closely connected with the murder of Jim Webb and that she could not live with this crime on her conscience for the rest of her life, hence taking her own life away.
Ghosts and Haunting…
Haunting and ghostly presence have been reported at the Inn as early as 1704.
The ghosts of several ladies have been spotted around the Inn and most particularly sitting in a row at the bar. During these apparitions, people have reported feeling a cold blow down their necks. These occurrences usually happen right by the bar.
Plenty of Ghostly Military Presence…
A soldier from the Hess region in Germany was sighted by a female staff member. The ethereal figure of the soldier was seen standing on the first steps of the stairs before vanishing in a second.
The encounter is said to have left both the witness and the ghost stunned. Indeed, the girl explained that the ghost of the soldier looked very surprised and even shocked to see her when he vanished.
A second German soldier has also been reported and is believed to originate from the same region as the first one. His spirit is said to be roaming around the basement of the inn. The legend has it that he is endlessly looking for his military uniform, which he never can find.
Amongst all the ghostly stories, more credits have been given to these two particular figures after the ghost of a Hessian German soldier was picked up by a notorious psychic named Mike Benio during a séance.
The name “Ludwig” was mentioned by the psychic who relayed the information that the soldier had been killed at the Inn during the Revolutionary war.
Aside from the German ghostly apparitions, some other guests also claim to have sighted other soldiers walking around the Inn.
A baby, a lady and some ancient ghosts…
The spirit of a child seems to have been haunting the Inn for a long time. The crying of a little baby boy has been heard many times. The name and fate of this spirit remains a complete mystery to this day.
The General Wayne Inn also seems to accommodate ghosts from all different countries and cultures. Native American as well as African American spirits are said to be present and appear from time to time.
The mysterious apparition of a lady wearing a period dress and walking past the former owner was reported back in 1986. She was never formally identified.
Finally, like in most haunted houses and places, items such as cutleries and towels have been known to fly around for no reason. Also, it is very common for locked doors to unlock on their own and many guests have witness these frequent occurrences.
