The Galley Restaurant and Hackett Hotel

Hidden Marietta just ran an awesome article about some of the many haunted places to eat throughout Marietta, Ohio…which linked to another another article on haunted accommodations as well!  I was pleased to see that I have already featured a few of the locations listed, such as Buckley House and Lafayette Hotel, but one location I hadn’t heard of appears to be a recent addition on the Hidden Marietta tours:

The Galley Restaurant and Hackett Hotel

Located at 203 Second Street, the original Hackett Hotel was built in 1899 by John H. Riley, who arrived in town a decade before and quickly began building magnificent structures throughout the town.  The Hackett Hotel was strategically located across from the train station and rail yards, and featured such amenities as an in-house bowling alley and bar.  And…as a way to further accommodate the young men who arrived in Marietta by boat and by rail, the Hackett Hotel featured a bevy of “working girls.”

By the 1960s, the hotel had fallen into disrepair, and it wouldn’t be until the 1980s when new life was breathed into the structure, turning it into the Galley Restaurant.  Immediately upon opening, it was apparent that something was amiss.  Bottles would shatter to the ground.  Glasses would fly off racks and break.  Even chairs would mysteriously and violently be shoved across empty rooms by  unseen hands.  Employees quickly decided their resident ghost needed a name, so they christened her “Charlotte.”

It is believed Charlotte was one of the Hackett’s working girls because she tends to interact with men only…and interact quite malevolently at times.  In addition to the poltergeist-like activity of chairs and glasses being thrown about, those who encounter Charlotte report feeling very uneasy and threatened around her.  And…Charlotte isn’t just limited to roaming the Galley Restaurant.  Her domain is the ENTIRE building!

Up until 2012, the third floor of the building held several small, private apartments, where gentleman residents occasionally ran afoul of Charlotte’s shenanigans.  Just recently, however, those apartments were renovated and converted into a new, posh Hackett Hotel, featuring five brand-new rooms with a nod to its early 20th century beginnings.  And, like renovations tend to do, Charlotte’s ghost got riled up.  A small child reported talking with a “woman in a long dress” that no one else present could see.

If you’re looking for a fun weekend trip this year, definitely consider Marietta, Ohio!  Catch a bite at the popular Galley Restaurant, make a reservation on the Hidden Marietta tour, and spend a night in the unique Hackett Hotel.  You MIGHT just get to see Charlotte’s antics up close!