
Murphy’s Restaurant & Pub
Posted: 01.04.2020 | Updated: 01.16.2025
Murphy’s Restaurant and Pub, a once beloved and now defunct location sits in Salem, Massachusetts – a location rife with witchcraft lore, with many of its locations said to be haunted by victims of the infamous witch trials.
From graveyards to businesses, they share the commonality of being inhabited by the spirits of Salem’s past. Whether that of an apparition of one of the Salem Witch Trial’s executed or the lost spirit of a past love, all have had their fair share of paranormal activity.
If you have an interest in the paranormal or even just learning about the bars in Salem, read ahead to get the full details and while you’re at it, book a ghost tour with us at Salem Ghosts today!
Is Murphy’s Restaurant & Pub Haunted?
Murphy’s Restaurant & Pub is one of these allegedly haunted places. The now-vacant building is well-known among locals as being one of Salem’s most haunted structures.
From guests to employees, the stories shared are enough to give you nightmares. Before it was Murphy’s, this pub once operated under the name of Roosevelt’s.
Both eateries used to cater to Salem’s locals and tourists. Many patrons were familiar with the paranormal activities that took place in the bar due to its locale and relation to the infamous Salem Witch Trials.
Mere footsteps away from Murphy’s sits the Old Burying Point Cemetery, unique in that it is the final resting place of many directly involved with the trials – and worse, those convicted and executed. Many of the accused had their bodies unceremoniously dumped on the grounds.
Although it is now closed, Murphy’s stands as a reminder of what was a main attraction of Salem, Massachusetts, drawing ghost-hunters and thrill-seekers from around the world in hopes of witnessing a ghostly encounter.
The Child’s Casket

Murphy’s has had quite the history of paranormal sightings. These encounters all stem from an alleged automobile accident that occurred many years ago wherein the casket of a young child was thrown from the hearse transporting it, crashing through Murphy’s exterior wall.
Tim Maguire, who co-owns the Salem Night Tour – an open-air history and haunts experience – claims to have seen the actual photograph of the wreck and says the casket pictured was very small. Further corroborating his account, there is a large patch of plaster on part of the building.
Patrons have also reported the cry of a young child, while others have said that there were cold spots within certain areas of Murphy’s. Rumors have swirled that the bar’s foundations are built upon another old burial site from Salem’s early days.
Other Haunted Happenings at Murphy’s
Roosevelt’s former owner, Henry McGowan, maintained that he came face-to-face with a female apparition while he was working alone late one night.
At about 3:00 AM, he says that he was up on the second floor and when looking up toward the third floor, he saw someone in the shape of a woman looking down at him. Startled, he did a double-take and the apparition had vanished. His story frightened him so much that he reported it to the local newspaper. This story was actually printed and reported in the North Andover Eagle Tribune back in 2001.
In reports that seem to validate the former owner’s sighting, witnesses at the pub’s bar have also reported the apparition of a young lady wearing blue. Others claim to have seen a similar spirit, occasionally seeing her carrying around a picnic basket with a small boy dressed in black by her side.
Employees and owners have also noticed that their surveillance cameras would malfunction regularly. When the cameras did work, they would notice a bright streak of light in the shot, along with glowing orbs and strange mists.
The Lady In White

Lastly, visitors have regularly claimed that they’ve spotted a “Lady in White”. Not just in Murphy’s Restaurant & Pub but in and around many other locations in Salem, the Lady in White is rarely, if ever, captured in photographs.
It has long been argued as to who the Lady in White’s spirit belongs to, but there are some clues throughout Salem’s history to help make an educated guess. Her ghostly apparition has mostly been reported coming from within Old Burying Point Cemetery and around the marker of Mary Cory.
Mary was the second wife of Giles Cory, who was executed by Sheriff George Corwin during the Salem Witch Trials. His execution was different than the hangings, with Sheriff Corwin having him crushed to death with stones near Howard Street Cemetery.
While Mary was indeed Giles’ second wife, historians surmise that she was also the love of his life, so it lends to reason that her marker would be highly haunted. When her spirit is seen it is often heading toward Howard Street Cemetery.
Given that Murphy’s has so many paranormal stories related to it, there is little doubt as to whether or not it is truly haunted. With Old Burying Point considered to be one of the top three most haunted locations in all of Salem, one has to believe that many of the above encounters are true.
Burying the Dead
If Murphy’s Restaurant & Pub is truly built upon an ancient Salem burying site, chances are that ghostly activities are bound to unfold.
In the times of the witch trials, little care was taken in burying their dead but especially those accused of witchcraft, slaves, and even some soldiers. Instead, their bodies were dumped anywhere convenient, without the dignity of having a headstone or marker.
It was considered unlucky and unlawful to touch the corpse of an alleged witch or warlock, hence why so many bodies were dumped out in the open or in ditches. This was considered standard procedure back in the early days of Salem.
Many at the Old Burying Point Cemetery are “buried” this way. There are approximately 600 people laid to rest there, yet only around 485 headstones are present.
While it is very unlikely that those who are underneath Murphy’s will ever be properly identified, they are more than likely buried with family and friends.
Haunted History of Murphy’s
When you take into account all of the paranormal ties Murphy’s Restaurant & Pub has, you have the makings for one of Salem’s most well-known haunts. Are you brave enough to face your fears at Murphy’s? Book your spot on a ghost tour with Salem Ghosts, if you dare!
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Sources:
- https://www.wheretraveler.com/boston/eat/ghost-hunters-guide-7-haunted-sites-salem
- https://www.hauntedrooms.com/top-10-haunted-places-salem-ma
- https://amyscrypt.com/salem-massachusetts-haunted/
- https://salempl.org/wiki/index.php?title=Roosevelt%27s
- https://books.google.com/books?id=FEdbDwAAQBAJ&dq=Mary+Bright+corey+1684&pg=PA130#v=onepage&q=Mary%20Bright%20corey%201684&f=false
- https://www.the-grim.com/tales/the-old-burying-point-cemetery-salem-ma
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