The Spirits of the Salem Inn

Posted: 03.19.2025 | Updated: 03.26.2025

Located on Summer Street in downtown Salem, Massachusetts, sits three brick row houses that make up the quaint and inviting Salem Inn. Built in the mid-1800s, the Salem Inn was not around for the infamous Salem Witch Trials, but that has not stopped the inn from being haunted by several ghosts. 

Salem Inn’s reputation for hauntings and proximity to one of the most important homes related to the witch trials make it a popular place to stay for history buffs and seekers of the paranormal alike.

Salem is a town rich with history that still feels alive today. Learn about Salem’s past as well as its hauntings by booking a ghost tour with Salem Ghosts today!

Who Haunts The Salem Inn?

There are four spirits that are said to haunt the historic Salem Inn. The first two are ghostly women who are heard and felt but rarely seen. The other spirits include a mischievous ghost child who focuses their attention on the front desk staff and, finally, a ghostly black cat who fits right in with the general mystique of Salem. 

Although not much is known about any of these entities, they have distinctly made their mark on the Salem Inn, and have been written about at length in the inn’s guest book, which also acts as a log for ghostly activity.

History of The Salem Inn

The Salem Inn was built in 1834 as the private residence of Captain Nathaniel West, a prominent merchant in New England. The house was built in the popular Greek Revival style and features a facade of red brick with black shutters adorning three floors of large windows. The main entrance is covered by a wooden portico flanked by two ionic columns.

Despite being a newer building in Salem, the Salem Inn does have ties to the Salem Witch Trials. The land the inn occupies was once owned by Jonathan Corwin, the nefarious judge who helped send innocent people to the hanging tree at Proctor’s Ledge over allegations of witchcraft. The Salem Inn also happens to be directly across the street from Corwin’s house, which is better known as “The Witch House” where Corwin carried interrogations on suspected witches.

Captain West’s Scandal

Nearly two decades before building his home on Summer Street, Captain West’s reputation was tarnished when his wife made his double life known to everyone in Salem. Captain West was known to frequent dozens of sex workers in the greater Salem area and wasn’t especially discreet. Eventually, Captain West’s wife at the time, Elizabeth Derby, had enough of his cheating. 

In 1806, Elizabeth filed for divorce, something essentially unheard of at the time. Not only that, she made sure everyone knew what kind of man Captain West really was. The divorce trial was held at the Salem Courthouse where several sex workers testified that Captain West had been their client on numerous occasions. The scandalous trial ended in Elizabeth’s favor and she was granted a divorce from Captain West.

The Salem Inn Today

In the early 1980s, Captain West’s old home had fallen on hard times, but it was rescued by Dick and Diane Pabich. The couple painstakingly restored the house and filled it with carefully curated antiques. The town of Salem was so impressed with the Pabiches’ achievement that the house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Ghosts & Hauntings At The Salem Inn

According to owners Dick and Diane Pabich, the Salem Inn is not haunted. However, some members of the staff and countless guests beg to differ. One look in the inn’s guestbook reveals sightings of shadow figures, doors that open and close on their own, and the phantom sounds of someone running down the hallways of the inn.

A ghost named Katherine (sometimes spelled “Catherine”) is felt on the main staircase of the inn. One terrified employee described feeling a gust of wind shoot past her while ascending the stairs. She clarified it was “not the kind that comes through the front door sometimes, but like someone rushing by me and up the stairs.”

The ghost of a young child also hangs out around the front desk, which is located directly beneath the staircase. Staff will hear a child laughing and running. They will even hear pebbles falling from the staircase as if the ghost child is throwing the phantom pebbles at them.

Guests who are allergic to cats might have their allergies act up even though there are no cats on the premises. Well, not living ones anyway. People have reported seeing a black cat out of the corner of their eye in the main parlor. This is also where some guests will start to sneeze or develop itchy eyes.

On the third floor of the inn, guests will hear heavy boot steps in the middle of the night, but find the hallway vacant. This activity is tied to the spirit of Captain West whose apparition has been spotted traversing the top floor of his former home.

Room 17

Room 17 is known as “The Haunted Room” at the Salem Inn. The owners even list it as such on their website, even though they don’t personally believe it’s haunted. This room is said to be haunted either by the ghost of Katherine or another female spirit named Elizabeth. Whoever it is, the woman was murdered in this room by her husband centuries ago, according to a psychic. Since then, her restless spirit has haunted the room.

The ghost of Room 17 is known for having a distaste for men, which is understandable given how she died. Men staying in Room 17 have heard stomping, thumping, and other loud noises that have no apparent cause. This poltergeist activity is attributed to the spirit.

Sometimes if a glass of whiskey is left on the bedside table as an offering, Katherine or Elizabeth will let the man get some rest.

Haunted Salem

The Salem Inn offers the classic experience of an old-timey inn with a flair for the paranormal. Located within walking distance from many of Salem’s most historic and notorious sites, a stay at the Salem Inn allows easy access to Salem’s best attractions while also giving guests the opportunity to come home with a ghost story or two.

Interested in taking a walking tour of Salem which includes some haunted history? Remember to book your ghost tour with Salem Ghosts now! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Massachusetts hauntings.

Sources:

• https://www.gothichorrorstories.com/gothic-travel/the-salem-inn-hauntingly-lovely-in-downtown-witch-city/
• https://www.supernaturalspot.com/single-post/2019/09/04/the-salem-inn-the-west-house-hauntings-of-witch-city
• https://saleminnma.com/houses/west-house/classic-rooms/