Napa River Inn

The Napa River Inn in California dates back to 1886, when it was used as a warehouse and feed store. The owner, Albert Hatt Jr. and his wife Margaret had 5 children. But Margaret died in 1906 and Albert Hatt Jr was in poor health and could no longer care for his children. By 1912, things looked grim and the family was struggling. In a fit of despair, Albert Hatt Jr. hung himself in the warehouse that is now occupied by Sweetie Pies Bakery.

The first ghost sightings were visions of a woman. The woman is wearing a white dress and seemed to be searching for someone. It may be Margaret, possible trying to stop Albert from taking his life. She has been seen roaming the hallways above.

Room 208 is directly above Sweetie Pies, where the unfortunate Albert Hatt hung himself. Room 208 and Room 207 right next door, are the center of the haunting. One woman said she heard the doors to both the rooms open and slam shut again and again, but the hotel staff told her there was no one else staying on the floor.

One female guest heard the sound of a heavy dress swaying down the hallway. A door opened right across the hall in room 208, and then banged shut. She then heard heavy footsteps of what sounded like a man. A door at the other end of the hall in room 207 opened then closed with a force. Then she heard walking down the hallway toward room 208 but when she opened the door, there was nobody there.

Guests have also reported strange sounds and smells. Drawers open and close by themselves. The elevators go up and down, when no one is there to operate them.

A guest at the inn complained to the front desk that strange noises and a strange white mist in her room were preventing her from getting sleep. The woman poured herself a glass of wine to calm her nerves. She turned and found that the glass was completely empty. She assumed she was being absentminded, and poured herself another glass. She took a shower and again found the glass had been drained. The guest insisted that she had not taken a sip.

Napa River Inn is also haunted by a second ghost. In 2003, a married couple were visiting the Inn for the first time. They encountered a strange man coming down the stairway, who appeared to be dressed in very old clothes. When they asked him the location of the restaurant, the man said, “This is no dining establishment, this is Napa Milling and I’m the owner, Robert Keig.”

As they walked past him, they noted a “distinct smell of hay and grain.” When they turned around, he had vanished. Later, they saw a photograph of Robert Keig, who had purchased the Mill back in 1912. They were shocked. The man in the photo was the man they encountered on the stairs that night.