Clay Beaver
is the fourth generation owner of the Beaver House in Statesboro, Georgia, but
those who have come before him refuse to leave the historic home that’s now a
restaurant. He claims there are seven ghosts residing in the building.
“And I have
seen every one of them,” Beaver said.
I was on a
tour of Statesboro with a group of fellow travel writers and naturally, being a
ghost aficionado, I have to ask about apparitions when I visit a historic home.
And I got an earful.
The one
Beaver has seen twice in all her ghostly glory is Annie, who died at five years
old from pneumonia after breaking her neck falling from a tree. Beaver sees
little Annie in a brown velvet dress.
“It’s as
clear as day,” Beaver said. “It’s so real.”
The first
time happened around 11:30 p.m. one night when Beaver was in the house with a
friend. They spotted Annie at the bottom of the stairs, walking past.
“We took
off, running back out the house,” he said with a laugh. “We were scared to
death.”
Two uncles
have also appeared, once in a wedding photo looking at each other from two
opposing transom windows on the second floor.
“They’re
always together,” Beaver said. “I’m not sure why.”
Roy Beaver,
Clay Beaver’s grandfather, was a large man and he appears to staff and visitors
on occasion. Once he was spotted standing in the dining room looking out the
window, Beaver explained.
The builder
of the circa-1911, 6600-square-foot house, John Alexander Beaver, also visits,
as well as great grandma Nella “dressed to the nines.”
The Beaver
House serves up a mean "Boarding House" family style meal. On the night we visited we were
treated to overflowing plates of fried shrimp, roast beef, mac and cheese,
greens, mashed potatoes, biscuits and much more. They also serve a Low Country
Boil on weekends and plenty of other delicious dishes.
Because the
old Victorian home is expansive and romantic, the Beaver House hosts numerous
weddings over the years. But wedding photographers come home with more than
they bargained for — one photo sported a child, a Barbie Doll and a tricycle by
the front door, only it wasn’t of this world!
Cheré Coen is an award-winning travel writer specializing in the Deep South. She is the author of "Forest Hill, Louisiana: A Bloom Town History," "Exploring Cajun Country: A Historic Guide to Acadiana" and "Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana" and co-author of "Magic's in the Bag: Creating Spellbinding Gris Gris Bags and Sachets." She also writes Louisiana romances under Cherie Claire, including "A Cajun Dream" and "The Letter." Write her at cherecoen@gmail.com.
