The Pettibone Tavern in Simsbury has been around since the 1700's. It's a very beautiful old building. For as long as I have lived in town, I have heard the stories of the place being haunted. For many years it has been a restaurant. I have known people who have worked in the restaurant and they also claim that there are ghosts that prowl the old house. One friend was a waitress and said she just set the tables in one room and had all the glasses turned down, she walked out of the room for 30 seconds and when she returned, all the glasses were turned up.
Up on the second floor there is a storage room. I once went into that storage room and in one section of the room, I got very cold but didn't feel cold in other parts of the room. Anyway, I just finished watching TAPS on the Sci-Fi channel and it was about the Pettibone Tavern. The story goes that Captain Pettibone had a daughter Abigail who was married, but not happily and she was having an affair. The husband found out about it and cut off their heads. The crew from TAPS was not able to detect any ghosts. I find that pretty hard to believe since so many people have had experiences there including myself.
In the 70's the Chart House chain purchased the Pettibone Tavern and it seems they liked to spread the word that the place was haunted. It must have been good for business. Several years ago, the Chart House sold the restaurant and it was turned back into the Pettibone Tavern. Last year there was a fire in the building which set off the sprinkler system. Unfortunately, there wasn't an alarm tied into the police or fire, so no one knew about the fire until all the damage was done & it was discovered the next morning. There was extensive water damage to the old house.
The good news is that it has been purchased and rumor has it that it will once again be a restaurant. I guess we will see if the ghosts are still there or if they moved on.
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Hello,
Yes I watched the TAPS show as well and they said that they would like to come back to check the place out once it opens again. They feel that the place has been to dormant so there is no activity at this time.
I also believe that was a made up story about the Sea captain coming back to cut off Abigails head and her lover. They had mentioned that it would have been Abigail Pettibone but I believe it is Abigail Phelps that is haunting the place.
Either way, I can't wait till it opens, I am hungry......
Larry Phelps
Larry,
Thanks for your comment about the Pettibone Tavern. I see your last name is Phelps. Are you related to Abigail?
Hopefully this landmark will re-open and flourish. Through the efforts of Carol Laun, geniologist at the Salmon Brook Historical Society, I learned that I have direct lineage to the Pettibone legacy. My family history dates back to pre-revolutionary days in Granby and Tariffville. I left Connecticut and presently live in Arizona, but am still very much interested in the local history. It is possible that I am related to the "Smith" that currently houses the S.B.H.S. in Granby.
Forgive my misspelling. It's "geneologist". I'd welcome any emails on developments for the restoration. PCS264430@aol.com Thanks, Bobbi!
The Cracker Barrel restaurant, I believe, once housed a general store and post office in the 1800's. My great-grandparents, Frederick W. Smith and Esther M. Smith were the proprietors. They are both buried in Granby Center Cemetery. As memory serves me, my grandfather was born in that building. There are photos on the wall picturing my grandfather in constructing the railroad through Tariffville at the turn of the century.
Last post neglected to attach my name.
I just went past the Pettibone Tavern. It is really coming along. They are doing an amazing restoration job on it and it is beginning to look beautiful again. I can't wait for it to open. If I had my camera with me I would have taken a picture so you could see how nice it looks. I'll try to get a picture of it soon.
Hi Bobbi,
Yes we are both from Joseph Phelps of Simsbury, the son of Joseph and Hannah (Newton) Phelps. Abigail is daughter of Joseph Phelps and May Case, his third wife.
My line is from the same Joseph Phelps but from his first wife, Mary Collier. I live in Windsor not far from where William Phelps lived and we all decend from him.