
The Marshall House
Posted: 03.02.2020 | Updated: 01.24.2025
There are several places that you can stay in Savannah, Georgia, if there is one place where you’re looking to stay while visiting this beautiful city of the southern United States, you may want to check out the Marshall House. Whether you stay somewhere else, it’s actually a place worth visiting.
Not only is it great to go for the history lesson, but also for the possibility of witnessing some strange paranormal activity (and maybe a specter or two).
We’ll be talking about the history of the Marshall House and the stories of the apparent hauntings and paranormal activities that have taken place (and probably still occur even to this day).
Is the Marshall House one of the most haunted hotels in Savannah?
The Marshall House stands as a landmark, being one of the oldest operating hotels in Savannah, Georgia. With its many years in operation, coupled with its several renovations, there has unsurprisingly been many rumblings of spiritual sightings throughout the years.
Before we dive into the paranormal activity that riddles this hotel, let’s discuss the history of this extravagant building. While you’re here, book your spot on our Savannah Terrors ghost tour to see some spectral sightings for yourself!
History of the Marshall House

The building was developed by Mary Marshall who developed a reputation of being a respected businesswoman, witnessing some of the historical changes of Savannah from the early 19th century and through the Civil War and Reconstruction years.
Business was nothing new to Marshall as her father had accumulated wealth through his massive plantation. Over the years, she was able to purchase land and develop it into various buildings.
One such case was the construction of the Marshall House, which was built in 1851 to meet the need for housing and lodging accommodations due to the railroad boom in population in the previous decade. The house was used for a hotel that would be frequented by travelers from near and far.
The Marshall House has always been in the center of Savannah’s downtown district popular for its numerous shops and eateries. Six years after the Marshall House was built, a new addition was included in the form of an iron veranda.
The Civil War and the Marshall House
During the Civil War, the city of Savannah had later been seized by the Union Army under the command of General William Tecumseh Sherman. During the Union’s occupation of Savannah, the Marshall House served as a medical facility for Union soldiers until the end of the war in 1865.
In 1880, the Marshall House grew about a third in size as the owners acquired the adjacent Florida House. However, the hotel would soon shut down in 1895 and would remain closed for four years.
This was likely due to the renovations and the inclusion of newly discovered inventions including electric lights and newly developed hot and cold water plumbing.
The Marshall House underwent an identity change in 1933 when it was renamed the Gilbert Hotel, named after its owner, Herbert W. Gilbert. While Gilbert owned the hotel until 1941, he was able to make drastic changes to the hotel which included more rooms, apartments, and a new heating system among other additions.
Over the years, the Marshall House had undergone several rounds of renovations. Today, it still stands as one of the oldest and one of the most prominent buildings in the city of Savannah.
With its years in operation and many renovations, any ghost enthusiast can tell you that renovations stir the ghostly pot. It’s no wonder that there are many encounters with guests that still stay around long after they have “checked out.”
Apparent Hauntings

During its time as a medical facility in the Civil War, Union soldiers were not the only ones being helped. Those who were stricken by yellow fever, the epidemic sweeping the south, were among the patients.
Hospitals are often haunted due to the amount of deaths that occur within the walls. Even during its brief stint as a medical center, the Marshall House had seen its fair share of deaths.
Stories of visitors hearing laughter and several footsteps running up and down the hallway have been commonly heard. Some say they witnessed water faucets randomly turning on without anyone touching the switches.
Several guests in the past have witnessed shadowy figures without anybody nearby to cast a shadow. These may have been the spirits of specters ranging from Union soldiers to those who have succumbed to yellow fever. One sighting of the ghost of a Union soldier, missing his arm, roaming through the halls has also been reported.
Room 414
One guest who had stayed at the Marshall House had a story to tell about a specific room. That room is number 414. The room is located on the fourth floor of the building and is known by the staff as the most haunted room in the building.
There have been reports of doors closing on their own, child laughter with no children present, and items going missing. One guest said that they’ve literally lived in haunted houses, but were even more “creeped out” by the activity going on at the Marshall House.
While there are no names to connect to several of these spirits that may be in and around the Marshall House, there is one in particular that is said to be still around even to this day. In the lobby is a portrait of Mary Marshall that was painted in 1830.
A little girl had discovered the painting and pointed out to her father saying that she saw Mary Marshall herself standing in the hallway.
Mysterious Smells
Other noises that have been heard inside the hotel have included typewriter noises. Legend has it that Joel Chandler Harris, a writer known for writing the “Uncle Remus” stories, is said to be still hard at work on his next story. The stories don’t end here and go beyond seeing things. On various occasions, some guests have complained in the past of mysterious smells.
Some have said that the smells have come from their bathrooms and could only describe it as the scent of rotting flesh. There were reports of these foul odors dating back to when the Marshall House was last renovated in the late 1990s.
One worker said that the smell was so bad that it delayed the project by at least a few days. Eventually, workers uncovered a grisly sight – human remains from the hotel’s time serving as a hospital in the Civil War were rotting underneath the floorboards.
Haunted Savannah
If you are traveling to Savannah and have an interest in all things paranormal, you won’t need to look too far. Spirits haunt many spots in Savannah, and the Marshall House is one of those places. You never know what you might see or smell while exploring this haunted hotel.
Visit our website today and book a spot with Savannah Terrors if you’re up for a spooky adventure like no other. Make sure to also read up on our blog for more terror-inducing ghost stories, and stay connected with us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
Sources:
- https://www.marshallhouse.com/history.htm
- https://www.visitsavannah.com/article/marshall-house-in-savannah
- https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sav-bios-lane/209/
- https://savannahhistory.home.blog/2019/09/05/savannah-history-narrative-shermans-occupation-of-savannah/
- https://www.savannah.com/civil-war-savannah-the-ghosts-of-history/
- https://medium.com/@christopheridavis/we-spent-3-nights-in-a-haunted-hotel-room-78ad75966bee
- https://www.britannica.com/biography/Joel-Chandler-Harris
- https://frightfind.com/the-marshall-house/
Book A Savannah Terrors Tour And See For Yourself
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Join Savannah Terrors for a terrifying look into the city’s dark past filled with stories of war, destruction, and the ghosts that stalk the darkest corners of this charming city.