The Haunted Hamilton-Turner Inn

Posted: 02.07.2025 | Updated: 02.07.2025

Located on Lafayette Square is the stately Hamilton-Turner Inn. This Victorian-era mansion was a social hub of Savannah in the late 19th century, the inspiration for a well-known Disneyland attraction, and mentioned in the most notorious book ever written about Savannah. On top of all that, the Hamilton-Turner Inn is known for its long history of ghosts and hauntings.

Want to learn more about one of the most haunted cities in the US? Book a ghost tour with Savannah Terrors today to hear all the stories!

Who Haunts The Hamilton-Turner Inn?

Over the years, several male entities have been seen in and around the Hamilton-Turner Inn. Some speculate this is one ghost, while others believe it is three separate spirits who watch over the mansion.

Guests have also heard the residual haunting of a fatal accident involving a child. In fact, there may be multiple children still playing games together more than 150 years after the house was built.

Whoever these spirits may be, a slew of guests have confirmed that they were not alone in their rooms at night. The strange, unexplainable occurrences documented over the years built a strong case that the Hamilton-Turner Inn is thoroughly haunted.

History of The Hamilton-Turner Inn

The Hamilton-Turner Inn is a Second Empire-style mansion built in 1873 by Samuel Pugh Hamilton. Hamilton was a former US Navy officer, Savannah alderman, and president of the Brush Electric Light and Power Company. Hamilton became so powerful that he was nicknamed “The Lord of Lafayette Square.” 

Due to Hamilton’s connection to the electric company, his home was the first in Savannah to have electricity. Residents of Savannah gathered outside the home to see the lights turned on for the first time, and many of them feared the house would explode when the electricity was activated. This didn’t happen, and the house even survived the great Savannah fire thanks to its Connecticut limestone roof.

The Hamilton-Turner Inn was sold to Dr. Francis Turner in 1915 and changed hands several times over the following 80 years. In 1996, Charlie and Sue Strickland purchased the house and turned it into a bed and breakfast. Today, the Hamilton-Turner Inn features 17 luxurious rooms named after historical figures from Georgia. 

A Haunting Inspiration

It’s been rumored over the years that Walt Disney used the Hamilton-Turner Inn as the inspiration for his Disneyland Haunted Mansion. This rumor is often given credence because the original sketches for the Haunted Mansion drawn by Harper Goff in the 1950s closely resemble the inn.

Although the final version of the Haunted Mansion isn’t an exact replica of the Hamilton-Turner Inn, the similarities are quite striking.

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil

The Hamilton-Turner Inn’s reputation earned it a mention in John Berendt’s critically acclaimed 1994 book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Berendt’s nonfiction novel revolves around the murder trials of Savannah antiques dealer Jim Williams while also delving into the local culture. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil became so famous that it is simply referred to as “The Book” in Savannah.

In the book, Berendt mentions how a man named Joe Odem threw bombastic parties at the house when he was the property manager in the late 1980s. 

Following the success of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, then-owner Nancy Hillis opened a gift shop in the basement of the inn.

Ghosts of The Hamilton-Turner Inn

Guests at the Hamilton-Turner Inn have reported classic signs of hauntings during their stays. Disembodied footsteps are heard in empty rooms, cold spots are felt in warm rooms with no apparent cause, and some have felt an overwhelming sense that someone or “something” was in the room with them.

While there are no reports of any particularly frightening encounters, the hauntings at the Hamilton-Turner Inn can be unsettling, to say the least.

The Man with a Cigar

Multiple guests have encountered the apparition of a man smoking a cigar throughout the Hamilton-Turner Inn. This man is seen inside the inn and on the roof. Some theorize it’s one of Samuel Pugh Hamilton’s guards who was murdered. Others think it’s Hamilton himself keeping watch over the house he loved so much. 

A third explanation is that the man with a cigar is a Confederate soldier. However, the Hamilton-Turner Inn was built after the Civil War, which has led to the claim that it was built on top of a cemetery. It’s an intriguing idea, but there’s no proof that a cemetery resided on the land.

Ghost Children in the Billiard Room

While ghost children might seem innocent enough, the story behind them is tragic. During the lavish parties hosted by the Hamilton family, the children would be sent upstairs to play.

However, these curious kids wanted to know what the adults were up to and figured out a way to catch a glimpse of the party. The children would take billiard balls and roll them towards the grand staircase. When these balls “accidentally” rolled down the stairs, it gave the kids a chance to eavesdrop on the party.

Sadly, the innocent game of rolling billiard balls down the stairs turned deadly at one party. A young girl was playing the game but lost her footing at the edge of the top step. She fell all the way down the staircase and died as a result. Since then, the disembodied sound of a small child falling down the staircase has been heard.

Guests also report the sound of billiard balls rolling down the hallway and stairs as well as the sound of children’s laughter coming from the billiard room.

Guests staying in room 402 complained that children began knocking on their door in the middle of the night, shouting, “Daddy, let us in!” The innkeeper confirmed that no children were staying in the inn that night.

Haunted Savannah

Whether you’re looking for luxurious accommodations, a step back into historic Savannah, or an encounter with a ghost, the Hamilton-Turner Inn offers it all. The ghosts of the past are more than happy to share their home with the living.

Want to make your next trip to Savannah extra spooky? Book a ghost tour with Savannah Terrors to learn all about the city’s rich history of ghosts and hauntings! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Georgia hauntings.

Sources:

• https://savannahfirsttimer.com/haunted-bed-breakfast-savannah-ga/
• https://www.micechat.com/89929-haunted-mansion-history-mystery/
• https://hamilton-turnerinn.com/about/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWBX-3vG-iY