Ghosts in front of the haunted Kehoe House

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The Spirits of the Kehoe House

Savannah, Georgia, distinguishes itself as a southern gem that exemplifies the very definition of southern hospitality. Every square inch of its cobblestoned streets and antebellum architecture blends its rich past with its contemporary vibrancy.

However, with the past comes darker stories filled with death, despair, and tragedy, stories so dark that they tear the veil between the living and the dead. 

Located at 123 Habersham St. stands the Kehoe House, an architectural blend of magnificence built for wealthy Savannah businessman William Kehoe and his family. However, what started out as a loving family home now attracts the attention of ghost enthusiasts from across the country.

Dedicated attachment by its original owners compounded by tragic loss and the home’s later temporary yet eerie purpose has given rise to a slew of ghost stories that make the Kehoe House one of the most haunted locations in Savannah.  

Get ready for an up-close and personal ghost tour through some of Savannah’s most haunted locations with Savannah Terrors! Visit our site today to book an experience you won’t soon forget while slots are still open. Be sure to also check out our blog for more chilling stories on Savannah’s most haunted locations.

Is the Kehoe House Haunted?

The Kehoe House captures the eye of many who are intrigued by Savannah’s history and blend of architectural influences. It also captures the attention of ghost enthusiasts from around the country for its numerous hauntings. From disembodied voices and strange lights to the sightings of ghostly figures, the Kehoe House stands out as one of Savannah’s most beautiful yet spirit-infested landmarks. 

History of the Kehoe House

The Kehoe House, currently located at 123 Habersham St., was built in 1892 for William Kehoe. The Queen Anne-style home’s exterior evokes an aura of wealth and elegance common to the elite status of the time. However, it served a deeper, warmer purpose than that for the Irish-born foundry owner. 

Kehoe had moved to Savannah from Ireland with his family when he was eight-years old. Impoverished, they settled into the Old Fort District, an area in Savannah predominantly occupied by other poor Irish immigrants. Life was already hard enough for the Kehoes before William’s father died only a few years later during a yellow fever epidemic. At this point, William and his siblings were left to support each other on any grueling jobs they could find.

William’s life changed forever when he got a job making bullets in Selma, AL, for the Confederate forces during the Civil War. He continued to work in the ironworks industry in the coming years, rising through the ranks until he became the owner of his own foundry. 

His family also grew to ten children, making a bigger house all the more necessary. The Kehoe House was built in the Historic District in May of 1892, serving as the culmination of the American dream for Kehoe. 

Kehoe’s heirs sold the house in 1930, and it was repurposed several times in the following 30 years: first as a boarding house, then as a funeral parlor. It was then owned by football star Joe Namath for a time before he sold it in 1990. The property is currently owned by HLC Hotels and stands as a historically registered landmark. 

Hauntings Overview

The Kehoe House was more than just a status symbol for its original owners. It was a place they could call home, as Anne devotedly raised all ten of their children within its lavish walls. It only makes sense that a house filled with such love and motherly dedication should be filled with rumors of being haunted.

Anne’s ghost has generally been seen making her rounds on the second and third floors. However, many of the stories primarily emanate from rooms 201 and 203. In room 203, a gentle, friendly female presence is said to sit on the bed next to sleeping guests. Anne’s spectral figure has also been seen sitting at the desk, writing in the same room. 

Woman ghost in hall
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Guests also picked up the strong scent of roses while staying in room 201. They have also seen Anne’s apparition going about her business throughout the room at other times. On one occasion, a former owner was staying in this room when they received a gentle, loving kiss on the cheek from her as he lay on the bed. 

More Ghostly Activity

Even the ghost of William Kehoe himself has been spotted on occasion. A strange light has been seen emanating from the cupola – the most unused room in the house – during the evening hours. Many believe it’s here where William still enjoys his quiet time. His ghost has also been experienced on other occasions, appearing right at the front door. 

A concierge was sitting at the check-in desk when she heard the doorbell ring. She looked through the door glass and couldn’t see anyone there, so she ignored it despite the fact the bell rang three times. To her unsettling surprise, the front door unlocked and opened by itself, along with all the outside doors on all floors of the house. 

Child’s Play Ends in Tragedy

It’s been said that even the children of the Kehoe’s, long since deceased, still inhabit this once-childhood home of theirs. Guests and staff have reported hearing the sounds of little feet running up and down the hallways. They have also heard the sound of children’s voices echoing through the halls on occasion. 

Ghost children
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Others have had rather more unsettling encounters with the child-like spirits. A couple was spending the night in room 201 when the wife woke up to the feeling of little hands gently stroking her hair and cheek. Just as she opened her eyes, she found herself looking into the eyes of the apparition of a little boy up close. Just as quickly as she woke up, the little boy vanished. 

There were numerous children who grew up in the Kehoe home, making it hard to pinpoint whose spirit still playfully lingers in its halls. However, guests and staff believe a pair of twins belonging to William and Anne have much to do with the childish haunts. 

The story goes that the twins (four or five years old) were playing one day when they were killed playing in one of the chimneys. The chimneys were consequently blocked up and decorated with angels. The story remains up for dispute to this day, but it does make one wonder where the sounds of children come from, considering no one under the age of 21 is allowed to stay overnight in the house. 

Haunted Savannah

Savannah, GA, is a city steeped in history, where the secrets of the past carry on down its cobblestone streets and whisper through its moss-draped oaks. They carry a ghostly chill that intertwines itself with its warm southern hospitality and settles in many of Savannah’s historic establishments still standing from a time long forgotten. It’s not the chill that leaves your hair standing on edge, though, but rather the ghosts that come with it. 

The Kehoe house, located at 123 Habersham St., was built as a family home for William Kehoe and his family. Love and devotion filled its halls before it was quickly replaced with tragedy and death in its coming years. Now, the house stands not just as one of Savannah’s most historic locations but also as one of its most haunted, only adding to the city’s unofficial title as the most haunted city in America. 

Take a walk through some of Savannah’s most haunted locations with an up-close ghost tour like no other! Visit our website today and book a spot with Savannah Terrors while spots are still open. 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:

  1. https://savannahterrors.com/
  2. https://savannahghosttour.com/blog/
  3. https://www.kehoehouse.com/history-of-the-kehoe-house.htm
  4. https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1218&context=sav-bios-lane
  5. https://hauntedhouses.com/georgia/william-kehoe-house/
  6. https://www.savannahnow.com/story/entertainment/2022/03/16/savannah-georgia-ghosts-children-william-kehoe-house-inn/7004470001/

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