Ghost in the hallway of the Olde Pink House

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The Spirits of the Olde Pink House

The waters of the Savannah River flow past its namesake settlement, fueling the spirit energy circulating throughout the historic city. So many tales of haunting apparitions and fevered poltergeists have made residence in colonial Britain’s former capital. Antique buildings throughout the city house spirits from years long past. These ethereal entities tie centuries-old stories to the present. The Olde Pink House is a shining example, its walls having survived more than 200 years of war and tragedy while accumulating a rogue’s gallery of the undead.  

From its very beginning, turmoil and distress were familiar to the home. Even before construction could be finished, its peace was disturbed. From intervention by the British Crown to a fractured family, the delightfully pink home was thrust into an existence imbued with negative energy. Could that be why the red bricks bled through their white plaster coating? While slightly ominous, the persistence of the brick layer turned the abode into a vibrant pink house in Savannah. 

There is no shortage of fascinating haunts in Savannah, its history brimming with death, tragedy, and sorrow. Book a Savannah ghost tour to hear many tales of the dead crossing over and learn more about what makes the Olde Pink House haunted.

Is The Olde Pink House Haunted?

When travelers scrounge for things to do in Savannah, GA, more often than not, a ghost tour is at the top of the list. That’s because the city is one of the most haunted in the nation. Adding to the assemblage of spirits are the events tied and the people bound to the Olde Pink House. This Savannah staple survived a past filled with slavery, yellow fever, familial tension, and war, emerging on the other side of its history with eternal guests fettered to its foundation. 

A Family Divide Forms 

Today, the Olde Pink House brings people together. They gather around clothe-covered tables, sharing stories and laughs over an exquisite meal. It’s a stark contrast to the division that marked its beginning.

Before the first bricks were laid for the prominent estate, James Habersham, Sr. enjoyed the success of rice plantations near Savannah. Thriving on the backs of 200 enslaved workers, Habersham rose to political power. Eventually, he served as acting governor of Georgia sometime in the 1770s. A devoted Loyalist, Habersham’s legacy changed drastically when his three sons — Joseph, John, and James — joined the Patriots during the American Revolution. 

Around the same time Habersham took office, his youngest, James Habersham, Jr., commissioned the construction of a new property on land given to him by the British crown. Before construction could be completed, though, the British occupied the property, delaying the mansion’s completion. 

The Curse of the Pink Facade

By 1789, the home was completed, and James Habersham, Sr. had long since passed away. The heartbreak of his sons’ betrayal never healed. Though James was a Patriot who provided financial assistance to the war effort, he still made his name off the backs of others. About a decade before starting construction on his new home, he and his cousin Joseph Clay operated a mercantile firm. Along with traditional goods, the pair imported slaves to work for farmers and landowners in Savannah. 

This misdeed, along with the cloud of his father’s sorrow, already stained the newly built Habersham House. Except, this stain wasn’t some irremovable dark spot. The red brick proved persistent against white plaster, and as the clean layer wore away, the brick bore through in a noticeable pink. No matter what Habersham did, the brick always prevailed. Was it his father’s jilted spirit looking to drive his son crazy? Or maybe an enslaved person who had died and sought revenge against their seller.

The Fall of James Habersham

Was the pink meant to symbolize the blood spilled to secure the Habersham legacy? The answer to that question was never discovered. Exactly 10 years after the home was completed, James Habersham, Jr. passed away. Speculation over how he died continues to support the notion that dark energy was following the Habersham bloodline. Initially, it was believed he died of an illness. Later, rumors suggested that James killed himself after discovering his wife’s affair with his home’s architect.

Whatever the cause, in 1799, the home was passed down to relatives. Some claim in that time that the young Habersham never left. As James haunted his former abode, the building continued to go from owner to owner. Legend has it that slavery continued to be an issue at the pink building leading to the Civil War. About two decades after James’ passing, yellow fever hit, possibly taking the lives of some who lived or worked on the property.

It’s believed that the sound of children can be heard emanating from seemingly nowhere. It’s these children who succumbed to yellow fever.

The Pink House Stays Pink

During his time as owner of the pink building, James reapplied the white plaster whenever it showed through. This ritual continued, even as the home was converted into the Planter’s Bank Vault in the early 1800s. Remnants of the bank remain in the building today, the vault that many modern guests claim to feel uneasy around. 

Ghost of Civil War soldier
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

When the Civil War broke out, Union General William T. Sherman kept the building intact despite the destruction he wrought through Savannah. The former bank was converted into a field hospital, where the anguish and pain of Union soldiers became commonplace. Even today, it’s said that blood stains can be spotted on floorboards throughout the home.

Eventually, in the 1930s, after serving as a bookstore and attorney’s office, the pink home was sold to Alida Harper Fowlkes. Rather than try to hide the pink, Alida embraced it and painted the mansion that very color. It’s remained that shade of pink ever since.

About 10 years after Alida, Jim Williams, owner of the haunted Mercer Williams House, purchased the pink house. Within another 30 years, it wound up in the hands of Herschel McCallar and Jeffrey Keith, who modernized the property with plumbing, electricity, and several structural changes. In this form, it finally took shape as the Olde Pink House restaurant.

Book Your Reservation with the Ghosts of the Olde Pink House

The history that predates the Olde Pink House lends some credence to the tales of specters and apparitions spun by workers and guests. Among the most infamous ghosts is that of James Habersham, Jr. Returning to his property — or possibly having never left — Habersham’s spirit appears well-dressed. It has a knack for lighting candles throughout the restaurant.  

Weeping ghost of a woman
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Another spirit from around the same period is often spotted at the basement bar. Some believe this to be the ethereal form of Joseph Habersham, James’ brother. Joseph’s joyous disposition, especially as he toasts with guests, is a stark contrast to the weeping woman on the second floor. Like the children who are seen running about, causing mischief, it’s likely that this woman was a slave to the Habersham family.

The specters of the Olde Pink House aren’t the expected footsteps echoing from afar or disembodied voices emanating from thin air. They tend to appear full-bodied, often interacting with restaurant guests as if they’re part of the crowd. In any other city, this level of haunting would be peculiar, if not concerning. In Savannah, where spirits roam free, uninhibited by the fabric that divides our world, it’s simply another haunted building.

Explore the Many Ghosts of Savannah

To experience the haunts of Savannah is a treasured experience. Frightening tales intertwined with fascinating history make for a stellar ghost tour. By booking your Savannah ghost tour, you’re setting yourself up for an evening of startling facts and engaging stories of the past. These include the boisterous ghosts and the long history of the Olde Pink House.

Want to brush up on your Savannah ghost stories? Do so by following us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok and reading our latest blog posts of Savannah’s most haunted.

Sources:

  1. https://visitsavannah.com/article/why-the-olde-pink-house-pink
  1. https://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/habersham-family/
  1. https://haunteddiary.com/haunteolde-pink-house-savannah-georgia/#Wandering_Ghosts_%E2%80%93_Haunted_Bar_Second_Floor
  1. https://huantinghistorytraveling.com/haunting-of-the-olde-pink-house/
  1. https://www.southkeymgmt.com/post/the-olde-pink-house-history

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