Moon River Brewing Company: Savannah's Haunted Brewpub

Moon River Brewing Company is a brewpub at 21 West Bay Street in Savannah, Georgia, housed in the old City Hotel, which was completed in 1821 and is considered the city's first hotel. It's also one of the most talked-about haunted spots in Savannah, with staff and guests reporting everything from a mischievous ghost nicknamed Toby to bottles flying off shelves.

You can come for the beer and the food. A lot of people stay for the stories.

Moon River Brewing Company History: Savannah's First Hotel

Construction began in 1819 on a Georgian-style building designed by the English architect William Jay. A fire damaged it during construction in January 1820, but it opened as the City Hotel in 1821, with 33 rooms and a bar. Its builder, Eleazer Early, was also the first cashier of the local branch of the Second Bank of the United States, and the building held Savannah's first branch post office.

The City Hotel welcomed some famous names, including the Marquis de Lafayette, General Winfield Scott and the naturalist John James Audubon.

It also saw violence. In August 1832, Philip Minis shot and killed James Jones Stark in the hotel's bar and the shooting led to a sensational trial. And during the deadly yellow fever epidemic of 1854, the hotel's manager kept the doors open when every other public house in the city closed.

From Hotel to Warehouse to Brewpub

The building changed hands several times and operated through the Civil War. After 1865 its lower floors became shops, and over the next century it served as a lumber and coal warehouse, general storage, and, in the 1960s, an office-supply store with a printing press. Hurricane David tore into the roof in 1979, forcing that business out.

A brewery renovation began in the mid-1990s, and Moon River Brewing Company took over the building in 1999. Visitors have often noted that parts of the upper floors were left largely as they were, which only adds to the atmosphere.

Is Moon River Brewing Company Haunted?

Ask the staff and you may get a matter-of-fact answer. The building has been featured on paranormal television, including Ghost Adventures, and the stories have piled up over the years:

• Toby. The most famous spirit is a shadowy presence nicknamed Toby, said to haunt the lower level. People describe sudden cold spots, voices, and the sense of someone rushing past them.
• Flying bottles. One manager described a bottle launching off a shelf behind him on the second floor and smashing nearby while he worked alone.
• A little girl. Kitchen staff have reported a young girl with pigtails who seems to like sneaking up on people.
• The lady on the stairs. A woman, sometimes called the lady in white, is said to appear on the upper levels, and some stories claim people have felt a push on the stairs.
• Restless tables. Diners and servers have described silverware sliding across tables and clattering to the floor.

Local lore also connects the building's child spirits to Savannah's yellow fever outbreaks, though records confirm only that the hotel stayed open during the 1854 epidemic. Some storytellers tie a ghost on the main floor to James Stark, the man killed in the 1832 shooting. None of it can be proven, but it's easy to see how a 200-year-old building on Bay Street collects stories.

Why Savannah Loves Its Haunted Brewpub

Savannah wears its ghosts proudly, and Moon River sits right in the middle of the action, steps from River Street and City Market. It's a place where you can grab a pint and a plate and sit inside one of the oldest commercial buildings in the city. For a lot of visitors, it's the perfect blend of history, good beer and just enough chill down the spine.

Tips for a Haunted Night at Moon River

• Go a little later. The building feels different once the dinner rush fades and the old brick starts to creak.
• Ask your server. Plenty of staff have a story, and some have more than one. Just be patient if it's busy.
• Look up on your way in. The facade on Bay Street is the same one Lafayette and Audubon would have walked past two centuries ago.
• Make a night of it. Bay Street, River Street and the squares to the south are full of history, and most of it is better after sunset.

Visiting Today

Moon River Brewing Company is at 21 West Bay Street in Savannah's historic district, near the Bay Street ramps down to River Street. It operates as a public brewpub and restaurant, so you can walk in for a beer or a meal; check its website for current hours. The upper floors are not generally open to diners, so please don't go exploring.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was the Moon River Brewing Company building built?

Construction began in 1819 and the building opened as the City Hotel in 1821. Moon River Brewing Company took it over in 1999.

Who haunts Moon River Brewing Company?

The best-known spirit is nicknamed Toby, but staff and guests also describe a little girl, a woman on the upper levels and unexplained bottle and silverware activity.

Was Moon River Brewing Company on Ghost Adventures?

Yes. The building has been featured on Ghost Adventures and is often cited as one of Savannah's most haunted places.

Can you visit Moon River Brewing Company?

Yes. It's an operating brewpub and restaurant open to the public at 21 West Bay Street.

Love a good haunted pint? Find more of Savannah's spirits, the drinkable and the other kind, on a Nightly Spirits ghost tour in Savannah.