If you are looking for an amazing meal, then the Pink House in Savannah is the place you want to go. If you are looking for an amazing meal and the possibility of being locked in a bathroom stall by a ghost, then the Pink House is definitely the place you want to go. Savannah’s iconic Pink House is known for its history, beauty, food, and it’s ghosts.
The Pink House itself is worth seeing, even if you do not want to encounter a spirit. The house is gorgeous and full of history. The live oaks that grace the entire city of Savannah make the home feel private even as it sits in the small city.
Seeing an old pink house in the south might even be a good enough reason to make the trip. It is gorgeous and interesting and surrounded by other beautiful historic buildings. If the food and ghosts alone aren’t enough to get you to The Pink House, then the beauty might just be what draws you in.
If you drive through the streets of Savannah, you will see enough beauty to take your breath away. Live oaks line the streets and drip with Spanish moss, buildings older than the United States itself stand strong, and a pink house sits proudly on the old streets of Savannah, Georgia. If you want to book a ghost story tour of the Pink House in Savannah, go here.
The War and The Haunted Pink House
Building on The Pink House began in 1771 and was not finished until 1789. This put its building solidly during the Revolutionary War. That makes The Pink House about as old as buildings in America can be.
The original owner of the home, James Habersham Jr., was a revolutionary war soldier who fought for freedom before the war ever began. James grew up with his two brothers who wanted freedom and a father who was loyal to the crown. This made the three brothers fight for a free America even more rebellious and difficult as it tore their family apart.
The three brothers were part of the original Sons of Liberty. The three of them fought to free the colonies from British rule even as their father remained a loyalist. This caused a rift in the family that was never healed.
James Habersham Sr. was one of the richest men in the colonies. He owned a cotton plantation and enough slaves to keep it running. Habersham Sr. was the first person to begin sending cotton to Britain and remained loyal to the crown until he died.
His loyalty was difficult for his sons to understand, and they, obviously, gave their loyalty to the opposite side of the war. He died brokenhearted as the British lost and his sons fought against them.
The three brothers fought valiantly in the Revolutionary War and earned a name for themselves in the colonies. The youngest of the three was a great soldier, the middle was a rebel with a cause and more radical than his two brothers, and James was a great soldier who worked his way through the ranks.
James Jr. was eventually given the title of major and served the colonies well. His middle brother, Jan Brady, is the most famous of the brothers as he is one of the men who marched into the British Governor’s mansion and arrested him. The heroism of all three brothers in the war was enough to make the Habersham name a respected one among the colonies.
During the war, The Pink House was used by British soldiers for housing. This upset James Jr., but there was little he could do about it while the war was still raging. When the war ended, he resumed building on his home and solidly removed any memory of the British in his home.
When James Jr. finally finished his home after the war ended, it was beautiful and regal. He built it as a status symbol, and it certainly was one. James Jr. went on to own a plantation and spent most of his life raising his children and trying to keep his house from turning pink.
The Pink House Was Used as a Home
James Habersham Jr., the original owner of The Pink House, built his home to entertain. He loved big parties and guests. He is touted as the kind of southern gentleman who oozed charm. This made The Pink House a lively and beautiful place, even at the very beginning of its time in Savannah.
He owned a cotton plantation and slaves making him one of the men that the U.S. would eventually rightfully condemn. Though he fought to free the colonies, he was not a man who believed in the freedom of all humans. This might be why Olde Pink House has so many restless spirits wandering the halls.
James Jr. did not want a pink home. He covered the red brick of his home with white plaster, but the red seeped through no matter how much plaster he piled on, making the home look pink. This was unacceptable and caused the Habershams to be mocked in the town for their pink house.
The rest of Habersham’s life was spent throwing parties, owning a plantation, and trying to cover the house in enough plaster to keep the red from showing through. He never managed to keep the house from turning pink, which he despised and resented. Finally, in the 1920s, a woman purchased the house and just painted the whole thing pink to keep from spending an absurd amount of money on plaster every year.
In 1912 the home was used as Planters Bank. During this time, the pink of the home was still being covered with plaster as, apparently, a pink bank was not ideal. After the Civil War, the home was used as an office, a tea room, and a bookstore at different times before it was finally purchased by the woman who allowed it to be pink. Since then, the house has been proudly pink and has remained a staple of Savannah.
The Olde Pink House has been painted that same shade of pink every year since it was finally allowed to be pink to keep the color as fresh as possible. This has saved a significant amount of money on plaster and made the home famous for its history and its striking color. The Pink House decided it was meant to be pink and not even James Habersham Jr. and a thousand coats of plaster changed that.
This historic house survived being invaded by the British, the war of 1812, the Civil War, and the fires of 1820. This makes it one of the most resilient buildings in America as very few buildings have seen the things The Pink House has stood through. Even as most of Savannah fell or burned, The Pink House stood strong. It is one of the oldest buildings in the U.S. and has enough history in it to keep plenty of ghosts wandering its halls.
James Habersham Jr. built one of the most beautiful homes in the U.S., and it has stood for over two hundred years. It stands right where it was built on 23 Abercorn Street, and it has been restored to its former grandeur by the current owners. If you want to see a beautiful, historic, and very pink house then there is no better place than The Olde Pink House of Savannah, Georgia.
The Ghosts Of the Pink House in Savannah
There are plenty of ghost stories that have come out of The Pink House. Very few of the ghosts have a known identity as it is suspected many of the ghosts walking the halls were slaves and their children. This makes it hard to tell who exactly is haunting The Pink House.
The first ghost of The Pink House is suspected to be none other than James Habersham Jr. James officially died of natural illness and was buried with his family. There is a story, however, that James killed himself in the basement of The Pink House after he found his wife cheating on him.
The story suggests that this was covered up so James could still be buried on church property with the rest of his family. The other side of this tale suggests James killed himself from heartbreak after his wife died. There is no actual evidence that James Habersham Jr. killed himself except for his ghost that still wanders his old home.
James Jr.’s ghost is said to be seen in the basement that now acts as the tavern for the Pink House Restaurant. He also is said to order drinks from the bar staff occasionally and toast with unwitting patrons of the restaurant. This makes him the most famous ghost of The Pink House.
There is a revolutionary war soldier, possibly James, who is seen sitting at the bar drunk and smiling. He orders drinks and makes a toast with bar patrons only to disappear before taking a drink. This spirit is vivid enough that many people who see him say they thought they were talking to a reenactor before he disappeared in front of their eyes.
The last of the hauntings attributed to James is the cleanliness of the restaurant. Many workers report seeing James fixing table clothes and rearranging chairs to make everything look neat. He is apparently particularly concerned with the candles that sit on the tables in the restaurant.
James keeps all the candles lit and makes sure they do not go out. One worker says they were closing the restaurant and turned around to find every candle in the restaurant lit when they had just been dark. Perhaps James Habersham Jr. just really enjoys a good ambiance.
The candles at The Pink House are actually rather famous as many patrons report seeing the flame die out and relight rather suddenly. If you intend to eat at the restaurant make sure to sit at a table with a candle and pay attention to any possible signs of the supernatural. James Habersham might light the candles but he is certainly not the only ghost who loves to mess with patrons.
The other ghosts that haunt The Pink House do not have identities. Many are said to be slave children that died in the fires or of yellow fever a hundred years ago or more. These children are the most playful and mischievous ghosts that haunt the restaurant and you are likely to encounter one if you are alone for too long.
Many women who go to the bathroom in the basement come out saying someone held the stall door closed and they had to throw their body against the door to get out. Menus and glasses of wine are knocked over and spilled when there is no way they should have fallen. Bar workers are hit on the head with bottles while their backs are turned and no one is standing behind them.
In one of the most intriguing ghost evidence cases ever recorded, the Pink House security cameras caught a figure floating down a hallway and then disappearing. This footage, captured in 2011, has made many people believe in ghosts and ended many debates on whether ghosts exist. There are certainly some strange happenings going on in the Pink House restaurant.
The final ghost of The Pink House has only ever been heard. As the restaurant was being locked up the workers heard a woman weeping upstairs. The building had already been checked and was entirely empty when her wails were heard.
The Pink House ghosts are certainly more active than many other spirits. So many women have been locked in the bathroom that many staff will warn you about it before you go in and many people see James Habersham Jr. wandering the tavern. These supernatural experiences happen often enough to keep the haunted reputation of The Pink House going strong.
The ghosts that wander the halls of The Pink House are mostly said to be children. Their tragic deaths, most likely from yellow fever, haunt the beautiful house and always will. Even in death, they enjoy pranking the patrons and staff of The Pink House.
Ghost Tours of The Haunted Pink House In Savannah
You would be hard-pressed to find a ghost tour in Savannah that does not stop by The Olde Pink House. Savannah has enough history and superstition to keep quite a few ghost tours operating and going through the city. The Pink House is one of the most popular stops.
The house sits proud and pink on Abercorn Street. It is surrounded by lush, green foliage and beautiful flowers. The house itself is painted yearly and looks as beautiful as the day it was built.
The Pink House is one of the most beautiful and one of the most haunted buildings you will ever see. Every floor from the tavern to the attic has seen some kind of spirit. If you want to see a ghost in the south The Pink House is your best bet.
Ghost guides make a point to stop by The Pink House as many of them have witnessed supernatural activity there. Any ghost tour you take is almost guaranteed to have a guide that will tell you a personal story of the hauntings they witness at The Pink House. The ghosts are active and the tour guides spend enough time there that they are more likely than almost anyone to see a spirit.
The ghost tours do not always see a ghost but they are always very interesting. Ghosts of the restaurant seem to prefer praying on the people who are just there for a meal and do not want to interact with a spirit. Still, plenty of people on the ghost tours report experiencing something supernatural and recommend going to The Pink House if you want to see a real ghost.
The ghost tours of Savannah are known for being beautiful, historic, and deeply haunted. If you want to learn something new about the deep south and maybe see a ghost then a ghost tour is your best option. Also, enough of the tours stop at bars and restaurants that you will likely get a good meal and a buzz out of it too.
Savannah is one of the most haunted cities in the U.S. In 2008 it was actually rated the most haunted city in the U.S. because of the amount of building that report ghosts regularly. If you are interested in history and ghosts than there is no better city to visit than Savannah Georgia.
The Pink House Made Into a Restaurant
In 1970 The Pink House was turned into a restaurant by Herschel McCaller Jr. and Jeffrey Keith. They bought it for sixty thousand dollars and opened for business in 1971. They owned it until 1992 when McCaller died and Keith sold it to the Balish family.
The Balish family still owns The Pink House today and have restored it to its former glory. In 2006 they added an extension to the building and spruced the whole place up to make sure they were doing the original architecture justice. The Balish family has made the restaurant a must-see destination in Savannah with an inside as beautiful as the outside.
Still, the history of The Pink House is being written. In 2018 the upper ballroom caught fire causing damage and making the building close for four months. This just goes to show that The Pink House is willing to stand through anything and is not going down without a fight.
The restaurant serves delicious food that is priced to match the grandeur of the building and quality of the food. That makes it an expensive place with reviews saying the food is absolutely worth the price. The fact that the building is full most nights makes it easy to believe that the restaurant is as amazing as reviews say.
Weddings are held there regularly as it is one of the most beautiful places in the already gorgeous Savannah. The food is amazing, the building is stunning, and the ghosts are very active. The Pink House restaurant in Savannah Georgia is one of the places you must go if you are in the south and looking for great food and a good scare.
It is recommended that you make a reservation if you want to eat at The Pink House as it is very popular among both locals and tourists. There are private rooms you can rent out if you want to throw a party or have a more intimate setting. Overall, this is the type of restaurant you want to dress up nice for and take plenty of people to enjoy the experience.
Conclusion
If you like beautiful architecture, great food, and lots of ghosts then The Pink House in Savannah Georgia is the place you want to visit. It is a gorgeous and deeply haunted building that brings in thousands of tourists and ghost hunters every year. If you are passing through the beautiful city of Savannah then The Pink House is one of the places you should make sure to stop.
The Olde Pink House has stood through three wars, two fires, and at least eight owners. Through all that time it remained strong, beautiful and, most importantly, very pink. The house has stood for over two hundred years making it one of the oldest buildings in The United States and certainly a place full of history.
As you drive through the old streets of Savannah you will see many things. Statues, brick roads, horse-drawn carriages, live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, and a pink house standing proud. The Pink House has been there so long it seems that it has always been there and the city would not be the same without the beautiful pink house that has stood since before the U.S. existed.
The Pink House is a place that is almost alive with history. It is a building that has seen many hardships yet still has managed to stand proud right where it was built. There is no place you will find in America more beautiful, more haunted, and especially more pink.
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