Inn of the Hawke

A popular inn and restaurant built in the 1860s in charming Lambertville along the Delaware River. The building has served travelers between New Jersey and Pennsylvania for over 150 years.

The Inn of the Hawke stands at 74 South Union Street in the heart of Lambertville, a town steeped in Revolutionary War history. Before it was called Lambertville, this area was known as Coryell's Ferry, a vital Delaware River crossing where George Washington and 13,000 Continental Army soldiers crossed in June 1778 on their way to the Battle of Monmouth. The inn's building was constructed in the early 1860s as the private residence of William McCready, owner of the Perseverance Paper Mill located across the street. McCready named his mill "Perseverance" because several of his previous business ventures had burned down, and he was determined to persist. The home remained in private hands for decades before being converted into an inn and tavern in the early 1900s.

The haunting reportedly began long before anyone was keeping records. According to staff and paranormal investigators, the building is home to at least six distinct spirits, each with their own territory and personality. The most protective ghost is Jake, a former handyman who inhabited the basement. Jake is described as a younger man who guards the property's belongings—one employee attempting to sneak beer from the basement cooler claimed Jake's apparition physically blocked his entrance. Staff hear children giggling frequently in the basement alongside Jake, likely residual energy from when the building served as a family home in the 1800s.

The third floor is the domain of a Victorian-era woman who frequents Rooms 6 and 7. Witnesses describe her wearing dark, high-necked clothing with a laced collar and brooch, often seen gazing longingly out the windows. A male presence has been detected on the second floor, though less is known about his identity. Perhaps the most playful spirit is that of a young boy—described as cherub-faced with pink cheeks, missing teeth, and wild hair—who giggles throughout the building. Visitors have also reported seeing a spectral border collie standing in doorways before vanishing. Near the bar, a uniformed figure believed to be a Revolutionary War soldier has been observed pacing and marching, fitting given Lambertville's role as a military crossing point.

In the kitchen, the paranormal activity is impossible to ignore. Pots and pans lift off their hooks and crash to the floor with no one nearby. Pictures are knocked off walls throughout the inn. Objects move on their own—one account describes a straw disappearing from a table only to reappear across the room. In Room 3, a lamp was reportedly thrown off a table with no one around. Staff members report feeling something brush against their legs or touch them when they are alone.

The City Lights Paranormal Society conducted a formal investigation on March 13, 2011. Led by founder Joe Iannetta, the team spent six hours at the inn using EMF detectors, infrared cameras, EVP recorders, and thermal guns. They collected over 60 hours of evidence. During the investigation, a door opened by itself on the second floor while investigators were present. Most notably, they captured video footage of a flashlight turning on in response to yes/no questions—a technique used to communicate with intelligent spirits. Male voices were recorded on the third floor while all male investigators were in the basement, lending credibility to the EVP captures. The team concluded that the Inn of the Hawke experiences both residual and intelligent hauntings, though they believe none of the entities are harmful.

One compelling family account comes from a guest whose great-grandfather's family owned the building from approximately 1892 to 1915. During their ownership, three family members died in the house: the great-grandfather's mother, sister, and brother. The descendant, staying in a second-floor corner room, woke in the middle of the night to an overwhelming rancid tobacco odor. The restaurant was closed and no other guests were present. When they stepped into the hallway, the smell vanished instantly. Despite opening windows, the scent persisted until dawn, then disappeared. The guest believed it was the family greeting them.

Today, the Inn of the Hawke operates as a popular restaurant and bed-and-breakfast, welcoming guests who are curious about its supernatural residents. The third floor is particularly recommended for those hoping for an encounter, and the staff have grown so accustomed to the paranormal activity that they consider the ghosts part of the team.