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| Photograph ©misescu1 |
310 N. Hull Street
Montgomery, Alabama 36104
(334) 240-4500
In the early 1820’s – 1840’s, the Lucas Tavern was considered to be a tasteful establishment where weary travelers could fill up on a good meal and sleep in a warm, comfortable bed.
The owner of the tavern, Eliza Lucas, enjoyed taking care of her guests and perhaps that is why she was so successful. Eliza and her children lived in the tavern and she worked hard in her business, as well as, taking care of her kids.
Sometime in the 1840’s the Lucas Tavern became a private, residential home for about 100 years. In the 1960’s the home was abandoned. In 1978 the Landmarks Foundation bought it and moved it into Old Alabama Town. The tavern was completely restored by 1980.
After the restorations were finished, Eliza’s apparition became very active! Eliza’s spirit is usually described as being about 5’3 and wearing an old fashioned Victorian-style dress.
Most visitors who see Eliza say she was smiling and waving from the tavern doorway as they passed by.
Eliza isn’t always so pleasant though, sometimes she lets people know when she feels their out of line! One afternoon there was a meeting in the tavern. All the attendees’ were seated in front of the fire place. One of the men was irritably trying to get his opinions across to the rest of the group when all of a sudden a big cloud of ashes and smoke discharged from the fireplace and covered the gentleman’s clothing in soot! Apparently Eliza didn’t like what the man was saying or maybe she just didn’t approve of his attitude!
On another occasion, two employees of the tavern were carrying on a conversation about how the Historical District operates and all of a sudden the door to the room slid up off of its hinges and landed with a loud thump onto the floor in front of them! I guess Eliza didn’t approve of their conversation!
In 1986, Eliza gave a photographer quite a show. He came to the tavern after it was closed and asked if he could take some photographs. After given permission, the photographer headed out behind the tavern to the old one room school house. When he entered he saw a woman looking out the window, dressed in outdated clothing. He assumed the woman was one of the tour guides dressed in costume. The man took several photos and then accidentally bumped a desk and startled the woman. She began to hurry away and he begged her to sit at the teacher’s desk so he could photograph her. She went to a portrait of George Washington and stood under it. She looked at the photographer, smiled and waved and then she floated right through the wall! When the man developed his film the pictures were blank except for a bright golden light that lay right in the spot were Eliza’s image should’ve been.
Eliza has also been known to materialize in front of visitors and employees alike. She is said to tidy up or mess up various rooms and occasionally rearrange things.