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Address:
72 Wayside Inn Road
Sudbury, Massachusetts
(978) 443-1776
(800) 339-1776
Website
The original house was built in 1707 and it started out as a two-room home built by David Howe. David originally built the home for his wife and children, however, in 1716; he added onto the home and turned it into an inn and tavern. This inn was later passed on to David’s son, Ezekiel Howe and the inn became “The Red Horse”.
Ezekiel built on more additions that practically made the house double in size. Ezekiel, keeping with family tradition, later passed the inn down to his son Adam in 1796. Adam, as with his father and grandfather, added onto the house and passed the inn down to his son Lyman. Unfortunately the family ended here; Lyman never married and therefore had no sons to pass the inn on to.
After the death of Lyman Howe, the inn was closed and was then used only for special occasions and receptions. In 1897, the home was purchased by Edward Lemon who, once again, turned in back into an inn. And, keeping with tradition, Mr. Lemon added on and did some renovating to improve the place.
In 1923, after the death of Edward Lemon, the home and its property was purchased by Henry Ford. Mr. Ford was responsible for the very last additions and renovations made to the inn. When Mr. Ford died, the inn was charitably left to the state and was then turned into a museum.
Today, the house is used as an inn and a museum.
Reports of the Paranormal:
A female entity has been seen roaming throughout the entire house. This apparition is believed to be the restless spirit of Jerusha Howe, the sister of one of the Howe family members.
Jerusha’s spirit has been reported to touch people. She has also been reported to play the piano and appear as a full-bodied apparition in front of people. Jerusha’s citrus-scented perfume has been detected in various parts of the house and many have felt her presence close by even when she made no physical appearance.
Some of the visitors who have stayed at this inn have claimed that they awoke in the middle of the night to find the entity of Jerusha Howe sitting on their bed beside them! A few of the male patrons have claimed that she gently caressed their skin or hugged them and a few of these men also claimed that she actually climbed into their bed with them!
The Longfellow’s Wayside Inn and Museum still has reports of the paranormal and guests still make reports of seeing and feeling Jerusha Howe’s presence.