The Richmond Haunts Blog: Spooky Tales from Near and Far

The Jefferson Hotel - A Haunting Gem at the Heart of Richmond

February 23rd, 2025

The Jefferson Hotel, a Richmond landmark, has stood as a beacon of elegance since its grand opening in 1895. Commissioned by tobacco magnate Lewis Ginter, this Renaissance-inspired masterpiece was designed by the renowned architectural firm Carrère and Hastings—the same visionaries behind the New York Public Library. Ginter, once Richmond’s wealthiest citizen, amassed and lost multiple fortunes before cementing his legacy with this opulent hotel. Having served with distinction in the Civil War, Ginter later played a pivotal role in Richmond’s economic revival, pioneering the mass production of rolled cigarettes.

Throughout its history, the Jefferson has hosted an array of distinguished guests, from U.S. presidents to world-famous entertainers like The Rolling Stones, Dolly Parton, and Elvis Presley. In the early 1900s, the hotel became famous for its marble pools, home to live alligators. The last resident reptile, Old Pompey, lived there until 1948, after which the tradition of keeping alligators ended. The hotel also played a key role in Virginia’s Historic Garden Week, serving as a gathering place for garden enthusiasts for decades.

But beyond its grandeur, the Jefferson is also known for its ghostly encounters. Staff and guests alike have reported eerie occurrences. A longtime bartender at the hotel’s TJ’s restaurant has witnessed glasses shattering mysteriously before he could touch them. A waitress once watched in horror as a drawer shot out from a side table with no visible cause.

One staff member on the sixth floor encountered a woman in a red dress. As he stepped closer, he realized she had no feet—she was floating. When he looked up at her face, she vanished into thin air. A guest on the fourth floor repeatedly woke to find the lights in his room turning on one by one, as if an unseen presence were pacing through the space. More unsettling still, an electrician working on the hotel’s 2019 renovation reported a string of misfortunes among the crew, leading them to nickname the Jefferson the “cursed dark cloud.”

With its storied past and chilling encounters, the Jefferson Hotel remains one of Richmond’s most enchanting and haunted destinations. Come for the luxury... And stay for the spirits. If you want to hear more about this landmark and other haunted locations along historic Franklin Street, come out and join Haunts of Richmond on one of our Phantoms of Franklin tours.

Important note: Do not go to the Jefferson and ask for a haunted room. They will not accommodate you. Like many Richmond institutions of old, they are not keen to speak about their haunting legacy, and that it perfectly fine. The stories that we do have to share have come from previous staff members and guests of the hotel. Current staff members are generally unwilling or unable to speak on any paranormal encounters that they may or may not have had there.