Expedition Team: Dave Miller, Rosie Miller
Date: April 15, 2025
This two-story tavern was built in 1827 by Elisha and son William (known as the father of Yellow Springs) Mills. Back then it was called Elisha’s Tavern. The hand-hewn logs are clearly seen in the back of the building. It was the only Yellow Springs structure on Route 68 at the time.
Our waiter Duane told us of two recent paranormal experiences. We were seated at a corner table, very tight and next to a brick wall and fireplace. Duane told us that recently a lady sat there looking at a menu. Her drink suddenly flew from the table and smashed against the brick just to her right. Rosie reenacted the scene by sitting in the same place (Photo#2). If the woman had accidentally knocked the drink off it would have fallen down to the floor and broke. Instead, the glass flew horizontally and into the brick wall.
Duane also said that the owner Don Beard has video of three glasses moving on their own and falling off of the bar shelf (photo#4).
His wife Christine, stated that when she cleaned the then-upstairs bathroom, that often she would see the form of a woman in a late 1800’s blue dress walking down the hallway. It appears the ghost wears its hair down and seems sad.
A former owner Francis Haffner who died in 1895 (Photo?) only wanted food sold and no spirits is believed to be one of the ghosts that haunt the bar. Haffner’s teenage niece is suspected to be a blond woman wearing a white nightgown seen on the lower floor multiple times over the past ten years by the bartender. The witnesses say that the downstairs ghost appears happy.
I managed to go upstairs (now used mainly for storage) and took many photos around the restaurant. I liked the “Caution Mind Your Head” sign due to the low wood ceiling above an inner door. I could not perform an EVP this trip but would like to investigate this pub further on another occasion.
