If you’re planning a haunted getaway in Gettysburg and looking for a place to stay that might just leave you sleeping with the lights on—welcome to the Cashtown Inn. With a history as rich as its ghost stories are chilling, this historic inn isn’t just a stop for paranormal TV shows and investigators. It’s the real deal. People check in for the charm and history—but some don’t make it through the night.
Here at Ghost City Tours, we’ve visited haunted places all across America. But few have left as deep an impression—literally—as the Cashtown Inn. Just ask our founder, Tim Nealon, who’s had more than one unexplainable experience while staying here.
The Cashtown Inn was established in 1797, making it one of the oldest buildings near Gettysburg. Located just eight miles west of town, it became an essential stop for travelers and—most notably—the Confederate Army during the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863. General A.P. Hill used it as his headquarters, and its hallways and rooms were turned into makeshift field hospitals for wounded Confederate soldiers.
The Cashtown Inn’s ghost stories are rooted in the building’s bloody and strategic role during the American Civil War, particularly in the days leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg in July of 1863.
Located along the old Chambersburg Pike, just eight miles from Gettysburg, Cashtown was a vital crossroads village. In the summer of 1863, it served as a staging area for the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia as General Robert E. Lee prepared for what he hoped would be a decisive invasion of Union territory. Confederate troops began arriving in the area in late June, and the Cashtown Inn quickly became a nerve center of activity.
General A.P. Hill, commander of the Third Corps, chose the Cashtown Inn as his temporary headquarters. From here, he directed troop movements and oversaw supply lines as thousands of Confederate soldiers marched through the region. Officers met in the inn’s parlor, planned maneuvers over maps, and likely slept in the very rooms where guests now report cold spots and ghostly whispers.
On July 1, 1863, General Hill sent a division east toward Gettysburg to scout for supplies—primarily shoes, according to some accounts. What began as a small skirmish soon escalated into full-blown combat as Union forces engaged the Confederate vanguard. This confrontation, which Lee had not authorized and did not want, marked the start of the Battle of Gettysburg.
When Lee received word that fighting had erupted—reportedly while he was en route to Cashtown—he was furious. His battle strategy had been to avoid direct engagement until the Confederate army was fully concentrated. Instead, the largest and bloodiest battle ever fought on American soil had begun without his command.
From this moment forward, the Cashtown Inn was thrust into chaos. As wounded soldiers were dragged from the battlefield back to Confederate lines, the inn transformed from a command post into a makeshift field hospital. Rooms became operating theaters. Beds, floors, and tables were used for amputations. Blood soaked the wooden floorboards. Doctors worked around the clock in appalling conditions, often with no anesthesia. Limbs were tossed from windows, and cries of agony echoed through the halls.
Thousands of men passed through the Cashtown Inn during those grim days—some survived, many did not. That intense suffering, emotional trauma, and violent death has left a psychic scar on the building, one that paranormal investigators believe is the root of the hauntings experienced there to this day.
Today, that trauma seems to linger. Guests and staff alike report ghostly apparitions, strange noises, and sudden cold spots that have no earthly explanation.
While plenty of paranormal investigators have passed through the inn’s creaky halls, one guest who keeps coming back for more is Tim Nealon, founder of Ghost City Tours. He’s stayed at the Cashtown Inn several times over the years—and let’s just say, it’s never just been a quiet night’s sleep.
“Every time I’ve stayed at the Cashtown Inn, something weird happens,” Tim says. “I’ve heard voices when no one’s around, things move in the room on their own, and one time—I woke up with scratches down my back.”
That particular incident happened during a solo stay. Tim had set up an audio recorder to try and catch some EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena). What he got instead was hours of disembodied whispers—and a rude awakening at 3 a.m. with fresh claw marks.
“It wasn’t the wind. It wasn’t the bed. I was alone, and I know what I felt,” he adds.
He’s also collected dozens of EVP clips from his visits, including one chilling recording of a male voice whispering, “Get out…” just as he was wrapping up for the night.
Over the centuries, the Cashtown Inn has racked up an impressive roster of ghostly residents. While many of the spirits are unidentified soldiers—likely Confederate casualties of the nearby Battle of Gettysburg—some apparitions appear so frequently and with such specificity that guests and paranormal investigators have started identifying them by name, rank, or behavior.
One commonly reported ghost is believed to be General A.P. Hill himself. Hill used the Cashtown Inn as his headquarters in the days leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg. Visitors have reported seeing a tall, stern man in a Confederate officer’s uniform standing at the top of the stairs or gazing out the windows toward the road. Sometimes he vanishes before their eyes. Others have heard authoritative male voices barking orders late at night—despite being the only guests in the building.
Another frequent phantom is believed to be a Confederate surgeon, forever trapped in the trauma of his wartime duties. Guests have described a man covered in a blood-stained apron walking through the halls or appearing briefly in doorways. One unnerving account came from a couple who awoke to find this ghostly figure standing at the foot of their bed, hands stained crimson, muttering something unintelligible before fading into nothing.
Then there are the unknown soldiers, spectral remnants of the bloody aftermath of the Civil War. Some guests have reported waking up to the sound of labored breathing or muffled cries—only to find no one else in the room. Others have witnessed ghostly faces peering through their windows, even when they're on the second floor.
Room 5, in particular, has a notorious reputation. Several guests have reported an overwhelming sense of dread in that room, along with the sounds of boots walking in circles, drawers opening on their own, and even the feeling of being watched intensely. One visitor claimed he heard the distinct sound of a belt being tightened—only to realize later that this room may have been where a soldier succumbed to his wounds after being tied down for emergency surgery.
These lingering spirits make the Cashtown Inn more than just a historic landmark—they make it one of the most actively haunted locations near Gettysburg. Whether you're a die-hard ghost hunter or just someone curious about the paranormal, the Cashtown Inn offers a chilling and unforgettable experience.
Over the years, reports of ghostly activity have poured in. Some of the most common hauntings include:
Phantom Footsteps: Guests often report the sound of heavy boots pacing up and down the hallways late at night—especially when no one is staying in the adjacent rooms.
Disembodied Voices: Both staff and guests have heard low murmurs, groans, and even screams—particularly near the rooms that once served as surgical wards during the Civil War.
Apparitions: Many have seen full-bodied ghosts dressed in Confederate uniforms. Some disappear into walls; others vanish the moment you blink.
Poltergeist Activity: Lights flickering, doors slamming, and personal belongings being moved or even tossed have all been documented.
The Cashtown Inn’s haunted reputation is so notorious that many guests have actually left in the middle of the night. Numerous online reviews tell similar stories—of people checking in for the history, only to be chased out by the ghosts.
“It felt like something was sitting at the foot of the bed,” one guest writes. “We lasted until about 2:30 a.m. and then couldn’t take it anymore—we left and slept in our car.”
And it’s not just the guests. Paranormal TV shows have featured the Cashtown Inn over the years, including Ghost Hunters and Most Terrifying Places in America. It’s consistently rated one of the most haunted inns in the country—and for good reason.
If you’re brave enough, the Cashtown Inn is still in operation and offers a truly immersive experience—ghosts included. Many people combine their overnight stay with one of our Gettysburg Ghost Tours, making it a full night of haunted adventure.
Want to learn even more about the ghosts of Gettysburg? Join us on a tour and see why this little Pennsylvania town is one of the most haunted in America.
Just don’t be surprised if something follows you home.
Location: 1325 Old Route 30, Orrtanna, PA
Curious about Gettysburg’s haunted history? Take a ghost tour with Ghost City Tours and experience the stories, spirits, and secrets that bring this historic town to life after dark.
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