10/31/2026
Tales from the Inn Part 3, Final Part 👻
As we close out our Tales from the Inn Halloween series, we’re reminded that the stories of The Quechee Inn at Marshland Farm are about so much more than ghosts. They’re about the people who came before us, the lives they lived, and the rich history that makes this place so special. There are centuries of happy family memories and love on these grounds. We hope the same for any guest who stays here.
We hold deep respect for the former occupants of the Inn and the history they’ve left behind. And while some of their stories may be a little mysterious, we like to think that the spirits who linger here are friendly ones, simply making themselves at home in a place they once loved.
After all, who could blame them? With cozy fires, warm hospitality, and centuries of Vermont charm, there’s a lot to love about the Inn.
So, whether you’re here for the history, the hospitality, or perhaps a little unexplained company, we invite you to come visit, stay awhile, and make a few memories of your own. And remember … if you hear a little something in the hallway after dark, you might just have a friendly welcome from someone who never really left. 👀
In honor of Halloween, enjoy some of the spookiest tales from the binder. Thank you for following along. Until next time … 🕯️
—————————
🎃 Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
The first story involves a honeymoon couple during the early years of the Yaroschuks’ ownership. It seems that the new bride, a self-proclaimed psychic, began experiencing excruciating headaches shortly after she and her husband checked in. A few days later, the young woman asked to be transferred to another room. She calmly told Barbara that she had seen a ghost. She assured the innkeeper that her request for a room change was not made out of fear but was based entirely on her desire to alleviate her unceasing physical discomfort. Barbara was very accommodating and understandably curious, especially when the young woman began describing the cloud-like image she had observed. She identified the earthbound spirit as Mary and said that she was from the 1830s or 1840s. Apparently, Mary had at one time been locked in the now guest room and was now very afraid to leave it. According to the bride, Mary showed no hostility and was very sad. She further described her as a stubborn individual with eye problems, a woman who was “uptight." The guest also stated that Mary experienced the lives of the people who stayed in her room. Barbara said that the bride did offer to exorcise Mary from the premises once she and her husband were settled in their new quarters. To do so, they played music and invoked Mary’s father from the spirit world to encourage his daughter to leave the earth plane. Were their efforts successful? It appears not.
The Yaroschuks called in a medium shortly after the honeymoon couple left. This individual claimed that two benevolent spirits haunted the Inn, but no specific information has been documented that might identify them. A former staff member said that she had seen Mary standing at the foot of the stairs on a few quiet fall nights during the early 1980s. This staff member was also quick to point out that, although she had observed the ghost once or twice, her presence in that area was often perceived. The sensations were described as either a feeling of being watched or of having someone pass in the hallway when there was no one else around. A list of the “Marys” associated with the early years of Marshland gives no indication as to who the spirit might be. The vital statistics of the potential candidates do not correlate with the 1830s–1840s time period. Marion Marsh, wife of Daniel, Esq., was, however, mistress of the house during that era. Could Mary actually be Marion? If so, is it possible that she was feeling abandoned by her deceased husband and bound to the area by stipulations in his will? And are those spectacles she is wearing in her portrait simply an indication of an old-age infirmity, or did they help eradicate a lifelong eye affliction?
On November 19, 1992, an individual was traveling with a business associate. They occupied two of the four rooms in the Inn rented that evening. The gentleman in question was standing in the Common Room at about 10:30 p.m. when he was startled by a frantic female voice. The voice seemed to be coming from a small closet in the wall behind him. As he turned in the direction of the alarming sound, his friend came bounding in through the fire door and into the lobby. The bewildered guest immediately asked his companion if he had heard the eerie utterance and was noticeably disappointed by the response, as his friend had not heard a sound. Yet, the episode alarmed them both enough to prompt a search of the entire building. Their search turned up nothing, leading the guest to suspect that he had been the victim of a horrible joke. The man's companion and the Inn staff flatly denied any allegations of mischief, but the guest refused to accept their fervent denials. Was one of the couples staying at the Inn that night responsible? Had Mary overstepped her bounds? Or was Jane trying to convert an ardent nonbeliever?
—————————
