Someone Haunts the Pitney House
It’s not Jonathan Pitney’s house as much as the man himself who left an indelible mark on Atlantic City. It was because of him, as well as some other key influencers, that this town grew to be what it is. There is one thing weird about the home, though, which has to do with who haunts the Pitney House!
There has been more than one ghost spotted or felt in the house, but there is one particular ghost that makes the paranormal story of the Jonathan Pitney House even more interesting. Not only have people come face-to-face with one of the ghosts, but there have also been multiple different ghostly experiences within these walls.
Jonathan Pitney Moves to Absecon
Jonathan Pitney moved to Absecon in 1820, traveling one hundred miles from where he’d been living. Horseback was his way of transportation, so he likely took a while to get there. Jonathan Pitney was a doctor, and some local historians say that he was the most influential in the county.
Pitney’s medical practice didn’t solely focus on giving out pills; he famed about the restorative properties of the ocean’s saltwater and the fresh sea air. This healthful atmosphere was the best place to open a health resort in Pitney’s mind. To bring in the people, Pitney teamed up with a local glassmaker, Samuel Richards, and started the plan to get the railroad to come through Absecon – thus bringing people to both Absecon and Atlantic City.
Locals thought it would be a railroad to nowhere, but without it, it would be challenging to bring in the people – the only way to the area would be by horse or carriage. Luckily, in late 1852, Pitney was awarded a contract to start railroad construction. Because of this, he wasn’t just influential as a doctor; he was also one of the main reasons that Atlantic City took off.
Jonathan Pitney Becomes the “Father of Atlantic City”
It’s likely he wasn’t referred to as the “Father of Atlantic City” until he was gone, but if it weren’t for his drive and ingenuity, the place might not be what it is today. His railroad, which was completed in 1854, did bring the people to the area, and Atlantic City saw a land boom with the growth of tourism. He managed to create the healing resort destination he’d wanted to.
Pitney is also said to have played a significant part in getting the Absecon Lighthouse built to help prevent shipwrecks along the shores of Absecon and Atlantic City. Not only did he save lives as a doctor, but he saved the lives of those out on the sea as well.
So, Who Haunts the Pitney House?
A gorgeous relic of the 1800s, the Jonathan Pitney House was restored to its original beauty in 2015. Originally built in 1799 and expanded in 1848, the home runs as a bed and breakfast now. One thing that attracts some folks are the many ghost stories connected to the Pitney House.
When it comes to one of the ghosts felt in this abode, it is said that Pitney told his wife that she was to live in their home forever. Caroline is said never to have left the house, even after she died. When paranormal events happen in the home, they often occur in Caroline’s room and are often attributed to her ghost. However, no one has seen a female spirit in the home.
Pitney himself died in 1869, and he died in the house. There’s a chance he also haunts his former abode. In fact, some people claim to have seen his ghost.
Filming Orbs
There was one woman who stayed in Caroline’s room with the plan to film through the night to see if she could pick up any ghostly sightings. The woman recorded many orbs that evening, but orbs are often debunked as things like dust and bugs.
The Sounds of Bells and Flutes
While there’s not much information out there to be found about Caroline’s life or interests, it’s possible she had an affinity for music. Many guests who have stayed at the Pitney House have reported hearing the sounds of flute or fife-like music and bells.
The sounds of bells can sometimes be heard throughout the home. One time this happened was the night after a woman was doing paranormal readings in the home. The manager at the time reported that there were no bells on the premises. The sound of the instrument comes from a small cottage located outside the house.
Slamming Doors
A relative of one of the people running the bed and breakfast was showing guests around one day. The door to Caroline’s room was the only door open, and they all heard a door slam shut.
Of course, slamming doors isn’t always attributed to ghosts. One may wonder if there were some windows open in the house that could have caused a draft that slammed the door shut.
Disappearing Men
Actual spirits have been seen in the home as well, not just heard. One person staying in Caroline’s room saw a couple of ghostly men stroll through the room before walking through the wall and disappearing.
There’s no explanation for this aside from the paranormal. There’s no detailed description of the men – such as what they were wearing – but it’s likely one of them could have been Pitney, perhaps showing around a ghostly guest of the manor.
The Man By the Fireplace
A man staying in Caroline’s room woke up abruptly one night to the sound of a phone ringing. When the guy opened his sleepy eyes, he found that he was facing toward the fireplace, where he saw a man dressed in a long, dark-colored coat – the man was looking back at him. It was night, and the guy staying in the room was sleepy, so he worked hard to focus on the man he saw, but when he did, all he could see was the fireplace and mantel – no guy!
It’s worth noting that this is the room where Pitney died. Perhaps the ghost of the original homeowner was wondering why some other man was sleeping in his bed.
The Light in the Drawer
The little cottage and Caroline’s room aren’t the only spots in the house where folks have experienced strange phenomena. In the room known as the Victoria Room, a woman saw a light coming from one of the drawers in the dresser while she was relaxing in the room. The light grew more prominent in size right before her eyes before it vanished altogether.
The Ghost in the Machine
There are glitches with some of the electrical devices in the bed and breakfast that are often blamed on the ghost of Jonathan Pitney. It seems that Pitney liked to communicate with people over the speaker system that runs through the house, sometimes talking over recorded music playing on the stereo or while the radio is playing. Much like EVPs are recorded with the help of white noise, this ghost would use the stereo to get his messages across.
One group of four who experienced an occurrence of this heard what sounded like an unearthly voice say something. Most of them couldn’t quite come up with what the message was, but one guess was sure they heard the mysterious voice thank them for coming.
Another time, someone was doing some cleaning around the house while listening to the radio. She started singing along to a song that was playing, and the music suddenly went all static, and she clearly heard a voice telling her to stop doing that. She opted to shut the radio off and clean in silence.
The Incident on the Stairs
Someone working at the bed and breakfast was working on washing the bedding. She was carrying a laundry basket down the main stairs when she lost her footing. She was prepared (as prepared as one can be to fall down the stairs) to tumble down the steps when she a force take over her, one which “floated” her safely down the stairs where she landed unharmed.
It’s apparent that both Jonathan and his wife decided to stay in their home even after they left this mortal coil. The experiences people have had show two benevolent ghosts that simply want to be noticed and sometimes even want to protect those staying in their house.
Sources:
http://jonathanpitneyhouse.com/about-us/history/
https://atlanticghosts.com/2021/04/23/top-10-haunted-places-in-atlantic-city/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Pitney
https://www.phillyvoice.com/ghost-carolines-room/
http://www.writeonnewjersey.com/2009/07/dr-jonathan-pitney-house/
