THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The mansion, now Baker Peters Jazz Club, is said to be haunted by Abner Baker, a former resident of the 1840 building.
The mansion, now Baker Peters Jazz Club, is said to be haunted by Abner Baker, a former resident of the 1840 building. The mansion was inhabited by Dr. Baker’s family and several wounded Confederate soldiers whom he was helping during the Civil War. When the Union learned Dr. Baker was helping Confederates, they barged in and demanded the surrender of the soldiers, but Dr. Baker refused, ran upstairs and barricaded himself in his room. The Union soldiers shot through the door and killed him. The doctor’s son Abner then shot and killed the Union informer, Postmaster William Hall, and the postmaster’s allies then killed Abner. Abner’s ghost is said to remain in the building. In fact, there is a framed photo of his ghost in the jazz club. The ghost makes himself known by dropping glasses, turning lights on and off, moving objects, and whispering. Some witnesses have experienced cold chills and other phenomena. The door that was shot through by the Union soldiers is still in the establishment.