Farnsworth House Inn Review: Staying in One of Gettysburg’s Most Haunted Historic Homes

Hello, spooky cats!

For our latest dark tourism adventure, we spent the night at the historic Farnsworth House Inn in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

The Farnsworth House is more than a themed hotel with a few ghost stories taped onto the walls. The building stood during the Battle of Gettysburg, still bears what are said to be over 100 bullet holes, and has developed a reputation as one of the most haunted places in town.

Naturally, we had to sleep there.

We booked the Eisenhower Room, explored the historic house and grounds, ate at the tavern, conducted a paranormal investigation, and tested the less glamorous parts of historic travel—such as the bed, noise level, shower pressure, and ability to escape a claw-foot tub wrapped in plastic.

Here is what it was really like to stay overnight at the Farnsworth House Inn.

Checking In at the Farnsworth House

The check-in process can be slightly confusing when you first arrive.

The Farnsworth House itself sits beside the path leading toward the gift shop, where guests check in and receive their room keys. The gift shop also sells souvenirs and ghost-hunting merchandise.

The inn clearly embraces its haunted reputation. Paranormal investigators are welcome, ghost stories are part of the experience, and guests are encouraged to record unusual activity in notebooks left inside the rooms.

Interestingly, the inn appeared comfortable with ghost-hunting equipment but opposed to Ouija boards.

I am not sure why one method of trying to communicate with ghosts is acceptable while another is apparently where the dead draw the line, but every haunted house has rules.

The Eisenhower Room

We stayed in the Eisenhower Room, which was decorated in a heavily historic style.

The best way I can describe it is fancy grandmother’s house during the Civil War.

The room contained patterned wallpaper, antique-style furniture, framed artwork, decorative objects, a small television, a couch, and enough historic details to make plain white walls feel like a modern design failure.

It was atmospheric, but it was also dark, small, and crowded.

The Farnsworth House is genuinely old, and the room reflects that. The doors, closets, hallways, and furniture all felt compact. Anyone expecting the open space of a modern hotel room may be surprised.

That cramped feeling is part of the experience, but it is still worth knowing before booking.

The Bed

The bed appeared to be full-size rather than queen-size.

It was softer than the bed we experienced during a previous Gettysburg hotel stay, but it was also considerably smaller. Sharing it with my husband created some territorial difficulties.

At home, I enjoy having enough space to pretend I am sleeping alone. That was not possible here.

The mattress also had some bounce. When one person moved, the other person noticed.

Despite the size, we slept reasonably well. The bed was comfortable enough, and the ghosts did not wake us by banging on the walls, standing at the foot of the bed, or politely asking us to move over.

Frankly, there was no room for them, anyway.

Storage, Outlets, and Room Amenities

The room had a small closet, two drawers, and a couch that could have been used for sitting had we not covered it with luggage and paranormal equipment.

The drawers were difficult to access because furniture partially blocked them, but they were available.

At first, electrical outlets were difficult to spot. We eventually found outlets and power strips, which were essential for charging cameras, lights, recorders, and other equipment.

There was no refrigerator or microwave inside the room.

The Farnsworth House can provide ice, but guests who need to keep food, drinks, or medication cold should ask about the options before arriving.

Realistically, there was nowhere obvious to put additional appliances. The room was already making excellent use of every inch.

The Bathroom and Claw-Foot Tub

The bathroom felt more spacious than the bedroom and continued the historic grandmother aesthetic.

It included:

• A claw-foot bathtub and shower
• Towels and toilet paper
• A hair dryer
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Soap and makeup wipes
• A small mirror
• A window near the bathtub

There did not appear to be a full-length mirror in the room. Anyone who needs to inspect an entire outfit before leaving may need to improvise.

The claw-foot tub looked charming, but using it as a shower required completely surrounding yourself with a plastic curtain.

You essentially climb into the tub and seal yourself inside a plastic chamber.

The shower became hot and had surprisingly strong pressure, considering the age of the plumbing. The water itself was not a problem.

The curtain experience was more questionable.

My husband dislikes shower curtains touching him, so I was relieved that he survived without becoming tangled, falling out of the tub, and creating a new haunted legend.

Lighting and Historic Atmosphere

The Eisenhower Room was quite dark.

There were lamps, but the room did not have the bright, even lighting found in modern hotels. The shower area was especially dim because there was no dedicated light inside the curtain.

The low lighting added to the atmosphere, especially during a paranormal investigation. It was less convenient when trying to find something inside a bag.

The floors were also wonderfully creaky.

Historic floorboards are charming during the afternoon. At night, every creak becomes a potential soldier walking down the hall.

Before blaming a ghost, remember that old wooden buildings shift, settle, and complain whenever someone takes a step.

Noise Levels

Because the house is located beside a road, we could hear traffic outside.

Inside, the building was quieter than expected. Considering the thin walls, creaky floors, restaurant activity, and other guests, we slept fairly well.

No unexplained banging or dramatic footsteps woke us during the night.

Noise levels could vary depending on the room, season, restaurant schedule, and number of guests. Light sleepers may still want earplugs or a sound machine.

Paranormal investigators should also document traffic, neighboring guests, plumbing, and restaurant sounds before treating every recording as an EVP.

Gettysburg has plenty of ghosts without needing to recruit a passing truck.

Exploring the Historic Property

One of the best parts of staying at the Farnsworth House is being able to explore the property.

Certain areas were accessible to overnight guests, including historic hallways, outdoor spaces, and areas near the tavern. Other sections were restricted, and signs made it clear not to climb particular stairs.

The building becomes significantly creepier after dark.

Dim pathways, old architecture, mannequins, period decorations, and shadowy corners create an atmosphere that requires very little help from the supernatural.

At one point, we found what looked like several shadow figures outside.

They were ordinary figures or decorations casting shadows.

This is exactly why lighting and environmental conditions matter. A human-shaped shadow in a famously haunted location can quickly become a ghost story when viewed from the wrong angle.

The Bullet Holes

The exterior walls of the Farnsworth House are said to contain more than 100 bullet holes from the Battle of Gettysburg.

Many appear as filled or marked spots across the brickwork.

Standing beside the wall and seeing those marks is a sobering reminder that the building was not simply inspired by Civil War history. It was physically present during the fighting.

This is where the Farnsworth House becomes more than a haunted hotel.

Dark tourism involves visiting places connected to death, tragedy, conflict, and difficult history. At the Farnsworth House, the battlefield is not a distant attraction. The evidence of war is embedded in the building itself.

The ghost stories may bring people through the door, but the history gives the location its weight.

Paranormal Activity at the Farnsworth House

The Farnsworth House has a long list of reported paranormal experiences.

Guests and investigators have described footsteps, voices, shadow figures, moving objects, and apparitions. Several spirits are associated with different parts of the property, including soldiers and other figures linked to the house’s history.

The inn encourages guests to write about anything unusual they experience in a notebook kept inside the room.

We brought our ghost-hunting equipment and conducted an investigation during our stay. A cat ball activated repeatedly at one point, even though we did not believe we were moving near it.

That was interesting, but a flashing cat ball is not automatically proof of a ghost.

These devices can be triggered by vibration, unstable surfaces, temperature changes, nearby movement, or internal sensitivity. Any activation needs to be compared with environmental conditions before it earns a promotion to paranormal evidence.

Our personal overnight experience was quiet. No apparition appeared, and nothing stood at the end of our bed.

The ghosts may have been busy in the attic—or avoiding our equipment.

Dinner at the Historic Tavern

The Farnsworth House also has a tavern serving food and drinks in a period-inspired setting.

We tried several unusual menu items, including peanut soup. The best description I can give is liquid peanut butter.

It was interesting, rich, and definitely not something I encounter on an ordinary restaurant menu.

We also ordered hot dogs, crab soup, and themed drinks. One drink was connected to Lincoln, while another was called the Bullet Hole.

The food was decent, and the tavern atmosphere added to the experience. Eating inside a historic building after wandering around looking for ghosts felt appropriate.

The decor includes Civil War clothing, historic objects, dolls, and displays that range from interesting to mildly unsettling.

Nothing improves dinner like a creepy doll watching you attempt peanut soup.

The Garden

The grounds behind the Farnsworth House were one of the prettiest parts of the property.

The garden included pathways, seating areas, a small bridge, water features, and fish ponds. During warmer weather, it would be a lovely place to sit and enjoy the property.

At night, the same garden becomes much more atmospheric.

Dark pathways, moving water, statues, and shadows create plenty of opportunities for mistaken figures and peripheral movement.

Again, not every shadow is a soldier.

Some are bushes. Bushes remain one of the paranormal field’s most persistent troublemakers.

Breakfast at the Farnsworth House

Breakfast was included with our stay.

Guests selected a time in advance, and we chose 8:30 a.m. The meal was served inside the tavern area.

The breakfast was substantial—more than I could comfortably finish—and gave us an opportunity to speak with other guests about their experiences from the previous night.

That communal element is one of the enjoyable parts of staying at a haunted bed and breakfast. Everyone arrives in the morning comparing notes.

Some people heard things. Some people felt things. Some people slept through everything.

We belonged mostly to the third group.

What Makes the Farnsworth House a Dark Tourism Destination?

The Farnsworth House combines several elements that make it especially interesting for dark tourism travelers.

It is a surviving Civil War-era structure connected directly to the Battle of Gettysburg. The exterior still displays physical evidence associated with the fighting. The building contains period-inspired rooms and dining spaces, and its haunted reputation has become part of its modern identity.

Visitors are not simply looking at a preserved house from behind a rope. They can eat, sleep, and spend the night inside it.

That creates a much more personal experience of the location.

However, it is important not to let the ghost stories overwhelm the real history. The Battle of Gettysburg caused enormous suffering, and buildings such as the Farnsworth House were surrounded by death, fear, and destruction.

The ghosts are entertaining to investigate, but the human history deserves respect.

Things to Know Before Staying

The Farnsworth House may not suit every traveler.

The rooms are small, dark, and heavily decorated. The bathrooms retain historic quirks, the building creaks, and modern conveniences such as refrigerators and microwaves may not be available inside your room.

Guests should also expect:

• A smaller bed in some rooms
• Limited storage space
• Older plumbing and fixtures
• Traffic noise
• Few obvious electrical outlets
• Claw-foot tubs with wraparound curtains
• Historic stairs and uneven surfaces

This is not a modern luxury hotel disguised with antique wallpaper.

It is an old house offering an old-house experience.

Final Farnsworth House Inn Review

We enjoyed our stay at the Farnsworth House Inn.

The Eisenhower Room was cramped and dark, but it was also full of character. The bed was comfortable, the shower had strong hot water, breakfast was generous, and the tavern added another memorable part to the visit.

The biggest disadvantages were the small bed, limited space, lack of a refrigerator and microwave, dim lighting, and unusual shower setup.

Despite those inconveniences, I would recommend the Farnsworth House to travelers interested in Gettysburg history, haunted locations, Civil War sites, and dark tourism.

Staying here is not about having the largest room or the newest amenities. It is about sleeping inside a building that survived one of the most significant battles in American history.

We did not have a dramatic ghost encounter, but we explored the historic house, examined its bullet-scarred exterior, ate period-inspired food, investigated after dark, and survived the plastic shower-curtain chamber.

That is a successful dark tourism trip in my book.

Stay spooky, cats!