Jacob Rohrbach Inn Review: Staying at a Haunted Bed and Breakfast Near Antietam

Hello, spooky cats!

We recently traveled to Sharpsburg, Maryland, for another historic—and possibly haunted—overnight adventure. This time, we stayed at the Jacob Rohrbach Inn, a charming bed and breakfast located only a short distance from Antietam National Battlefield.

The inn dates back to the early 1800s and provides a comfortable base for exploring Antietam, Harpers Ferry, the C&O Canal, and the surrounding historic area. It has been modernized enough to make the rooms comfortable, but it still retains the character of an old home.

Naturally, it also has a few ghost stories attached to it.

We stayed in the Harpers Ferry Suite and looked at everything you might want to know before booking: the room layout, bathroom, bed, shower, noise levels, parking, breakfast, and haunted atmosphere.

We also arrived during a thunderstorm and were thoroughly drenched before checking in, because apparently the weather believes every paranormal investigation requires additional drama.

Arriving at the Jacob Rohrbach Inn

The Jacob Rohrbach Inn is located in the quiet town of Sharpsburg, Maryland.

Sharpsburg feels very different from Gettysburg. Gettysburg can become crowded and energetic, particularly during the summer and around special events. Sharpsburg felt much calmer during our visit.

The inn has its own parking lot behind the buildings, which made parking easy. There is also a large backyard with seating areas where guests can relax during better weather.

Because it had just poured down rain when we arrived, we did not immediately take advantage of the yard. We were mostly interested in getting inside and becoming less soggy.

Entry to the guest rooms is controlled by a code. The Harpers Ferry Suite had two exterior doors, and both could be accessed without needing to walk through the entire main house.

The coded doors were convenient, although I always find electronic entry systems slightly less charming than an enormous old-fashioned key. They are probably more practical, though, especially when guests arrive at different times.

Inside the Harpers Ferry Suite

The Harpers Ferry Suite is divided into two main sections.

The first section is the bedroom. It contained a full-size bed, a twin bed, a dresser, bedside lighting, and several conveniently placed electrical outlets.

Having outlets near the bed is important for regular travelers, but it is especially helpful when you arrive with cameras, battery chargers, audio recorders, phones, and enough paranormal equipment to concern the local electrical grid.

The room also had a wall-mounted air-conditioning unit. We only noticed one unit in the bedroom section, but it appeared capable of cooling the suite.

The second section functioned as a small living room. It included a couch, a television, a refrigerator, a large closet, and access to the private bathroom.

There was no microwave in the suite that we could find, but having a refrigerator was useful for keeping drinks and leftovers cold.

The television was relatively small, although we did not plan to spend much time watching it. When you stay near one of the bloodiest battlefields in American history, sitting inside and watching television feels like a wasted opportunity.

Two Beds and Plenty of Space

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

The additional twin bed makes the suite a practical option for friends, small families, or travelers who prefer not to share a bed.

The two-room layout also gives guests more room to spread out than they would have in a traditional single-room bed and breakfast.

We appreciated having a separate sitting area. One person could relax or watch television without having to sit on the main bed.

The furniture and decorations fit the historic setting without making the suite feel like a museum where you are afraid to touch anything.

The Closet, Robes, and Other Extras

The Harpers Ferry Suite had a large closet with plenty of storage space.

Inside, we found robes that appeared to be available for guests to use. I always feel slightly strange wearing hotel or bed-and-breakfast robes, but they were there for anyone who enjoys that experience.

The drawers were mostly empty, although one contained additional bedding.

The suite also included several books and informational materials about Antietam, the inn, and the surrounding region. These would be useful for guests who want to learn more about the area or plan their next day’s activities.

There was even an umbrella available.

Considering how much rain we encountered, the umbrella was not merely decorative. It was survival equipment.

The Private Porch

One of the best features of the Harpers Ferry Suite was its private porch area.

The porch could be accessed directly from the suite and included space to sit outside overlooking the yard.

It would be a lovely place to enjoy coffee, read a book, or relax after spending the day walking around Antietam Battlefield.

Our weather was not especially cooperative, but the porch still added something special to the room.

The nearby Antietam Room also had access to the surrounding outdoor area, and there were several additional seating spaces around the property.

The Bathroom

The Harpers Ferry Suite has a private bathroom with a sink, toilet, shower, hair-care products, soap, and plenty of towels.

The bathroom was a comfortable size, especially compared with some of the extremely small bathrooms we have encountered in historic inns.

Anyone who has watched our Railroad House Inn review may remember the shower that felt smaller than one found on a cruise ship. The Harpers Ferry Suite bathroom was significantly easier to navigate.

The suite does not have a bathtub. Guests who require a tub should consider booking a different room.

The shower itself was spacious enough, even though the water pressure was not particularly strong.

Locally Made Bathroom Products

One detail I appreciated was that the inn provided locally made bathroom amenities.

The shampoo and conditioner had a pomegranate scent. The shampoo had an unusual jelly-like texture when it came out of the bottle, while the conditioner had a more familiar consistency.

The products worked fine, although the jelly shampoo took me by surprise.

The locally produced soap and hair products added a thoughtful touch. Small details like that help distinguish an independent bed and breakfast from a standard chain hotel.

Shower Pressure and Hot Water

The shower controls were simple and easy to operate.

Sometimes historic hotels have shower mechanisms that require a degree in mechanical engineering, three whispered incantations, and several minutes of trial and error. This one was straightforward.

The water became hot, but the pressure was weaker than I prefer.

The showerhead was fixed in place and could not be adjusted. It still worked well enough to get the job done, but guests who love extremely powerful showers may find it disappointing.

The towels, however, were excellent.

They were large, thick, and substantial. Every once in a while, a hotel provides a towel so thin and small that it feels more like an oversized paper napkin. These towels easily covered me and felt comfortable.

Was the Bed Comfortable?

The main bed felt slightly firmer than I normally prefer.

At home, we have added several soft and fluffy layers to our bed, so it is difficult for most hotel mattresses to compete with the strange cloud we have created.

The mattress was not uncomfortable, but it was harder than what I am used to.

I did not sleep particularly well, although the mattress was not entirely responsible.

My husband was snoring enthusiastically throughout the night.

The ghosts may have attempted to communicate, but they would have needed to be louder than Zach.

Was the Suite Quiet?

One of the best things about the Jacob Rohrbach Inn was the room layout.

Our suite felt separated from most of the other guest rooms, and we did not hear people talking or moving around during the night.

That is not always the case in historic bed and breakfasts. Old walls and floors can allow every conversation, footstep, and closing door to travel through the building.

At places such as the Railroad House Inn and Farnsworth House, we have occasionally heard nearly everything happening around us.

The Harpers Ferry Suite was much quieter.

That made the room better for sleeping and also helped with paranormal investigating. When you can hear other guests through the walls, an unexplained voice on a recorder becomes much less mysterious.

Exploring the Main House

Guests are also able to spend time inside the main house.

Near our suite was a public seating area with historic decorations, books, maps, and an old-fashioned staircase.

The stairs looked atmospheric, although they also felt slightly crooked and uneven. That is not unusual in a house this old, but I decided not to venture too far up them.

Falling down an antique staircase would certainly create a ghost story, but I did not want to be the ghost.

The main house also included a living room, dining room, brochures, snacks, drinks, cookies, and several places for guests to sit.

The smell of freshly baked cookies drifted through the building during our visit, which is a very effective way to make guests feel welcome.

The Backyard and Additional Guest Rooms

The Jacob Rohrbach Inn property is larger than it first appears.

Behind the main house is a spacious yard, several seating areas, the guest parking lot, and additional accommodations.

We noticed separate rooms or quarters located in smaller buildings behind the main inn, including the General’s Quarters and another detached guest space.

A detached room could be a good option for guests who want additional privacy—or paranormal investigators who would prefer not to worry about disturbing anyone.

The backyard would be especially enjoyable during spring or fall when the weather is mild.

Breakfast at the Jacob Rohrbach Inn

Breakfast was one of the highlights of our stay.

Bed-and-breakfast meals can vary dramatically. At some places, breakfast means a full meal served in several courses. At others, you are lucky to find a granola bar and a coffee machine that works.

The Jacob Rohrbach Inn provided the full experience.

We were seated in the historic dining room and served coffee, orange juice, a warm scone with butter, and a beautifully prepared main course.

The meal was substantial, carefully presented, and much fancier than I expected.

The hosts explained each dish as it was served and warned us when something was still hot from the oven.

For travelers who enjoy a large, hearty breakfast, the Jacob Rohrbach Inn is an excellent choice.

You should not leave hungry.

The breakfast alone made the stay feel special and was one of the strongest reasons I would recommend the inn.

Exploring Sharpsburg

The inn is within walking distance of several places in Sharpsburg.

We ate dinner at Captain Bender’s Tavern, where we tried Louisiana jerk wings, a hamburger with onion rings, and an Italian sub.

The wings were tangy, lemony, and had a little spice. The food was good, and the tavern made a convenient dinner stop.

We also visited Nutter’s Ice Cream.

I ordered what was described as a small or child-size ice cream. The serving was enormous.

I could not finish it, especially after dinner, but it was very good. Anyone visiting Sharpsburg should consider stopping there—just remember that their idea of a small serving may differ significantly from yours.

Pete’s Tavern was also located close to the inn, although we did not spend much time there during this visit.

A Good Base for Antietam and Harpers Ferry

The Jacob Rohrbach Inn is in an excellent location for exploring historic sites in western Maryland and the surrounding area.

Antietam National Battlefield is nearby, and Harpers Ferry is within driving distance. Guests can also visit the C&O Canal and other historic towns and attractions.

We spent part of our trip exploring Antietam, although the weather repeatedly attempted to wash us away.

For history lovers, the inn provides a much more atmospheric place to stay than a modern roadside hotel.

You can spend the day walking through historic battlefields and then return to a building that has existed for more than two centuries.

The Haunted Side of Sharpsburg

Sharpsburg and the area surrounding Antietam have accumulated many paranormal legends.

One of the local stories involves a mysterious Lady in Black reportedly seen along the western end of town near the inn.

There are also tales of ghostly children in Sharpsburg’s numbered alleys and spectral horses marching alongside unseen soldiers.

The streets and nearby battlefield have witnessed an enormous amount of death, grief, and history, so it is unsurprising that ghost stories have developed around the area.

Of course, a dramatic history does not automatically prove that a place is haunted.

Old streets create strange echoes. Animals move through dark alleys. Fog, headlights, and shadows can briefly resemble human figures. Once someone knows a ghost story, ordinary experiences can become easier to interpret as paranormal.

Still, the legends give guests plenty to investigate.

Did We Capture a Ghost in a Polaroid?

I took several Polaroid photographs during our visit.

One photograph appeared to contain a strange misty shape that could be interpreted as something ghostly.

My first impression was that it was probably a reflection or another photographic effect. Polaroid cameras can produce unpredictable marks, exposure problems, glare, and chemical irregularities.

Could it have been a ghost?

Perhaps.

Is a reflection or camera artifact more likely?

Yes.

It was still an interesting photograph and exactly the kind of image that deserves closer examination before anyone declares it evidence from beyond the grave.

Did We Experience Anything Paranormal?

We did not have a dramatic face-to-face encounter with the Lady in Black or any ghostly soldiers.

The suite remained quiet, and nothing obviously paranormal happened while we were sleeping.

We still had investigation footage and photographs to review, but based on our immediate experience, the inn felt peaceful rather than frightening.

Guests who are nervous about sleeping in a supposedly haunted building probably do not need to worry.

For paranormal investigators, the lack of obvious activity is not unusual. A location does not have to produce shadows, voices, and flying objects simply because someone arrived with a camera.

Ghosts, assuming they exist, remain terrible at honoring content schedules.

Historic Charm Without Historic Inconvenience

Very old inns sometimes come with practical difficulties.

The rooms can be tiny, the bathrooms can be difficult to navigate, and modern amenities may feel awkwardly fitted into buildings that were never designed to contain them.

The Jacob Rohrbach Inn has been modernized without losing its historic personality.

The Harpers Ferry Suite was spacious, had a private bathroom, included air conditioning and a refrigerator, and provided plenty of electrical outlets.

At the same time, the room still felt appropriate for an early American inn. The antique-style furniture, old staircase, historic artwork, books, and architecture prevented it from feeling like a generic hotel.

That balance was one of the inn’s strongest features.

Final Jacob Rohrbach Inn Review

We enjoyed our stay at the Jacob Rohrbach Inn.

The Harpers Ferry Suite was spacious, quiet, clean, and comfortable. The private porch, separate sitting room, refrigerator, large closet, locally made amenities, and excellent towels were all welcome features.

The shower pressure was weaker than I prefer, and the mattress was slightly firmer than my bed at home. However, neither issue would prevent me from staying again.

The breakfast was exceptional and easily one of the best parts of the experience.

I would recommend the Jacob Rohrbach Inn to anyone visiting Antietam, Sharpsburg, Harpers Ferry, or the surrounding historic region.

Instead of staying in a standard hotel, you can spend the night inside a historic inn with plenty of charm, a quiet atmosphere, and just enough ghost stories to make walking through the halls after dark more interesting.

We may not have met the Lady in Black, but we had a comfortable stay, ate an enormous breakfast, survived several rainstorms, and left with at least one suspicious Polaroid.

That sounds like a successful haunted adventure to me.

Stay spooky, cats!