Episode 79: Little Known Hauntings of Rochester, NY

Rochester, NY offers a blend of urban convenience and natural beauty. Home to the infamous Garbage Plate, Rochester is full of activities to do for each season: trails, parks, live music and festivals. The summers are usually spent down by one the beaches, like Durand Beach which is home to lore of the Lady in White. Sitting just across from the Durand Beach sits what locals call “The White lady’s castle”, said to be the home of the White Lady, which is just a small wall of stone and staircase. Despite the lore, this wall and staircase were actually a part of a pavilion. Due to wear and tear and the Great Depression, all that remains of the structure is the wall and staircase. There are many different versions of the Lady in White but all seem to focus on a woman who is wandering the area, searching for something or someone. Not too far from the White Lady’s castle rests the former Reunion Inn, now known as the Union Tavern. With a history dating all the way back to the 1850s, being used as a farm, in the underground railroad and a speakeasy, the reunion inn is said to be haunted by numerous spirits. Staff and the owners have had odd experiences such as disembodied whistling and being touched by invisible hands. Join us on as we explore these two smaller known haunted locations and the background of them.

 

Sources:

“THE WHITE LADY” on William G. Pomeroy Foundation (https://www.wgpfoundation.org/historic-markers/the-white-lady/)

“Durand Eastman Park and The Lady in White” on Rochester Subway on October 25, 2013 (https://www.rochestersubway.com/topics/2013/10/durand-eastman-park-lady-in-white-ghost/)

“The legend of the ghost that haunts Durand Eastman Park” by Sergio Cruel on Spectrum 1 News on October 31, 2023 (https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rochester/halloween-2023/2023/10/31/the-legend-of-the-ghost-that-haunts-durand-eastman-park)

“The White Lady's Castle” by Joseph Hedden on Atlas Obscura (https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-white-lady-s-castle-rochester-new-york)

“Legend of the Lady in White” on Rochester Candlelight Ghost Walks (https://www.rochesterghosts.com/legend-of-the-lady-in-white)

“Union Tavern” on Rochester Candlelight Ghost Walks (https://www.rochesterghosts.com/the-reunion-inn)

”The Haunting History of Union Tavern in Sea Breeze” by Suzie Wells on Genesee Valley Penny Saver on October 24, 2024 (https://www.gvpennysaver.com/stories/current_events/the-haunting-history-of-union-tavern-in-sea-breeze/article_ab06aa3c-9202-11ef-a36b-cf2626c22099.html)

“Irondequoit’s Reunion Inn has storied past” by Alan Morrell on The Democrat and Chronicle on January 14, 2016 (https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/local/rocroots/2016/01/14/irondequoits-reunion-inn-storied-past/78780040/)

“Union Tavern: A great haunt, in more ways than one” by Carolyn Sperry on (585) Magazine on August 29, 2022 (https://585mag.com/magazines/union-tavern-haunted-restaurant-rochester-ny/?site=mag_tags)