Tucked away in the historic district of downtown Ashland, near the old railroad tracks, is a two-story red building.  A portrait of a man is prominently displayed on the sign, hanging above the main entrance. This is Stone’s Public House. Massachusetts and the New England area are home to many historical pubs. However, the story of Stone’s and its alleged ghosts is what draws many visitors through its doors.

In 1832, John Stone, a captain in the local militia and a businessman, learned that a railroad was going to be constructed through the center of town. So he decided to build a hotel right along the tracks. The building was more recently purchased and restored in 1976, by a man named Leonard Fournier. Fournier then began investigating alleged paranormal activity in the building. 

The hotel, according to certain believers, is home to not one, but several spirits who died either in the building or very close by. One spirit, some say, is a small girl who was allegedly killed by passing train in 1862. Another purported spirit is a traveling salesman who was killed there over a poker game gone wrong. Others have claimed to have seen the ghostly visage of John Stone himself. 

Today, the public house is a popular local gathering spot for Irish-American cuisine and drinks, despite its reputation as one of the most haunted places in the Northeast.