By Emily Keeler
Check ou the spookier side of Minneapolis dining.
Minnesota has a rich history of ghost-sightings, many of which are due to a startlingly high incidence of murder and suicide. Fright-seekers will have a ball at
Minneapolis-area restaurants, where there have been more than a few sightings of the undead. Fortunately, these lurking patrons are mostly friendly pranksters.
Forepaugh's
Drama and intrigue surround the history of Forepaugh's. This Victorian mansion, now an upscale French restaurant and a wedding venue, was built by Joseph Lybrandt Forepaugh in 1870. According to legend, Joseph had an affair with a maid named Molly. Apparently, when Molly discovered that she was pregnant she hung herself. Nearly 30 years later Joseph shot himself. Their ghosts are, surprisingly, reported to be happy and sociable. Joseph has been seen wandering through the dining room in period dress, proud of his business, and Molly has appeared at weddings. Reports exist of mysterious noises, cold spots and lights turning on and off. Forepaugh's is one of the most well-known Twin Cities haunts, but restaurant staff refrained from commenting and the manager said, "I'm afraid there is no ghost."
Forepaugh's Restaurant
276 S. Exchange St.
St. Paul, MN 55102
(651) 224-5606
forepaughs.com
Billy's Bar and Grill
About half an hour north of Minneapolis is Anoka, a town with an unusually high number of ghost sightings. Billy's Bar and Grill has a resident female spirit whom waitstaff report seeing. According to The Minnesota Road Guide to Haunted Locations and MinnesotaGhosts.com, the building dates back to 1877 and is the site of Anoka's first murder. Its ghostly resident, however, is not the murdered Peter Gross, but rather it is either the ghost of the first owner's wife, Lotta Jackson, or a prostitute who vanished in the 1920s. According to rumors and witnesses, she is a prankster who stacks champagne glasses, moves pictures around and turns lights on and off. Billy's is a true-to-name grill with all manners of meat. The restaurant also has banquet space, karaoke and wireless Internet service.
Billy's Bar and Grill
214 Jackson St.
Anoka, MN 55303
(763) 421-3570
billysbargrill.com
Black Woods
Black Woods restaurant is rumored to be as about as dark as it sounds. Although quite a ways north of Minneapolis, the trip is worth it for any dedicated ghost hunter. Employees report seeing a female apparition, hearing footsteps behind them and feeling cold breath on their necks. An anonymous witness writes that the building also houses the spirit of a little girl who "targets women with long hair" but who is harmless and probably lost. Black Woods is a large, mid-range restaurant with other locations in Duluth and Proctor.
Black Woods Two Harbors
612 Seventh Ave.
Two Harbors, MN 55616
(218) 834-3846
blackwoods.com
Resources
About the Author:
Emily Keeler is a freelance writer who specializes in travel, religion, environmental and health topics. She holds a B.A. in English and philosophy from Northeastern University and a Master of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School. She began writing professionally in 2007 with Gulliver's Travels Associates, who published her travel guides on emerging Middle Eastern and European destinations on Octopustravels.com.
Photo Credits:
futuristic, minneapolis image by geophis from
Fotolia.com
