The Lady in Blue & Major Buxton: Legends and Lore of the Buxton Inn
The Lady in Blue & Major Buxton: Legends and Lore of the Buxton Inn
For more than two centuries, guests have passed through the doors of the Buxton Inn in Granville, Ohio.
And over all those years, a few stories have lingered.
Long before ghost hunting became a television phenomenon, tales of unexplained footsteps, mysterious figures and unusual encounters had become part of the Inn’s folklore. Old newspaper clippings offer a fascinating glimpse into the stories shared by guests, employees and owners through the generations.
Ghost stories? Local folklore? The natural creaks and groans of a building dating to 1812?
We’ll leave that up to you.
With October upon us, it seems like the perfect time to dust off a few favorite pieces of Buxton lore.
From the Newspaper Archives
The newspaper articles preserved at the Inn show that these stories are hardly new.
An Ohio Restaurant News article from October 1986 shared tales of “spirits” seen and served at the Tavern. Other features over the years carried irresistible headlines such as “Hello, room service? Get the ghostbuster” and “It’s a ghost, by George!”
In October 2000, the Sunday Herald-Times summed up the Inn’s reputation with another memorable headline:
“Buxton Inn welcomes guests, ghosts.”
Apparently, the legends have been following us for quite some time.
The Lady in Blue: The Legend of Room 9
Buxton lore has long connected Room 9 with former owner Ethel “Bonnie” Bounell, remembered in the stories as the Lady in Blue. Bonnie purchased the Inn in 1934 and served as its innkeeper until her death in 1960.
Stories passed down through the years describe sightings of a woman dressed in blue appearing within the Inn, then disappearing moments later. One account tells of a guest waking during the night and seeing a woman near the foot of the bed.
Perhaps she was checking to make sure her guests were enjoying their stay.
Like any good piece of folklore, the mystery has become part of the story. And in the telling, Bonnie’s memory remains closely tied to the place she once called home.
Major Buxton: The Cat Behind the Legend
Not every legend at the Buxton Inn walks on two legs.
One of the most beloved characters in Buxton lore is Major Buxton, a cat who once called the Inn home. His namesake, Major Horton Buxton, purchased the property in 1865, when it was known as the Dilley House, and gave it the name it carries today.
Major the cat was very real and became a familiar part of life at the Inn. Historic photographs show him looking perfectly at home, very much like a cat who knew the place belonged to him.
After Major was gone, another chapter of his story began.
Over the years, people told stories of catching glimpses of a cat around the Inn: a shadow slipping around a corner, a feline figure appearing where no living cat was supposed to be, or something disappearing almost as quickly as it was noticed.
And somewhere along the way, the Inn’s resident cat became something even bigger.
Major became part of the Buxton Inn itself.
Today, his image appears on the sign in front of the Inn. You’ll also find him on our matchbooks and in other familiar details throughout the property.
Whatever you make of the ghost stories, Major remains a much-loved part of the Buxton’s history and personality.
Footsteps, Doors and Things That Go Bump in the Night
The old accounts don’t stop there.
Through the decades, guests and employees have shared stories of footsteps in quiet hallways, doors apparently opening or closing on their own and mysterious sounds from otherwise empty rooms.
Then again, a building with this much history has a few sounds of its own. Old floorboards creak, pipes make noise and imaginations become considerably more creative after midnight.
At least, that’s what we tell ourselves.
The Stories Stay With Us
Much has changed within these walls, but the stories remain. They live on in old newspaper clippings, photographs and memories passed from one generation to the next.
For longtime Granville neighbors, some of these tales may be familiar. For guests discovering the Inn for the first time, they offer an introduction to the people and personalities who helped make the Buxton what it is.
Some details belong to the historical record. Others live in the telling.
That’s part of the fun.
And if you happen to catch a glimpse of a cat quietly watching from the hallway?
You might want to say hello to Major.