Haunted hotel guide · New Hope, Pennsylvania
The Haunted Aaron Burr House Inn, New Hope: Where Burr Hid After the Duel, and Never Quite Left
A Victorian bed and breakfast on Bridge Street with rooms named for the founding era, a Hamilton poster in the hall and, guests say, Aaron Burr himself on the stairs.
The Aaron Burr House Inn stands at 80 West Bridge Street, a block from the center of New Hope and a few doors from the Logan Inn. Local history says that after Aaron Burr killed Alexander Hamilton in their duel in July 1804, he fled to Bucks County and sheltered with friends who owned this property. The inn leans into the story: its rooms are named for figures and ideas of the Revolutionary era, a framed Hamilton musical poster greets you at reception, and the second-floor Federalist Room is said to be the one Burr used.
Burr is also the ghost. Guests say he wanders the second-floor halls, peeks around corners as if he is still being followed, and tugs at their clothes on the stairs. It is one of the more light-hearted haunted hotels in Pennsylvania, and a fun one for anyone who knows the musical.
Aaron Burr House at a glance
Haunted Rooms Score
- Address 80 West Bridge Street, New Hope, PA 18938
- Built The present Victorian house dates from the mid-1800s; the Burr connection is to the earlier property
- Most haunted spots The second-floor halls, the stairs and the Federalist Room
- Best-known ghosts Aaron Burr, said to follow guests he likes and tug at their sleeves
- Booking the haunted room Rooms are named and can be chosen when you book direct; ask for the second-floor Federalist Room.
- Good to know Private baths, free parking and a coffee bar. The Schuyler Suite has its own entrance and is pet friendly. The property has been listed for sale, so confirm your booking directly with the inn.
The ghosts of Aaron Burr House Inn
Aaron Burr on the stairs
The inn has one famous ghost, and it is the man on the sign. Visit Bucks County says legend has Burr’s spirit wandering the second-floor halls and peeking around corners, and tugging on guests’ clothing as they go down the stairs. Visit Philly describes him as acting “as if he’s being followed”, which would suit a vice president on the run after killing a rival.
Our original guide added that he follows guests he takes a liking to. At least one departing guest is said to have pleaded, “Mr. Burr, please let me leave.”
The Federalist Room
The second-floor Federalist Room is said to be the room Burr used while he hid in New Hope. It has a king bed, a daybed and a gas fireplace, and sleeps up to four, so it suits a small group who want to test the story together.
Is the story true?
After the duel at Weehawken on July 11, 1804, Burr did leave New York and spent time in Pennsylvania before heading south, so a stop with friends in Bucks County is plausible. But we have not found a contemporary record placing him at this address, and the house you see today is a later Victorian building. Treat the connection as local tradition, which is also how the inn’s own tourism partners describe it.
The most haunted rooms and places to look
- Federalist Room: Second floor, king bed, daybed and gas fireplace. Said to have been Burr’s room, and the one to ask for.
- Hamilton Room: First floor, king bed and a wood-burning fireplace. Sleeping in Hamilton’s room in Burr’s house is part of the fun.
- Wollstonecraft and Madison Rooms: Queen rooms, the Wollstonecraft on the second floor near the halls where Burr is said to walk.
- Theodosia Suite: Named for Burr’s beloved daughter, with room for up to five across several sleeping spaces.
- The second-floor halls and stairs: Where guests say they feel the tug on their sleeves.
History of Aaron Burr House Inn
Aaron Burr was a Revolutionary War officer, a senator from New York and Thomas Jefferson’s vice president. On July 11, 1804, he shot Alexander Hamilton in a duel at Weehawken, New Jersey, and Hamilton died the next day. Facing indictments in both New York and New Jersey, Burr left New York and kept moving until the charges were allowed to fade.
New Hope tradition says Burr’s first refuge was in Bucks County, with friends who owned the property on Bridge Street. Visit Bucks County and Visit Philly both repeat the story, and Visit Philly mentions antiques at the inn, including pistols associated with Burr. The building that stands today is a Victorian house, so the story belongs to the site rather than to these exact walls.
The house is now a bed and breakfast about a block from the center of New Hope. Its rooms are named after people and ideas from the founding era, from the Hamilton and Madison Rooms to the Schuyler Suite, named for Hamilton’s wife’s family, and the Theodosia Suite, named for Burr’s daughter. Innkeeper Lisa Pretecrum, who trained at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland, has served breakfast here, and the garden has a hammock, a screened porch and a fire table.
The inn has won Bucks County awards, including a 2021 Best of Bucks Happening List win. In recent years the building has also been listed for sale as an established bed and breakfast, so check current details directly with the inn before you travel.
Tips for a haunted stay
- Book direct and ask for the Federalist Room; if it is taken, the Hamilton Room has the better joke.
- Walk the second-floor hall and the stairs after dark, and listen for footsteps behind you.
- Bring the dog and ask for the Schuyler Suite, the pet-friendly room with its own entrance.
- The Logan Inn and the Wedgwood Inn are both a short walk along Bridge Street, so you can make a night of New Hope’s haunted inns.
- Because the property has been on the market, call ahead to confirm your reservation and current room setup.
Want to investigate, not just sleep?
Sleeping in a haunted hotel is one thing. Investigating one after dark is another. On a Haunted Rooms ghost hunt our team takes you through the building with professional ghost hunting equipment, runs EVP sessions and lets you explore on your own during free roam.
- Fort Mifflin Ghost Hunt: The Revolutionary War fort on the Delaware River in Philadelphia, about an hour away.
- 1810 Gettysburg Academy Ghost Hunt and Overnight VIP: A school that became a Civil War field hospital. Investigate and stay the night.
- Haunted Cashtown Inn Ghost Hunt and Sleepover: Confederate headquarters west of Gettysburg, with the whole inn booked.
More haunted hotels nearby
- Logan Inn, New Hope: a few doors away, with its famous haunted Room 6
- Historic Hotel Bethlehem: about an hour north, home to the singing ghost of May Yohe
- Inn at Jim Thorpe: an 1833 inn in the Poconos
- Haunted places in Philadelphia: Eastern State Penitentiary and more
- Haunted hotels in Pennsylvania
Stayed in one of these hotels? Tell us what happened
We collect first-hand accounts from guests and add the best ones to our guides, with your first name and the date of your stay. We read every story before it’s published.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Aaron Burr House haunted?
Guests and local legend say Aaron Burr’s ghost wanders the second-floor halls, peeks around corners and tugs at guests’ sleeves on the stairs. It is a legend rather than a proven haunting, and a friendly one.
Did Aaron Burr really stay in New Hope?
Local tradition says he sheltered with friends on this property after the 1804 duel, and Visit Bucks County and Visit Philly repeat the story. We have not found a contemporary record that confirms it, and the current house is a later Victorian building.
Which room did Aaron Burr use?
The second-floor Federalist Room is said to be the room Burr used during his stay.
Is the Aaron Burr House pet friendly?
The Schuyler Suite, with its own entrance, is listed as pet friendly. Check the current pet policy when you book.
Is the Aaron Burr House still open?
It has been taking bookings through its own reservation page, but the building has also been listed for sale, so confirm directly with the inn before you travel.
What other haunted hotels are in New Hope?
The Logan Inn is a few doors away and the Wedgwood Inn is just along Bridge Street.
Sources
Facts on this page are checked against the hotel’s own website, historic records and news coverage. Ghost stories are reported as guests, staff and local historians tell them. Read how we rate haunted hotels.
- Visit Bucks County: This B&B in New Hope hid Aaron Burr after his duel (2020)
- Visit Philly: Haunted hotels in the Philadelphia region
- Aaron Burr House: reservations and rooms
- Homesale: 80 W Bridge Street, New Hope (sale listing)
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About the authors
The Haunted Rooms Team runs public ghost hunts and overnight investigations at historic venues across the United States. We research every hotel in our guides using hotel histories, local archives, news coverage and the accounts of guests and staff, and we review each guide regularly so you are not booking a hotel that has closed or changed its name. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
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