Gaines Ridge Dinner Club, Camden
The Gaines Ridge Dinner Club in Camden, Alabama, is reportedly haunted by several entities, including the apparition of a female figure, a baby crying, and the ghost of a tall, bearded man believed to be former resident and War of 1812 veteran Ebenezer Hearn. Other phenomena include the phantom scent of pipe smoke, disembodied voices calling out names, and sensations of unseen eyes watching or cold presences. Some visitors and staff report seeing a gaunt, bearded man dressed in black, potentially the spirit of the former owner and Methodist preacher, Ebenezer Hearn. An unidentified female spirit is said to float past the windows or be seen as a sorrowful presence longing for something lost in time. Frequent sounds of a baby crying are reported, possibly linked to the tragic crib death of a Gaines family ancestor in the historic house. The distinct smell of pipe smoke has been detected in upstairs rooms where no one was smoking. Both diners and staff have reported hearing voices, with co-founder Betty Gaines Kennedy allegedly hearing her name called out. Guests and staff sometimes experience a lingering cold presence and the sensation of being watched by unseen eyes. There are accounts of hearing what sounds like someone falling in a bathroom when no one is present. The house was acquired by the Gaines family in 1898 and later opened as the Gaines Ridge Dinner Club in 1985. It was originally known as "The Hearn Place" due to its former owner, Reverend Ebenezer Hearn. The restaurant is located in Camden, Alabama, and is listed on the state's Alabama Ghost Trail.