HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
1685 New Castle Building Where David Finney Still Roams
216 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19720
Research updated September 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
The restaurant and inn operations are closed. The building contains private apartments. Drive-by or exterior view only.
Access
Limited Access
Historic district sidewalks — brick, uneven in places
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1685 · Colonial Architecture · Delaware Legal History · National Historic District
The 15,000-square-foot building at 216 Delaware Street in New Castle represents a substantial piece of colonial Delaware's built environment. Constructed in 1685, it stands directly across from the Amstel House — a home built by Dr. John Finney in the 1730s — anchoring one of the most intact colonial streetscapes in the mid-Atlantic states.
David Finney, a lawyer whose professional reputation in the Delaware colony was considerable, is credited by some historians with having built the structure himself, though the exact timeline of construction and ownership remains a matter of scholarly discussion. The building's third floor reportedly housed Finney's law offices at one period, while the lower floors served residential functions.
In 1895, the property was converted into the Hotel Louise, marking the beginning of its long commercial hospitality use. It eventually returned to inn and tavern operation under the David Finney Inn name, offering both dining and lodging. As of August 2025, the restaurant (Sonora at the David Finney Inn) is permanently closed per Yelp records, and the building now functions primarily as private apartments, with some units previously available through short-term rental platforms.
Sources
The paranormal tradition at the David Finney Inn is concentrated on the third floor, where Finney is said to have kept his law offices. The reported phenomena are consistent across accounts: windows that open and close without human cause, doors that move independently, and objects found displaced from where they were left.
Local legend frames the haunting through the history of David Finney's personal life. According to accounts that circulate in the historic district, Finney was deeply attached to a woman named Elizabeth, who could not follow him as his circumstances changed. In one telling of the legend, Elizabeth — unable to bear the separation — made her way to the Delaware River. Some researchers have connected this narrative to the Amstel House across the street, where a female presence is also reported, suggesting the Finney and Bemont family histories may share a spectral thread.
The 1685 building has sheltered many lives across three and a half centuries, and the absence of a single, verified historical tragedy leaves the lore operating more as atmospheric tradition than documented haunting. Regardless, the third floor's reputation has persisted through multiple changes of ownership and use.
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