Ashland's 1834 Railroad Tavern Where the Founder Never Left
179 Main St, Ashland, MA 01721
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Restaurant and bar pricing. Check venue website for current menu and hours.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved Main Street access; historic building with bar and dining on ground floor
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1832 · Massachusetts Railroad History · Ashland Heritage · New England Tavern History
John Stone was a Baptist — a detail the Ashland Historical Society notes specifically when evaluating one of the property's ghost stories. He built the structure at 179 Main Street in 1832, timing the construction to benefit from the railroad that he knew would pass through Ashland. The tavern opened in 1834 as The Railway House, positioned to serve travelers and workers associated with the expanding rail network.
The building has operated continuously as a food and drink establishment across nearly two centuries, under names including The Railway House and eventually Stone's Public House, reflecting a contemporary gastropub identity while maintaining the original structure.
On June 11, 1863, a ten-year-old girl named Mary J. Smith was struck by railroad cars near the tavern. She died from her injuries. Her name and the date are documented; the event occurred in the period when rail traffic through Ashland was routine and pedestrian safety near the tracks was a real hazard.
The Ashland Historical Society has documented the property's ghost stories directly on its website — an unusual degree of institutional engagement with a commercial venue's paranormal reputation, reflecting the building's genuine historical significance to the town.
Sources
Mary J. Smith is the most historically grounded presence at Stone's Public House. She was ten years old when railroad cars struck her near the tavern on June 11, 1863. Her death is documented. Staff report hearing a child giggling and the sound of a ball bouncing on the second floor. A small white dress reportedly stored in the building is connected in local lore to an increase in activity when removed — and a decrease when returned. The Ashland Historical Society tells this story with some skepticism about its more theatrical elements, but Mary's death itself is confirmed.
John Stone's presence is reported on audio recordings. Patrons and investigators have captured voices on equipment that identify themselves as Stone, though the attribution cannot be verified beyond the recording. The Ashland Historical Society's own website documents this phenomenon, noting a poker game murder allegation that has circulated and calling its plausibility into question given Stone's devout Baptist background.
Other named presences include Sadie (a maid), Sam (a cook), Will (a bartender), and Burt Phillips — a man known for pranks including manipulating water faucets and tapping guests on the shoulder. The specificity of these names comes from a psychic who visited in the 1980s; the names do not correspond to verified historical records in available documentation.
Inexplicable tips have been found behind the bar — money that appears with no corresponding transaction. Tools are relocated to implausible locations. Doors unlock independently.
Notable Entities
Dine or drink in the 1834 tavern where John Stone built a business anticipating the railroad's arrival. The portraits on the walls are documented for their unsettling quality — multiple accounts describe a feeling of being watched. Unexplained money has been found behind the bar, attributed to the original owner; relocated tools appear regularly across the building.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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