Dinner
Dinner at The Levee House
Dine in Marietta's last surviving original 1826 riverfront commercial building, now operating as a bistro. Staff cite the second floor as the most paranormally active part of the building.
- Duration:
- 1.5 hr
Photo coming soon
Haunted Dining / Bar
The Levee House
The last surviving original riverfront commercial building in Marietta, built in 1826 for merchant Dudley Woodbridge Jr.; now a restaurant whose upper floor draws repeated reports of unexplained activity tied to a 19th-century axe murder.
127 Ohio Street, Marietta, OH 45750
Wheelchair Accessible
Research-Backed · 4sources
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Restaurant pricing; reservations recommended for weekend dinner service.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Ground-floor dining is accessible; the historic upper floor uses original staircases.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1826 · Last surviving original riverfront commercial building in historic Marietta · Built in 1826 for Dudley Woodbridge Jr., the first dry-goods merchant in the Northwest Territory · Successive uses as the La Belle Hotel, the Golden Eagle, and today The Levee House restaurant
The three-story brick building at 127 Ohio Street was erected in 1826 for Dudley Woodbridge Jr., the son of Marietta founding-era merchant Dudley Woodbridge and himself the first dry-goods merchant in the Northwest Territory. Its riverfront location made it a hub for Ohio River trade in the early nineteenth century.
Later in the 1800s the building's uses included service as the La Belle Hotel and the Golden Eagle, with portions of the property used as a boarding house under one Madame Nora Descott. Contemporary accounts describe the surrounding stretch of Ohio Street as rougher than other parts of Marietta, and the building gathered a reputation as a venue for drink and prostitution during the late-Victorian era.
The structure is now the only original riverfront commercial building from Marietta's pioneer-era core still standing, all of its peers having been lost to floods, fires, or demolition. It has operated as The Levee House restaurant and bistro for decades and is documented in both Clutch MOV's architectural history and Marietta Times property-history features.
Sources
- https://clutchmov.com/memory-and-masonry-a-history-of-the-levee-house/index.html
- https://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/community-news/2019/02/the-long-history-and-many-lives-of-mariettas-levee%E2%80%88house/
- https://www.mariettatimes.com/news/2019/02/a-propertys-past-levee-house/
- https://www.ohiocoopliving.com/haunted-marietta
Shadows passing the kitchen doorwayCandles relighting on their ownSensed presence of a man entering through the back doorDiscomfort and unease on the second floor
According to the Ohio Cooperative Living 'Haunted Marietta' feature and the News and Sentinel's 2013 reporting, the building's haunting reputation traces to a late-nineteenth-century incident. As told in regional lore, an oil tycoon frequented the La Belle Hotel — then occupying the building — for the company of a prostitute, and was killed there one night by his fourteen-year-old son, who reportedly attacked his father with an axe and was later acquitted at trial. We present this account as the lore on which the haunting is built; it is repeated in multiple regional sources but is rooted primarily in oral tradition rather than primary records.
Chef Tommy Hickey has been quoted describing unexplained shadows passing the kitchen doorway, and current staff describe candles relighting themselves and discomfort being alone on the upper floor. A man is sometimes reported to be seen entering through the back door of the restaurant. The Ohio Exploration Society's Washington County page records the same cluster of accounts and identifies the second floor as the most active area.
Plan Your Visit
1 way to experienceSources & Further Reading
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Levee House family-friendly?
The dining experience is family-friendly. The associated 19th-century axe-murder lore is gruesome and is generally not discussed in the dining room. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit The Levee House?
Restaurant pricing; reservations recommended for weekend dinner service.
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is The Levee House wheelchair accessible?
Yes, The Levee House is wheelchair accessible. Terrain: Ground-floor dining is accessible; the historic upper floor uses original staircases..