Toledo's 1859 luxury hotel turned Spanish-American War morgue, now a brewery with a uniformed apparition in the basement.
27 Broadway St, Toledo, OH 43604
Research updated June 2026
Age
21+ for brewery areas; All Ages for dining
Cost
Free
Free to enter; food and drink purchases at the brewery
Access
Wheelchair OK
Historic multi-story building with elevator access
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1859 · Designed by noted 19th-century architect Isaiah Rogers · One of Ohio's first luxury hotels · Spanish-American War medical center and morgue site · Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The Oliver House at 27 Broadway Street opened in 1859, commissioned by Toledo entrepreneur William Oliver and designed by noted architect Isaiah Rogers, whose résumé included New York's Astor House and Boston's Tremont House. The five-story Italianate building was one of the most ambitious hotel projects in early Ohio, featuring 250 rooms, elaborate plasterwork, and cast-iron balconies overlooking the Maumee River district.
When the United States entered the Spanish-American War in 1898, the Oliver House was requisitioned as a medical processing and care facility for soldiers passing through Toledo. The basement level, used for storage and service functions in the hotel's original incarnation, served as a temporary morgue during this period — a fact confirmed by the venue's own historical documentation on its website.
The building remained in hotel operation through the early 20th century before cycling through various commercial uses. It was eventually listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Maumee Bay Brewing Company moved in and restored much of the original interior, preserving exposed brick, original woodwork, and the multi-story layout that still reflects Rogers's original design.
The Spanish-American War–era use left a documented imprint on local memory. Toledo's 13ABC news station ran a Halloween-season feature in 2021 specifically covering the Oliver House's haunted history, focusing on the basement morgue and reports from staff of unexplained cold spots and sounds in that level.
Sources
Reports from Maumee Bay Brewing staff and visiting paranormal investigators center on the basement level, the former morgue space. The most frequently described entity is referred to as 'The Captain' — an apparition described as a man in military uniform, consistent with Spanish-American War–era dress. Witnesses describe the figure as appearing briefly near the basement stairs and along the rear wall before fading.
Cold spots described as sudden and localized — dropping noticeably compared to adjacent areas — are the second most common report, again concentrated in the basement. Staff working closing shifts have described voices when the building is otherwise empty, and the ghost tour run by US Ghost Adventures treats the Oliver House as one of its primary Toledo stops, citing both staff accounts and independent investigator reports.
The 13ABC news feature from October 2021 documented the building's haunted reputation with staff interviews, placing the primary activity in the basement morgue area rather than the main hotel floors.
Notable Entities
Media Appearances
Explore the 1859 Oliver House building while dining or drinking at Maumee Bay Brewing Company. The building's historic architecture, including the basement level where a Civil War-era morgue reportedly operated, is visible throughout.
US Ghost Adventures operates a walking ghost tour of downtown Toledo that includes the Oliver House as a primary stop, covering the building's haunted history and reported paranormal activity.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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