Serve time at jail-turned-inn
B&B has spirited history
BY TRACEY TEO | ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR

In Bardstown, Ky., people are willing to pay for the privilege of
spending a night in jail - and a haunted one at that.

Jailer's Inn Bed and Breakfast is supposed to be a haven for those
seeking a peaceful weekend getaway, but almost 200 years the limestone
structure, formerly the Old Nelson County Jail, housed the town's
criminals, and some of the inn's guests swear the ghosts of these
unsavory characters are still there, wreaking havoc on the unsuspecting.

Paul McCoy, the inn's owner, says one ghost likes to showcase his
musical talents by playing the old piano in the living room.
"I have heard the piano being played when no one else was in the
building," says McCoy. "Recently, I was here with some guests, and we
all three heard the piano being played."
You would think doors flinging open, electrical appliances turning off
and on by themselves, and the sound of footsteps when nobody is around,
would discourage most visitors, but visitors come from all over the
globe to spend the night in the Jailer's Inn in anticipation of ghostly
encounters.

McCoy says he gets his share of visitors who claim to be paranormal
experts, psychics, or just "sensitive to the supernatural."
McCoy guarantees anyone who wants to can experience spirits in
Bardstown. "They may come in a bottle, though, because this is the
bourbon capital of the world," he quips.
The Old Nelson County Jail housed inmates from 1797 to 1987, and for
much of that time was the oldest operating jail in the commonwealth. The
original jail caught fire and burned to the ground in the early 1800s,
and a new one was constructed in 1819.
Those who get a thrill out of the ghoulish will relish a creepy tour of
this part of the jail that is now more of a museum. On display are old
newspaper articles that give guests information about the jail's history
and some of the more notorious criminals who spent time behind its
walls.

On display is a photograph of a couple of criminals who should have been
housed there, but never were - Frank and Jesse James. They are shown
with the Bardstown sheriff, Donnie Pence, and his wife, who was related
to the infamous outlaws.
Because she protected the pair, Bardstown was a haven for them, and they
never feared they would end up behind the 30-inch limestone walls of the
Nelson County Jail.
Innkeeper Lisa Peebles says people are always asking her how she can
live in a haunted inn.
"I always make a joke and tell them I made a deal with the ghosts when I
moved in that if they didn't bother me, I wouldn't bother them," she
says with a laugh.
"Inmates" at Jailer's Inn today stay in the "new" part of the jail built
in 1874, and enjoy rooms decorated with beautiful antiques and have
private bathrooms with whirlpools.

As visitors gather in the courtyard to enjoy a delicious breakfast
that's a far cry from bread and water, they may have difficulty
imagining that this beautiful spot was not always so pleasant. Prisoners
once performed hard labor in the courtyard by crushing limestone, and
sometimes it was used for visits with wives and children.
The inn has six guest rooms, all with a distinctly different ambience.

Jail is a place most people try to avoid, but despiting haunting tales,
guests at Jailer's Inn enjoy "doing time" so much, that they come back
again and again.