Spooky Sightings on the Square
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by Melissa Davis In Haunted Marietta, author Rhetta Akamatsu explains that Marietta became the county seat of Cobb County in 1834, and the city was well-established by the time its neighbor to the south, Atlanta, was founded. The city was laid out by early resident James Anderson, who also had the distinction of being Marietta’s first postmaster. Anderson’s city plan included an open square in the heart of the little city, and it’s still the focal point of Marietta today. A fire in 1855 destroyed three blocks of the downtown area, but the citizens banded together to rebuild. But, again, much of the downtown was destroyed by fire, this time during the Civil War and at the hands of Hugh Kirkpatrick, a Union officer acting on General Sherman’s orders[Aka09]. Nevertheless, the town rebuilt, and today Marietta Square is a lively area with a wide range of restaurants, boutiques, and bars housed in the old buildings that surrounded the square. Joni Goodin, who established and runs the Marietta Ghost Tour, has plenty of stories about the storefronts lining the square. Shillings, one of the restaurants in Marietta, counts ghosts among its patrons. The nineteenth century structure was a warehouse, reflecting Marietta’s original purpose as an important point on the Western and Atlantic Railroad. Staff members at Shillings will set up tables at the end of the night in preparation for the next day, only to return in the morning to find that all of their work has been undone. “A man in a Civil War uniform has also been reported, usually standing at the top of the stairs. But as soon as anyone gets within a few feet of the ghost, he disappears,” Goodin explained. Another male ghost has been spotted at nearby Thaicoon Sushi Bar, a restaurant on Mill Street. Anyone walking by the back entrance of the restaurant will notice a plate of food and a drink sitting out on the railing. Goodin clarifies, “It’s not someone’s forgotten meal it is just an offering left daily for the ghost. Sometimes the meal consists of steak, potatoes, and beer or a McDonald’s Big Mac meal. On cold nights, the meal usually is accompanied by coffee or hot chocolate. Each morning, the plates are empty but undisturbed.” The Vineyard Café on West Park Square has a picturesque location, and it’s said to be the home to a male ghost known as “The Colonel.” According to Goodin, the new owners aren’t too enthusiastic that their lease includes a ghost, but that hasn’t stopped The Colonel. He first appeared when an antiques dealer occupied the space. “A woman spotted what she thought was a bust with a Confederate officer jacket draped over the shoulder. When she looked later and the bust had disappeared, she was told that it was The Colonel himself making an appearance. The owner’s young son would often have conversations with the spirit and The Colonel apparently has a penchant for jiggling the handle on the bathroom door,” Goodin states. The Colonel has also made an appearance on a recent Marietta Ghost Tour. Michele Lowe tells how one of her tour group was standing in front of the café and someone snapped a picture that shows a severe-looking bearded man peering out the window at all of the tourists. Perhaps The Colonel enjoys listening to the tour guides talk about him each night. Visit the Marietta Ghost Tour office or take a tour and you are sure to see these pictures. I recently took the Marietta Ghost Tour, and though I didn’t see any spooks or specters, I certainly felt the quaint charm that comes from old cities rich with history. We were told a vast number of stories about ghosts who haunted the square and its buildings. Take the tour and let me know what you think.  
Marietta Ghost Tours Times Thursday, Friday, and Saturday 8:30pm - Summer (April 1-Sept. 31) 7:30pm - Winter (Oct. 1-March 30) www.ghostsofmarietta.com 
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