About
Rising above Bayfield with sweeping views of Lake Superior, the Old Rittenhouse Inn began as a Queen Anne Victorian summer residence completed in 1890. The home is most commonly associated with Allen C. Fuller, a Civil War-era adjutant general, reflecting a time when Bayfield’s shoreline drew wealthy seasonal residents seeking refuge along the lake. In 1973, the property was transformed into Wisconsin’s first bed and breakfast, shifting from a private estate into a space of constant occupancy where generations of travelers have passed through its original rooms and corridors.
That continuous use has given rise to a steady pattern of unexplained experiences reported by guests and staff. Footsteps are occasionally heard moving through upper hallways after quiet hours, particularly near the original staircase. Some visitors have described doors opening or closing without explanation, along with subtle disturbances like lights behaving unpredictably in otherwise still spaces. Others report a distinct sense of presence, especially in upper-level rooms that retain much of the home’s original layout and atmosphere.
Alongside these firsthand accounts, local legend adds another layer to the inn’s reputation. Stories passed through the community describe a woman in period clothing seen briefly in hallways or near guest room doorways before disappearing. While no identity has ever been confirmed, the figure is often associated with the home’s early residents or its long transitional period between private residence and public lodging. Whether rooted in memory or something less easily explained, the Old Rittenhouse Inn remains one of Bayfield’s most quietly persistent sites where history and unexplained experience continue to overlap.
Reported Paranormal Activity
- Footsteps heard in upper hallways and near the main staircase late at night
- Doors opening or closing without explanation
- Lights flickering or behaving erratically
- Strong sense of presence in certain rooms, especially upper floors
- Apparition of a woman in period clothing seen in hallways
- Unexplained sounds in otherwise empty areas of the inn
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