Kentucky Gaines Tavern to be featured on Discovery+ ‘Ghost Hunters’

Halfway between Lexington and Cincinnati sits a historic stagecoach stop and tavern with a tragic past. Constructed around 1814, the Abner Gaines House, 150 Old Nicholson Road, is a 19th-century tavern in Walton, Kentucky that has seen more than its share of tragedies.

Known to locals as "The Kentucky Horror House," because of a series of murders, suicides and natural deaths which occurred in and around the two-story brick building, today some believe the distressed souls of the dead have never left. 

On Saturday, Jan. 29, the traumatic history of the Kentucky tavern becomes the focus of “Ghosts of Gaines Tavern,” a new episode of "Ghost Hunters" streaming on Discovery+.

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The team of paranormal investigators from the popular television show traveled to Walton and spent several days and nights in the building which is said to reverberate with the restless spirits of past tragedies.

"The town of Walton is getting ready to reopen the building to the public,"  Steve Gonsalves, Ghost Hunters' lead investigator told the Courier Journal. "The mayor wanted to be sure that remnants of tavern's past don’t resurface as dangerous entities." 

Armed with state-of-the-art technology, "Ghost Hunters" Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, Dave Tango and Shari DeBenedetti learn the stories behind the chilling cases and investigate the disturbing paranormal activity that has been reported at Gaines Tavern.

"It's really sad to think of all the tragedy that has occurred here," Gonsalves said. "We had some incredible encounters, including one during a lengthy lightning storm which really shook Jason while we were investigating." 

“Ghosts of Gaines Tavern” will be episode five in the new season of "Ghost Hunters" which has moved over from the SyFy Channel to Discovery+. The new season also includes an episode featuring singer and performer Meat Loaf in his final TV appearance. 

"He was a big fan of the show and really enjoyed investigating the paranormal on his own and with our team," Gonsalves said. "He was a wonderful human and we really enjoyed having him join us from time to time on the show." 

Gonsalves told The Courier Journal that Meat Loaf's daughter texted the day after her father's death to say how much her dad enjoyed chasing spirits with the "Ghost Hunters" team. She told Gonsalves it was fitting this would be her dad's final television appearance.      

Meat Loaf, who died Jan. 20 at age 74, will be featured in the Feb. 12 episode "The Haunted House on the Hill" about an old farmhouse in Tennessee. Rumors of terrifying activity have plagued the property for decades, but the new owners want to reassure the community that their home doesn’t harbor dangerous spirits. 

Meat Loaf previously teamed up with the "Ghost Hunters" crew for a special episode named after his most infamous hit "Bat Out of Hell," investigating a haunted private island in Thousand Islands, New York.