Entry No. 5 — the Savannah file — filed under: haunted hotel
The Marshall House
Savannah's oldest operating hotel served as a Union Army hospital in the final months of the Civil War and, decades earlier, as a ward during the city's yellow fever epidemics. Guests on the first floor still report seeing soldiers with missing limbs.
The story
You walk under the 120-foot cast-iron veranda along Broughton Street and step straight into Savannah's oldest operating hotel, a property that has been taking in travelers—and tending to the dying—since the 1850s. Decades before modern renovations, the Marshall House served as a refuge during Savannah's yellow fever epidemics, and later as a Union Army hospital during the final months of the Civil War. Surgeons worked directly inside these rooms, treating casualties while the building served as a front-line medical facility.
Today the property holds 65 guest rooms and three suites, but the structure retains the echo of its institutional past. Guests staying on the lower levels frequently report seeing figures resembling Union soldiers with missing limbs, alongside doorknobs turning silently on empty corridors. Local discussions single out Room 414 for peculiar activity, but the true atmosphere sits in the long stairwells and first-floor hallways, where floorboard creaks carry a weight that feels distinctly deliberate.
What it's like
Stepping off Broughton Street into the lobby gives you polished historic hotel decor, but the property's former life as a hospital ward is hard to shake once night falls. Rooms low in the building put you closest to where lower-floor medical wards operated. Grab a drink and head out onto the long iron balcony overlooking the street, then keep your ears tuned to the stairwells when you head back to your room.
The move: Book a room low in the building, then take a nightcap at the bar under the 120-foot cast-iron veranda and compare notes on any floorboard creaks that feel a little too deliberate.
- 📍 Broughton Street, Historic District
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 123 E. Broughton St, Savannah, GA 31401
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- 17Hundred90 Inn & Restaurant — Pair Savannah's oldest operating hotel with a short walk to the city's oldest inn on President Street for a nightcap.
- Colonial Park Cemetery — Walk two blocks south to visit the burial ground holding over 700 yellow fever victims from the city's early epidemics.
- Alley Cat Lounge — Head three blocks down Broughton Street and duck into an alley basement lounge for a drink after exploring the hotel corridors.
- Kehoe House — Stroll 0.1 miles east to Columbia Square to inspect another classic ironwork facade tied to Savannah ghost lore.
Good to know
What history gives The Marshall House its haunted reputation?
The hotel served as a city yellow fever ward in the 19th century and as a Union Army hospital during the final months of the Civil War.
Which floor or room is known for paranormal reports?
Guests on the first floor frequently report seeing figures of Civil War soldiers missing limbs, while local forums often bring up Room 414.
How big is the property?
The Marshall House features 65 guest rooms and three suites, featuring a prominent 120-foot cast-iron balcony along Broughton Street.
Can you visit if you are not staying overnight?
While the guest corridors and rooms are reserved for overnight guests, visitors can see the historic 120-foot cast-iron veranda from Broughton Street or visit the hotel bar.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · visitsavannah.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-07-20