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Jolly Pumpkin - A Brewery with a Haunted Past

Updated: Oct 27, 2021

Scary stories normally begin around a campfire while burning marshmallows and sipping shitty beer, but what if we traded in that old tradition for artisan pizzas and craft brew instead? I knew you'd be on board...


It began with a rich ass lumberjack, J.W Stickney, and his wife Genevieve, building the Inn as their summer home in the late 1880s.

Not much backstory on the lives of the Stickney's...supposedly she made jams and brandies while he was growing his lumberjack business in Chicago...sounds like a nice quaint little life among the trees of West Grand Traverse Bay.


But over the years Genevieve would become increasingly overweight, so much so an elevator was installed to help her move between floors. Stickney would eventually hire a nurse to help tend to her needs. Genevieve was not fond of the woman and suspected an affair. Her suspicions were quickly confirmed after the death of her husband as he left the Inn to G and his fortune to the nurse. Ouch. Falling into a deep depression and unable to deal with the heartbreak she hung herself in the elevator shaft and with that, a ghost story was born.


The elevator shaft that's clearly out of order and probably not going to be working any time soon.

Skepticism lies behind the truthfulness of this story yet unexplainable phenomena has occurred in the inn.

  • The elevator has reportedly moved on its own.

  • Lights have been known to turn on unexpectedly.

  • Apparitions of Genevieve have been said to appear in the hallway mirror.

You won't need to play "Bloody Mary" in this mirror to see a ghost. Genevieve Stickney has been known to appear.


Don't believe it? Then this ghost story isn't the only thing leaving a sour taste in your mouth. The Jolly Pumpkin Brewery is known for its sour beers; maturing them all in oak casks instead of steel tanks making one delicious bottle of brew.


But don't take my word for it. USA Today named Jolly Pumpkin Traverse City the 4th best brewery in America in 2018...and if that doesn't get you there I don't know what will.


Sunset on Grand Traverse Bay

 

FIND ME:

13512 Peninsula Dr, Traverse City, MI 49686

*Multiple locations throughout Michigan*

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