This historic landmark is known as the Abner Gaines House and the Gaines Tavern, but locals have nicknamed it the "Kentucky Horror House."

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The Abner Gaines House

Located in Walton, Kentucky is the Abner Gaines House.  This historic landmark was built around the early 1800s  and is now known as the Gaines Tavern History Center. According to Explore Kentucky History, this federal-style mansion was once used as a stagecoach stop, an Inn, and even a family home.

This Federal style house has 3 stairways and 10 carved mantels. Gaines also became the proprietor of the first stagecoach line that carried mail and passengers between Cincinnati and Lexington; a thirty-four hour trip in 1818. Gaines was a Boone County Justice from 1805 to 1817, at which time he was appointed Sheriff.

Abner and his wife Elizabeth (Matthews) had 13 children; several of them experienced some notoriety in various areas of the United States.

The Kentucky Horror House

While on the National Register of Historic Places, this building is listed as the Abner Gaines House, many know it as the Gaines Tavern, and locals have even nicknamed the house the "Kentucky Horror House" after many tragedies took place inside the walls.  The Louisville Courier-Journal says that the old tavern has played host to murders, deaths, and even suicides.

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.

There are even claims that this old tavern has been cursed, and these days it is known for being notoriously haunted.  So haunted in fact, that the Ghost Hunters actually filmed an episode inside of the Abner Gaines House in 2022 titled "Ghosts of the Gaines Tavern."  The Boone County Public Library has a really great in-depth video into the old Gaines Tavern which you can see below.