Built in 1924, this gorgeous example of architecture sits nestled in in the hill that gave the town its name. A popular place for University graduates and tourists alike, catapulting it into its place as a treasured part of North Carolina. It also has dozens of reports of paranormal activity on its grounds. Today we explore the haunted Carolina Inn near Chapel Hills.
The most famous ghost in this Inn was also one of the first guests. Dr. William Jacocks had just retired from his medical career when he decided to spend his retirement at the Carolina Inn, staying for 17 years before he passed away in the hotel. Dr. Jacocks is said to roam the halls, playing good natured pranks on guests and employees alike. It’s said he loves to turn lights on and off, lock guests out of their room and tap on shoulders only to be gone when they turn around. Dr. Jacocks especially makes his presence known in the old room he lived in for nearly two decades. Room 256 has dozens of accounts of curtains opening of their own volition, bath mats being moved around, and the shower turning itself on when the room is vacant.
While Dr. Jacocks is the most famous and lively of the permanent residents in this hotel, he’s far from the only one. Some have reported a man in fine clothes checking doorknobs in a hallway, only to disappear when a guest opens the door. A woman has been seen on the grounds, wearing a white dress and seemingly looking for something or someone with a singular focus. She doesn’t respond when spoken to and frequently disappears as soon as she’s noticed by one of the living. A little shy, perhaps, but certainly not a malevolent spirit.
In fact, the Inn says that all of their resident ghosts are friendly and don’t mean any harm by their appearances in the hotel they enjoyed so much in life. In the most recent renovation, Dr. Jacock’s room was split into 4 separate rooms, making the chances of catching paranormal activity in the famous room is amplified by four. Four times as many people to play pranks on, the employees say.
The Carolina Inn is a beautiful location, beloved by the local students from the University of North Carolina. It’s been nicknamed “The University’s Living Room,” and a portion of the hotel’s profits still go to the university to fund the upkeep of the library on campus. Jovial and playful ghosts, a positive atmosphere, and a connection to a local institution make this hotel beloved by many guests. If you decide to stay, make sure to request room 256, or one right next to it.
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Born in Death Valley and raised on the prairie, Deborah is a Wyoming-based paranormal researcher and University of Wyoming graduate. Her interests lie in folklore, history, symbolic interaction and research. She also researches the paranormal academically and is a graduate student studying sociology.