Do Spirits Haunt the Horse and Hound? Katonah Paranormal Investigates

Built in the 1740s, the Inn and restaurant in South Salem has a reputation for things that go bump in the night.

"People have heard footsteps upstairs when there was no one else in the restaurant," said Silvano Vales, who purchased the place 16 years ago with his wife, Sue Vales.

"People have come in here and said they feel the presence of an older woman and a little boy—a mischievous boy. And someone sent me a picture they found of this place from years ago, of an older couple and a little boy. And I just got goosebumps up and down my arm," he said.

Vales said visitors and co-workers have also described other spooky occurrences in the house, from visions of a woman in a blue dress out in the dining room, to a glass moving by itself on a dining table to someone tripping outside on the steps and describing it "as if someone reached out and grabbed their leg."

Seeking some information about the spirits that might be inhabiting his restaurant, Vales recently invited —a local team of investigators of otherwordly activity—for a site visit.

Sisters Karen and Kathy O'Donnell—who say they have had experiences with spiritual communications since they were children—are joined by Barry Pirro, who specializes in EVP, or electronic voice phenomenon. Both sisters have studied energy healing and are certified Reiki Masters and Interfaith ministers. Kathy O'Donnell has also trained with Troy Taylor, a teacher and author in the paranormal investigation field.

Over the years, The Horse and Hound has served as an Inn, a schoolhouse, a gin mill, a private restaurant and restaurant. Previous owners found a handful of Revolutionary War muskets that have since been stolen, according to Vales. Before hearing about the stash of guns found in the Inn, Karen O'Donnell said she "picked up" on a skirmish of some sort around the house, and a slave girl with blood on her head.

Patch tagged along on Katonah Paranormal's investigation at the Horse and Hound.

Check it out and let us know what you think—do you believe in ghosts?

To learn more about the services of Katonah Paranormal, visit their website.