Note: My husband and I are visiting Savannah, Charleston, and Beaufort next week, and our trip will include a night in 17Hundred90’s Room 204. Stay tuned for lots of photos and stories!

UPDATE: Read about our experience in Room 204.

The Place: 17Hundred90 Inn & Restaurant, Savannah, Georgia

The History: Located at 307 E. President Street, 17Hundred90 was originally three separate residences but is now one of the oldest inns in Savannah. Planter Steel White built the western part of the inn’s building between 1821 and 1823, while a family named Powers built the eastern part of the building in 1888. 17Hunrded90 was reportedly a boarding house before it became an inn and restaurant.

The Legend: According to local lore, a young woman named Anna died at the inn after suffering a broken heart. In one version of the tale, Anna fell in love with a handsome sailor who skipped town after promising to marry her. Devastated, Anna hurled herself from the window of Room 204 and died in a crumpled heap on the ground below.

In another version of the story, Anna’s older husband learned of her infatuation with the handsome young sailor. Furious, he beat Anna to death and threw her body out the window to make it look like a suicide. A third tale claims a jealous mistress pushed Anna to her death.

While multiple versions of the legend exist, they all agree on one thing – a young woman named Anna died after plummeting from Room 204.

The Haunting: Given its history and tragic reputation, it’s not surprising that ghosts reportedly roam the halls of 17Hundred90. Employees tell of pots and pans rattling in an empty kitchen and mysterious crashes in vacant guest suites. One staff member heard a man’s voice in the courtyard and felt hands pressing against her back. Another employee claims he never feels completely alone in the inn, and that he always has the feeling of being watched.

However, most of the paranormal activity takes place in Anna’s old dwelling, Room 204 (above). Guests have startled awake to the sound of shattering glass or the sight of a shadowy figure standing near the foot of the bed. Women leave their jewelry or toiletries one place only to find them somewhere completely different. In fact, legend has it that Anna despises female guests and will pull their hair or push them off the bed in the middle of the night. One female employee discovered a six-inch scratch on her arm which she attributes to a hostile Anna. Some say the unnerving events were so frequent a former inn keeper required guests of Room 204 to sign a waiver acknowledging they were ineligible for a refund should they leave early.

In 2009, actress/singer Miley Cyrus Tweeted about her encounter with Anna’s ghost. The celebrity and her mother stayed in Room 204 while Cyrus was shooting The Last Song in nearby Tybee Island. Anna reportedly left this hand print on Miley’s boot.

Does the ghost of a heartbroken young woman truly haunt the 17Hundred90 Inn? I guest I’ll soon find out.

UPDATE: Read about our experience in Room 204. This “ghost blob” appeared outside the doorway to our room.

Sources: My Ghost Story 2.10, Haunts of America