In my travels around the country and world, the establishments I visit along the way are an integral part of the journey. This is especially true on the North Country Trail, as it passes through so many great small towns throughout the North Country. As such, one of my requirements on my list as I passed through northeast Ohio on the way to Pennsylvania was to stay at the Spread Eagle Tavern and Inn. A hiking friend told me about the place years ago, shortly after I’d began my journey on the North Country Trail & Buckeye Trail. The time finally came to stay there a couple weeks ago on my weekend hike in the area. I had actually already hiked right by it on the trail last summer and had lunch there, but to make it complete I had to stay a night there. So I booked a room there while planning the trip. I booked the Van Buren room, which is the Inn’s smallest room.
I arrived at the Inn in the late afternoon, before the dinner rush. I was greeted by a nice young lady at the front desk who checked me in and showed me to my room. The walk from the front desk to most of the rooms takes you through the heart of the restaurant. It’s a good thing they show you the way, as it’s a pretty confusing place to navigate on your first time through, like a lot of old buildings are. As aforementioned, my room was the Inn’s smallest room, and yes, it was nice and cozy, but not too small, especially for a solo travel. After a 12 mile hike and a big meal, I was rather tired. I hit the shower and then took a nice nap. By the time I woke back up, it was in the middle of dinner. I could hear quite clearly that I had a lot more company in the building from my room. I was still stuffed from lunch, but I was thirsty. So I got dressed and headed down the road to a nearby town to grab some local beer at Sandy Springs Brewery in Minerva. I exited by room and headed down stairs and almost immediately was in one of the tavern’s dining rooms. There must of have been a party going on in the next room, as I had to weave my way through the crowd to get through. Do keep this in mind if you plan to arrive or leave around dinner, it’s a busy commute from the Inn’s entrance to the accommodations! I’m just glad I wasn’t bringing in all my luggage at that time.
Upon returning to the Inn from Minerva, I headed down into the cellar to the tavern’s pub. Going into the cellar is an experience in and or itself, definitely not to be missed if it’s open, even just to walk through. The bar is very small and cozy. They don’t have any draft beer or a huge selection of beer, but they did have a local IPA from Birdfish Brewery in a can. A little expensive, yeah, but well worth the experience! They do have liquor and wine as well. I’m a beer guy mainly, so I can’t say for sure, but it seems like the selection of liquor and wine was pretty decent. The bartender and the other wait staff who came and went from the bar were very nice and knowledgeable about the history of the Inn & Tavern and the area in general.
I slept well through the night and awoke without any recollection of any ghostly encounters, something the Inn’s fairly well known for. I had reservations for breakfast at 8 and had a little time to kill before then, so I took some of my luggage out to my car and proceeded to walk around the village. It was a pleasant walk on a frosty and sunny morning. Upon returning for breakfast, I had the restaurant to myself, quite the opposite of the night before. The breakfast was good, nothing special, but very solid for a complimentary breakfast. It was bacon, eggs, a muffin, and fruit. A great way to fuel up for another long day on the trail. The waitress did inform me that only one of the rooms, the Jefferson Room, is haunted. The resident ghost’s name is Olivina, who hung herself out of one of the bedroom’s window’s with a bedsheet. This was her former bedroom.
All and all, my experience at the Spread Eagle was outstanding. I was very excited about staying there and it did not disappoint. After writing this, I feel the urge to look into a return visit! I highly recommend staying here or dining here if you find yourself in Hanoverton or the surrounding area.