The Swan Tavern was opened in 1722 by Thomas “Scotch Tom” Nelson and Joseph Walker, and it soon became the main tavern in Yorktown. It remained in service until just before the Civil War. In 1862, the Union Army used the building to store gunpowder and ammunition. During a fire on December 16, 1863, the tavern exploded, destroying much of the west side of town. What you see today is a reconstruction done by the National Park Service in 1935 for the purpose of maintaining the historical atmosphere of Yorktown. The new building uses the foundation of the original.

Today the Swan Tavern is used as a rental property by the National Park Service. It is not open to the general public as a tourist house.

The Swan Tavern, originally built in the early 18th century, has long been a focal point of Yorktown’s ghost stories. Excavations in 1935 uncovered a human skeleton beneath the tavern site, fueling local speculation about restless spirits tied to past tragedies. Some believe the remains belonged to a traveler who met a foul end and his presence is still sensed by those who walk past the building late at night.

Since around 1877 residents and visitors have reported sightings of a solitary cloaked figure prowling the property. This shadowy apparition, always seen wearing a heavy cloak has been observed disappearing around corners or fading into the night sparking speculation that it is the ghost of someone who was robbed or killed in the area.

Photographic anomalies frequently appear in images taken around the Swan Tavern, according to ghost walk guides. Visitors claim to capture orbs, misty shapes, or faint silhouettes that were not visible with the naked eye. These unexplained elements often emerge consistently in photos taken after dusk and near the foundation of the original structure.

Ghost tour operators describe the atmosphere of the area as oddly oppressive after dark. Some visitors recount feeling watched or uneasy upon approaching the tavern grounds even when no one else is around. A few mention sensing a sudden chill or dark presence in the vicinity as if passing through an invisible threshold.

Today the Swan Tavern remains a featured stop on Yorktown’s ghost walking tours. Guides often emphasize that while the current building postdates the original tavern, the property’s layers of colonial-era hospitality, violence, and loss seem to attract ongoing paranormal energy. Whether these claims stem from folklore or genuine phenomena, they persist as part of the town’s haunted heritage.