The Haunted History of the David Finney Inn — New Castle, Delaware

Tucked along Delaware Street in the meticulously preserved colonial town of New Castle stands a stately brick structure known today as the David Finney Inn. With its Flemish-bond brickwork, dormered roofline, and lantern-lit façade, the building looks like a place history simply refused to let go of. And perhaps it hasn’t—if the ghost stories are to be believed.

A Long, Tangled History

The building traces its roots to New Castle’s early colonial era, when the Finney family—an influential clan that also built the nearby Amstel House—played a major role in shaping the town. David Finney, son of Dr. John Finney, used the structure as his law office. Over the centuries the building evolved, shifting from office to residence to boarding house to hotel and, eventually, a popular restaurant and inn. Each transformation added new chapters—and new whispers—to its story.

Generations of judges, lawyers, families, guests, and diners passed through its doors. A place that sees that many lives inevitably collects stories, both documented and whispered.

The Reports of a Restless Presence

For decades, locals, tenants, and curious visitors have shared eerily consistent accounts of strange happenings within the inn:

The Third Floor

Nearly every telling points to the third floor as the center of the activity. Visitors report:

1. Doors opening or closing on their own
2. Windows unlatching in the middle of the night
3. Lights and faucets turning on with no one nearby
4. Objects shifting positions when no one was in the room

Even skeptics admit the top floor “feels different”—a little heavier, a little colder, a little too aware.

A Spirit with Connections

Some stories tie the haunting to the Amstel House, the Finney family home just down the street. Old New Castle lore even claims the properties were linked by an underground passage, a rumor that may or may not be true—but certainly fuels the imagination.

According to these tales, the same spirit that wanders the museum’s old hallways has been spotted in the upper rooms of the Finney building. Whether it’s a Finney family member, a former tenant, or someone with their own tragic story, no one can say for sure.

Shifting Identities, Consistent Chills

The identity of the ghost changes depending on who’s telling the story. Some call it a stern colonial lawyer. Others say it’s a sorrowful woman connected to a river tragedy. A few whisper about a soldier who never came home. But the phenomena themselves remain remarkably similar across accounts, lending weight to the idea that something has lingered.

Why the Finney Inn Became a Magnet for Ghost Tales

Historic inns often carry reputations for hauntings, but the David Finney Inn has several qualities that make it especially ripe for supernatural lore:

1. Age and continuity. The building has been lived in, worked in, and slept in for centuries. That kind of continuous human presence creates layers of memory—and mystery.
2. Atmosphere. Narrow staircases, attic rooms, old fireplaces, drafty windows, and thick brick walls give the building a naturally eerie charm.
3. A storytelling town. New Castle takes pride in its history. Locals love a good tale, and ghost stories become part of the town’s cultural fabric, passed along during walking tours, festivals, and late-night conversations.

Visiting Today

The David Finney building sits in the heart of New Castle’s historic district, surrounded by cobblestone streets, river breezes, and 18th-century architecture. While its public uses have changed over time and parts have undergone renovation, its presence on the street remains unmistakable. Visitors often stop to admire the exterior—and some claim they can sense the building watching back.

The nearby Amstel House, open seasonally for tours, offers additional insight into the Finney family and the era the inn emerged from. Many visitors who love a good ghost story walk both properties, hoping to catch a hint of the lingering spirit said to drift between them.

The Real Haunting: A Town That Remembers

Ultimately, the David Finney Inn’s haunted history is less about jump scares and more about the way stories root themselves into a place. Whether the flickering lights and restless windows have supernatural explanations or simply come from the quirks of an aging building, the tales endure because they reflect the town's enduring relationship with its past.

New Castle is a place where history never really left—and at the David Finney Inn, some say neither did its ghosts.