Gainesridge Dinner Club (Camden, AL)

The Gainesridge Dinner Club in Camden, Alabama, is known for its reports of paranormal activity. Originally built as a private home in the late 1820s, it is considered one of the most haunted restaurants in the country. People often mention hearing strange sounds, noticing odd smells, and seeing ghostly figures of past residents, even while the restaurant is open.

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Overview

Attribute	Details
Name	Gainesridge Dinner Club
Other Names	The Hearn Place, Most Haunted Restaurant in Alabama
Address	933 Alabama Highway 10 East, Camden, Alabama 36726
Country	United States
Coordinates	31.9965° N, 87.2625° W
Nearest City	Camden
Property Type	Antebellum mansion and restaurant
Built / Established	Late 1820s (approx. 1827)
Closed/Abandoned	Still in use
Owner	The Kennedy Family (Betty Gaines Kennedy and descendants)
Type of Haunting	Residual, Apparitions
Manifestations	Screams, crying baby, pipe smoke aroma, floating figures, footsteps, door shaking
Tragic Events & Causes	Infant death (crib death), historical deaths of early owners
Known Entities	Ebenezer Hearn, The Screaming Woman, The Crying Baby
Fear Rating	4/10 (Mildly Unsettling) [See Explanation]
First Recorded Sighting	1985 (Reports began following restaurant opening)
Most Recent Sighting	September 2025 – Staff reports of unexplained voices calling names
Activity Level	6/10 (Moderate Activity) [See Explanation]
Current Status	Active restaurant
Open to the Public?	Yes, accessible for dinner Thursday through Saturday
Best Time to Visit	October–December (Holiday season and peak lore interest)
Danger Warning	No physical danger reported; harmless spirits
Similar Haunted Locations	Lemp Mansion, Moon River Brewing Company, Myrtles Plantation, Stone’s Public House, Jean Bonnet Tavern, General Wayne Inn, Pirate’s House, Muriel’s Jackson Square, Arnaud’s, Twisted Vine, Catfish Corner, Casey Moore’s Oyster House, T’Frere’s House, Poogan’s Porch, Old ’76 House, Horse You Came In On Saloon

Gainesridge Dinner Club’s Haunted History

The building that is now the Gainesridge Dinner Club was built around 1827, making it one of the oldest in Wilcox County, Alabama. It was designed with a modified I-frame and Federal-style interior and served as a private home before Greek Revival architecture became common in the area. At one point, it was the only two-story building between Black’s Bluff and Allenton.

The property was once called “The Hearn Place,” named for Reverend Ebenezer Hearn, an early owner. Hearn was a well-known entity in Alabama, having served in the War of 1812 and later as a Methodist Circuit Rider. He helped start several Methodist churches in the state. Hearn lived in the house in the mid-1800s and died there on Christmas Eve in 1862. The Gaines family took ownership in 1898.

The house stayed in the family for almost 100 years before Betty Gaines Kennedy and her sister, Haden Gaines Marsh, turned it into a restaurant and catering business in October 1985. After it became a public place, reports of paranormal activity increased. The family had lived there for generations, but the arrival of new people and the busy kitchen seemed to bring more strange events.

The home’s most tragic story is connected to the Gaines family. Family stories and local records say that a baby died of crib death, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, in the house in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Many believe this is the reason for one of the most common ghostly sounds reported there.

Over its long history, the house has had many natural deaths, but there are no records of murders or violent crimes there. The reported hauntings are usually described as harmless and lingering from the past.

Local Legends

Stories about the Gainesridge Dinner Club are now a well-known part of Alabama’s “Ghost Trail.” Staff and owners often share these tales, and they even print them on the back of the restaurant’s menus to let guests know about the spirits said to live there.

The Screaming Woman of the Windows

One of the most famous stories is about a female ghost known for her loud cries. People say they have seen a woman floating past the upstairs windows. Some have even spotted her reflection in the glass when no one was inside.

This ghost is also known for a chilling scream or a desperate call for help. In one story, owner Betty Gaines Kennedy and a cook both heard a woman scream Betty’s name. When they looked around, they found no one else there.

The Spirit of the Circuit Rider

Many guests and staff think Ebenezer Hearn still lingers in his old home. People have reported seeing a tall, thin man with a long beard, dressed in black. He often appears as a reflection in mirrors or as a quick shadow in the halls.

Unlike the screaming woman, this man is described as calm and watchful. People sometimes smell pipe smoke before seeing him, even though smoking is not allowed inside.

Reported Ghosts

The ghosts at Gainesridge Dinner Club each have their own unique and consistent behaviors:

• The Crying Baby: People usually hear this ghost rather than see it. It sounds like a baby in distress, coming from the upstairs bedrooms. The cries are often described as “incessant” and occur even when there are no children in the restaurant.
• The Tall Man in Black: Many believe this ghost is Ebenezer Hearn, known for his Victorian-style clothes. He is most often seen in the old mirrors or briefly standing in doorways before disappearing.
• The Woman in White: This ghost is different from the “Screaming Woman.” She has been seen on the front lawn. The owner once saw her at the entrance, where she nodded and smiled before vanishing.

Documented Sightings Timeline

Witness	Date	Details
Betty Gaines Kennedy	1985	Reported the distinct smell of pipe smoke in the upstairs rooms shortly after opening the restaurant.
Restaurant Staff	1980s (Late)	Multiple employees reported hearing the sound of a baby crying in the empty upstairs quarters.
Diners and Server	Unknown	Reported a loud crash in the bathroom that shook the door; upon inspection, the room was empty and no objects were displaced.
Betty Gaines Kennedy	Unknown	While mowing the lawn, witnessed a woman standing at the front door who smiled, nodded, and then vanished.
Betty and Cook	Unknown	Both witnesses heard a female voice loudly call Betty’s name for help when only the two were in the building.
Lee Peacock	October 2016	Witnessed a large piece of ice fall from a clean cloth napkin onto the floor in the middle of a room with no clear explanation.
Anonymous Staff	September 2025	Reported hearing unexplained voices calling out names during closing shifts.

Paranormal Activity

Paranormal activity at the Gainesridge Dinner Club is known for being consistent and involving different senses. Most reports are about sounds and smells. The most common is the smell of tobacco smoke, which people notice in certain rooms, even with modern ventilation.

People have reported not just cries and screams, but also the sounds of heavy objects falling or doors shaking hard, even though nothing seems to have moved. These events don’t follow any clear pattern, but they happen more often when the restaurant is quiet or closing for the night.

Notable Investigations

The Gainesridge Dinner Club has appeared in several regional paranormal documentaries, especially the Alabama Ghost Trail video series by the Alabama Tourism Department. This series highlights the state’s most famous hauntings through interviews with owners and witnesses.

The restaurant has also attracted local researchers and fans because it is featured in the book “Off the Beaten Path: Alabama” by Gay N. Martin. The owners usually embrace the haunted reputation as part of the restaurant’s charm.

Still, they are careful about letting professional ghost hunters do overnight investigations. They prefer to keep the ghost stories as part of the dining experience, not a scientific experiment.

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