A Haunted Massachusetts Pub, Worthen House Café Is Full Of Trapdoors And Secret Compartments

Prohibition-era trapdoors? Secrets of the Underground Railroad? An Edgar Allan Poe connection? Delicious cocktails? This little pub in Massachusetts has all those things and more. Here’s what you need to know about visiting the Worthen House Café in Massachusetts.

There's so much hidden history at the Worthen House Cafe in Lowell. This understated pub has a past worthy of Hollywood. First built in 1834, it’s the oldest tavern in Lowell and packed with hidden quirks.

A secret panel behind the bar slides away to reveal a storage area for Prohibition-era booze. Ask your bartender to show you the ancient liquor bottles – they were discovered in the compartment long after Prohibition ended.

There’s also a hiding spot in the attic where it is believed former occupants of the Worthen stowed runaway slaves during the Underground Railroad era.

Feeling warm? Ask a member of staff to turn on the bar’s original pulley-driven fan system. It’s one of only four in the country and the only existing model in its original location.

This place has attracted plenty of notable authors. Edgar Allan Poe is said to have written at least part of The Raven while staying on the second floor. Jack Kerouac was also a regular in his time.

As if all of this history wasn’t enough, the Worthen is said to be home to a ghost named Matthew.

Staff and patrons have seen the spirit prowling around the third floor, which was once a bedroom area when the structure operated as an inn.

Today, the Worthen is a fixture in the Lowell food and bar scene. It’s often comfortably filled with locals and visitors enjoying a lively evening out.

You can drop by for live music on the weekend and delicious bites and sips all week long.

Stop by the Worthen House Cafe to soak up some history…and perhaps a pint or two.

You can find the Worthen House Café in Massachusetts at 141 Worthen St., Lowell. Click here to check out their website for current opening hours and menus. For more of the coolest historical spots in the state, take a look at this road trip.