The old Bethlehem Academy, once a convent and then a hotel, is now a restaurant. Rumor has it that it’s haunted by the ghosts of nuns and other folks who were murdered on the premises long ago. The spirits manifest by turning lights on and off and moving chairs and other objects after closing time.
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Geographic Information
- Address:
- 7051 Saint John Rd
Elizabethtown, KY
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 37.70123891466496, -85.99527736012533
- County:
- Hardin County, Kentucky
- Nearest Towns:
- Cecilia, KY (3.2 mi.)
Elizabethtown, KY (7.5 mi.)
Vine Grove, KY (7.6 mi.)
Radcliff, KY (9.9 mi.)
Fort Knox, KY (13.2 mi.)
Sonora, KY (13.4 mi.)
Muldraugh, KY (16.3 mi.)
Hodgenville, KY (16.5 mi.)
Lebanon Junction, KY (17.1 mi.)
Upton, KY (17.2 mi.)
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Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends.
Its not a restaurant, its just an abandoned place but a landlord still owns it.I had a friend that lived in the place right next to it so he had the landlord that owns both places. Well one day me and two of my friends walked over to the academy and we went in through the back door and as soon as you enter it is literally 20 degrees cooler in there then outside. Which doesn’t make any sence, because it was a hot summers day. Ignoring that we checked out the whole house except the basement. We didn’t see or hear anything in there but I have heard plenty of stories about people who have seen things at night time. It was last a home by a family, you can tell this because when you walk in it has items left behind in certain rooms like beds and other random obects. And in the attic it is filled with boxed up memories from the family that moved out. but one of the things I found strange was that they left behind a wedding photo album.If they were moving i don’t understand why they would leave something like that behind. They must have been in a hurry. Another strange thing i can tell you about that place is that when I did go over there my friend told me that there was a place with candles on a stand just outside the door and that he thinks teenagers do witchcraft or something like that in this house. A couple of weeks later my friend went into the place one more time by his self and he took a picture of the wall and showed me that their was a big star in a circle on it. All I know is that a lot of weird things happen there. Human and paranormal.
The reason the wedding album was left behind from the previous family is because they were divorcing. I suppose neither wanted the album. I’m actually getting ready to move into the cottage next to the academy. We’ll see how it goes!
So how is it going? Are you still there?
We are the current owners of The Academy. Thank you for your interest in the building, but what you’ve just described is criminal trespassing which is punishable by law. Since you have published your first and last name and admitted to breaking and entering in writing, you personally could be charged with any and all damages done to the property. Please refrain from visiting our property illegally. Email us at bethlehemacademy1818@gmail.com if you’d like a legitimate tour and accurate information.
damn. guess we got that straight
Does anyone know if you can access this place for a investigation. I am a paranormal investigator with a group in Louisville. We are interested in doing a complete investigation.
Thanks
We are the current owners of The Academy. Please e-mail us at bethlehemacademy1818@gmail.com to discuss this.
Has there ever been an old man who lived in the house? I’ve seen him several times when driving by and he is always in the same place. He’s very angry, he screams. And there was a suicide in that house not too long ago. I know the coroners assistant and she told me about it
Please email me at bethlehemacademy1818@gmail.com! I’d love to know more about what you’ve seen and been told.
My Mom, Born 1938 often told stories of Beth Academy. Her favorite was that of a nun killed on the stairs by civil war deserters. She claimed to have seen lantern light hovering about half way up a staircase and hearing a woman’s scream. Have you heard this story before?
My former sister-in-law and her husband used to own it and I heard about all the things that they saw and heard there.
There is no history of hauntings in this location. It’s a myth. The Sisters of Loretto, who owned it from 1830 until the 1960s will confirm that there were no murders or suicides at the site. It’s an historic building built in 1818 that a bunch if thrill seekers have until recently been vandalizing.
The location is not haunted. There is a myth that nuns were murdered or committed suicide. However, the Sister of Loretta, who owned the place from 1830-1959 will confirm that there were no murders or suicides. There was a nun killed by oxen during a farming accidents, and some who lived there and died of natural causes. There was a fire in the late 1970s when the building was vacant and there were no injuries.
I went out there tonight with my dad, sister, and girlfriend, and me an my girlfriend got out. We start taking pictures of the building an surroundings. We captured orbs and on the right side a little ways from the fence we see a man with white pants, a brown shirt, and carrying a axe? In the picture my girlfriend took, the mans legs are moving with the axe dragging. In my picture, the man is standing still with the axe like a cane in a different place. After I took my picture, a couple seconds later, a little boy yells “Help!” then we booked it and got in the van and got the hell outta there!
My friend and I drove by there on the eve of our high school graduation back in 1992. We distinctly remember passing an older man walking down the road. We passed the Academy and I turned around right after passing it. The man was no where in sight. There was no where for him to go in that amount of time. It freaked us out and we left.
I did have the privilege of visiting the Academy back in the ’80’s after a renovation and was open to the public. I can only remember the ballroom and how beautiful it was
I stayed there in 1993 when the Dooley’s owned it and again in 1995. It was a bed and breakfast then. We stayed in the Shannon Room. We were the only guest s in the house both nights. The owners stayed in the cottage next door. It felt really creepy and felt like we were being watched the entire time. There was a picture above the bed and it seemed like someone was watching us through the picture. Went back a few years later and there was a chai link fence around property. Very strange.
I also remember when we woke up in the morning it sounded like a bunch of people talking only to find the couple who owned the B&B making breakfast.
I have heard that Mother Theresa was there from Loretta Convent. Is that true?
My grandmother was a boarding student there when she was in high school. I would absolutely love to take a tour.
Are yours still available.
Gavin Kelly here. We’ve actually Investigated and Filmed for an Episode of The Paranormal Journey: Into the Unknown Season 2 there. You are right.. It’s blazing hot outside, but walk inside it’s a freezer. No plausible explanation. Samantha which is the new owner of the Bethlehem Academy is a good friend of ours. We’ve been there numerous times. Walked the entire house, yes we’ve had some interesting experiences while filming there. Whispers, Shadows. We did an experiment using black mirrors and we captured a figure appearing in the mirror. We had a thermal camera fixed on the mirror when validated the presence of that entity. Strange EVP’s Experienced Equipment malfunctions. All in all Bethlehem Academy is a hot spot for Activity.
i would love to tour this place i take photos of abandon and haunted places i passed this place yesterday by accident on way to another location an i couldnt help but stop an take pic of the outside its beautiful .