History & local legend
The former Accomac Inn stands beside the Susquehanna River at an old ferry crossing in Hellam Township. Its best-known ghost story is associated with Emily Myers, a young employee killed on May 30, 1881. John Coyle Jr., the inn owner's son, shot her after she repeatedly refused to marry him. He was later convicted and executed.
Long afterward, a night manager reportedly encountered a young woman crying in the dining room while he was closing the restaurant. She did not answer when he offered to help. Outside, he saw her again on the hillside near the parking lot, her face hidden in her hands. Concerned, he called the police, but realized he could not describe her face.
Longtime general manager Odilia McDonald identified the figure as Emily.
Sources
- The Lineup, reported manager’s encounter and Odilia McDonald’s identification
- Uncharted Lancaster, the 1881 murder and contemporary newspaper account
- York Daily Record’s YorkBlog, Scott Mingus on the ferry and 1860 map vignette
- Historical Marker Database, Anderson’s Ferry location at 6330 River Drive
- WGAL, restaurant closure in 2018
