JFK's Ghost Allegedly Hangs Out In A Boston Seafood Joint
John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, undeniably left his mark on the nation. Some of the ways he did this are more obvious than others. We all know the quote, "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country." Just as famous are Kennedy's views on civil rights, J.F.K.'s handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis, and his tragic assassination (via the White House). Fewer people remember that he won a Pulitzer Prize, suggested teaming up with the Soviets to get to the moon, and installed a hidden tape recorder in the Oval Office, according to History. Perhaps the most obscure part of J.F.K.'s legacy, though, is that his ghost allegedly still lingers in a Massachusetts restaurant.
What could possibly possess the spirit of a former President to do such a thing? For breakfast, J.F.K. was known to eat bacon, eggs, marmalade, and toast, and drink coffee, milk, and orange juice, per the J.F.K. Presidential Library. At lunchtime, he liked fruit, sandwiches, and soups. Come supper, it was chicken, lamb, steak, or turkey with mashed potatoes, maybe chocolate for dessert. The key to this supernatural mystery, however, is J.F.K.'s preference for seafood: New England Fish Chowder for lunch and fish with baked beans for dinner. Supposedly, his love for marine dishes was so strong it often drove him to visit a Boston seafood joint, both in life and death.
Union Oyster House
Located on the historic Freedom Trail in Boston, MA, the Union Oyster House is one of the oldest restaurants still operating in the U.S. It's been serving food since 1826, though the building predates even the Revolutionary War. Its menu includes oysters, obviously, but also crab, lobster, and shrimp, as well as chicken, beef, and pork, plus plenty of desserts, like cobbler, ice cream, and pie.
The place has a rich history, and the Kennedy Family was a part of that past. Like many of his relatives, J.F.K. went there to dine upstairs in private. According to Nightly Spirits, his favorite dish was lobster stew, and his frequent patronage eventually led to his preferred table being designated "The Kennedy Booth."
However, that's not the only lingering influence J.F.K. left on this establishment. The former President's spirit still frequents his favorite haunt, or so people say. The story goes that J.F.K.'s ghost appears in dining rooms, silently watching others eat. Strangely, it's not just his plaque-enshrined booth that he likes to visit but also the bathroom. Some claim to have seen this former President in the reflection of a restroom mirror.
When somebody becomes a U.S. President, it's essentially guaranteed they'll be remembered for a very long time. It's hard to imagine these spooky tales are what J.F.K. would've expected, though. Nevertheless, his legacy lives on, as does his choice eatery.