One If by Land, Two If by Sea

Posted: 01.13.2025 | Updated: 01.13.2025

A pleasant night out is best when in the company of others. Laughs are shared, and memories are made while enjoying exquisite meals crafted by passionate culinary artists. This is no more true than at New York’s iconic One If by Land, Two If by Sea. 

At this charming restaurant just east of the Hudson River, there’s actually no such thing as dining alone, even for those who reserve a table for one. 

The 18th-century building that houses the restaurant is embedded with a history marred by death and melancholy. From that has manifested a spectral energy that rives at the very fabric of our reality. 

Though not malicious, most ghosts of this haunted house in New York present themselves with a chaotic or bothersome personality. Diners may find it a spectacle that elevates the dining experience. However, beneath the overt playfulness of the resident phantoms lies an inexplicable unease.           

Care to be immersed in the spooky underbelly of The Big Apple? Book your New York City Ghost tour to explore haunted locations. You’ll also hear more ghostly tales like those whispered at One if by Land, Two if by Sea. 

Is One If By Land, Two If By Sea Haunted?

Unseen eyes watch patrons from shadowed corners. A wandering apparition passes by a second-story window. Lights flicker, and electronics come to life impossibly on their own. One if by Land, Two if by Sea is what some would consider the textbook definition of haunted, at least by those who’ve witnessed the antics of the restaurant’s specters. 

Customers and workers alike have spoken of the eatery’s ethereal presence. Some have even been driven off by the mischief of the most active spirits. 

The Midnight Ride and the Deadly Duel

Many buildings along the East Coast are converted historical treasures. Though respected, their past is buried by contemporary whimsies and luxuries. One If by Land, Two If by Sea embraces American history, adopting its name from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem about Paul Revere’s midnight ride. 

During the American Revolution, Revere is said to have devised a plan to warn Patriots of the approaching British. If the British marched on Massachusetts, one lantern would be lit. If they sailed in from the east, two would glow.

The restaurant’s name has little to do with New York City, though Revere is believed to have hitched his horse to the former carriage house. Yet still, the building itself has a direct tie to local lore and a deadly confrontation. 

The Downfall of Aaron Burr

As the nation settled into the still-fresh concept of freedom, Aaron Burr made a name for himself in the federal government. Before becoming the third vice president, he served as New York’s Attorney General.

Burr lived in Richmond Hill for much of the 1790s but kept his horses and coach at the carriage house at 17 Barrow Street. This remained his hub for transportation until the early 1800s. Then, a rash decision by Burr ushered in a dark cloud over the property and his life. 

Following a heated exchange between the vice president and former Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, the two set off for Weehawken, New Jersey. There, they’d settle their dispute.

Fueled by anger over Hamilton’s inference of an incestuous relationship with his daughter, Burr challenged his rival to a duel. With one quick shot, Burr both slayed his foe and dismantled his political career.

The Vanishing of Theodosia Burr

Despite Hamilton’s vulgar claims and her father’s public downfall, Theodosia remained loyal to Burr. Having moved to Charleston when her husband was sworn in as governor, Theodosia still made occasional trips to visit her father.

On New Year’s Eve 1812, she boarded the Patriot bound for New York. It was the last time anyone saw or heard from her or any of the Patriot’s crew.

At least, not until guests of the restaurant started seeing her around the building. 

The Years After Aaron Burr

Though Burr was acquitted of the charges of treason brought against him, his life never recovered. He never returned to office, and the city seized his carriage house on Barrow.

 In the decades that followed, the former carriage house had many faces. It served the community as a firehouse before being sold by the city near the turn of the 20th century.

Greenwich was quickly developing into a bustling neighborhood, though still on the outskirts of the city’s heart. This made it prime for a brothel, which operated until the building was converted into a silent movie house. 

As time progressed, 17 Barrow Street evolved, welcoming a series of bars and restaurants. Finally, in 1970, it found a form that fit it best: One if by Land, Two if by Sea. 

Before welcoming patrons into the historic building, the owners aimed to capture the original look. Pooling together antiques from throughout New York, the carriage house was restored and given new life. When opened to the public, it’s likely the owners didn’t know the building came with a few permanent residents.     

Ghosts and a Romantic Dining Experience

The atmosphere at One If by Land, Two If by Sea is exactly what a haunted restaurant would look like. The romantic aesthetic is replete with hanging candlelit chandeliers and rich wood accents that play well against each other.

A soft glow bounces off the dark wood, basking the restaurant in a reddish hue that almost seems to mimic the blood shed by its former owner. 

Burr’s presence happens to be one of several felt throughout the restaurant. He’s said to have a more aggressive streak, unlike the more mellow specters. Guests and employees have spoken of an angered presence, and few recorded people tied to the old building would have reason to be irate. 

Having had his carriage house taken from it, it makes sense that Burr would return, displeased with its current state. Paranormal investigators have also reportedly captured the electronic voice phenomenon (EVP) of a male voice clearly stating, “My house.” 

Reunited in the Afterlife

Further spurring Burr’s anger could be the oft-interrupted reunion with his long-lost daughter. Burr survived years after Theodosia’s disappearance, and the former carriage house presents an opportunity for the two to reconnect. 

Unlike her father, who is keen on alerting others to his presence, Theodosia is a quieter ghostly inhabitant. Her apparition is said to move quietly through the restaurant as if forever lost. 

Could it just be the father and daughter duo responsible for the many encounters with guests and staff? As legend has it, no. The two aren’t alone.

Other Ghosts of a New York Staple

The list of haunts at One If by Land, Two If by Sea isn’t extensive, but it does stretch beyond the Burr family. Likely more responsible for the antics within the restaurant is what many believe to be a Broadway showgirl. 

Well known by staff, employees will light candles for the performer. What her connection to the building could be remains unknown, but her love for theatrics would certainly explain some of the restaurant’s activity. 

Another woman, sometimes mistaken for Theodosia, is bound to the stairs. Her ethereal figure has been spotted coming down them. That she doesn’t make a return trip up them suggests she may be a woman who reportedly broke her neck after a nasty fall. 

New York City Hauntings

One if by Land, Two if by Sea is a peculiarity. Its history reads as a rather tame block of centuries. Yet the ghostly entities known to interact with staff, toss dishes, and toy with the power suggest more bodies than history has recorded. 

Could the brothel have welcomed unsavory characters who never left? Have lovers of the silent era returned in hopes of catching their favorite features once more? 

The answers as to who resides within the walls of this classic New York City eatery lie within the ethereal entities themselves. 

To hear more ghostly tales from within the restaurant and for a chance at glimpsing a spectral presence, book a New York City Ghosts tour today. For even more haunted places in New York City, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and read our blogs of New York’s most haunted.

Sources:

• https://www.oneifbyland.com/history
• https://poets.org/poem/paul-reveres-ride
• https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-jul-05-bk-751-story.html
• https://www.dreamandtravel.com/one-if-by-land-two-if-by-sea
• https://ny.eater.com/2011/10/19/6643767/hauntings-at-one-if-by-land-two-if-by-sea