The OES visited Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus on August 7, 2004. Originally known as the Bott Brothers Buffet and Billiards, and later The Clock Restaurant, Elevator Brewery is located on North High Street in Columbus. It is home to twelve handcrafted brews, two billiard tables from the 1800s, an excellent dining menu, and at least two legends.
The first legend is the most well-known of the two. On a cold February night in 1909, an infamous womanizer named Col. Randolph Pritchard was at the Bott Brothers Saloon, as he often was. Pritchard was called into the street and stabbed by a woman, who was presumably one that he had abused. The Colonel stumbled back into the saloon, collapsed to the floor and bled to death. At the exact moment of Pritchard's death, the large clock in front of the saloon stopped, marking 10:05. The only trace of his killer were her fresh footprints in the winter snow. The clock stood for many years, stopped at 10:05 for eternity until it was removed. The ghost of Colonel Pritchard is said to roam the restaurant, but has only been spotted on rare occasions. Pritchard's killer, who is said to have frozen to death the night she killed him, is also said to make her presence known. Mysterious footprints have appeared in fresh snow where no one had yet walked. There have been several witnesses who have claimed to see the footprints appear right before their eyes.
The lesser-known legend of Elevator Brewery involves the tunnel system that supposedly runs beneath Columbus. Numerous reports state the Bott Brothers had access to these tunnels in their basement. We were able to gain access to the basement, thanks to owner Dick Stevens. There appeared to be three separate doorways that could have led into the tunnel system at one time, but they have all been cemented over. There's a possibility that we could one day drill through the concrete to see what is one the other side, but for now, it remains a mystery.