The Karsten Hotel

The Karsten Hotel in Kewaunee traces its history to 1858, when it opened as the Steamboat House, and has carried the Karsten name since 1912. Stories name William Karsten Sr., whose cigar smoke and, if he dislikes you, strong body odor are said to linger near his old suite, and his young grandson Billy, who runs through the basement and upper floors. Wisconsin Ghost Investigations called the inn haunted in 2002, reporting orbs, odd smells, a child running, a flute and whispering. The hotel reopened under new ownership in 2026 as the Karsten Nest Hotel.