Elegant wine bar and restaurant, Trio,operates in the Kruger-White House in downtown Truckee. It was built in 1874 by W.H. Kruger, a partner in the Truckee Lumber Company and was used as a family dwelling. Later, it was purchased by C.B. White, a prominent citizen and banker. A Queen Anne Eastlake Victorian style building,it is on the National Register of Historic Places. Some believe that Mrs. White’s ghost – among others – still reside there.
When I first started working at Trio, I didn’t know it was haunted, but strange things began to occur immediately. It started with little things, like lights being turned on when I thought I had turned them off, or vice versa. One night, we were locking up and ushering out the last guests, when the bartender, Heather, went to lock the front door. As she did, everyone saw the light in the third story sitting room turn on! Everyone freaked, especially Heather, who made her boyfriend accompany her to turn it off.
Soon after my employment, the noises started. Just last month, I was in the bar alone doing paperwork, when what sounded like a brass bell chimed. The noise came from up on the ceiling and rang out once, crisp and clear, resonating for a minute.
We also have a ghost that likes to visit the kitchen, where we have two doorways, one that leads to the bar and the other to the hallway. Periodically, the door to the hallway will slowly swing open about a foot and then close just as slowly. After a minute, the door to the bar will open then close in the same fashion. It’s like the ghost is coming into the kitchen to see what’s cooking! The first time it happened, I thought it was the wind, but after the second and third time occurred on windless days, I knew it wasn’t.
Finally, during a meeting with the owner, I told her I thought the house was haunted. She proclaimed that it was indeed haunted, and that she had seen a ghostly dog running down the hallway one dark night. Pedro, the assistant chef, became a believer when he saw a shadow of a man move through a wooden door. Heavy footsteps, mysterious voices, and a sometimes spine-tingling atmosphere have made believers of the entire staff.
But it was a handyman preparing to do a project in the basement who had the most ghoulish encounter. He suddenly felt cold and looked about to see a headless, handless, and legless torso floating in the air about six feet away. Well, from then on, I knew that coming to work at Trio would be really exciting!
Not only is Trio paranormally exciting, but the restaurant also offers great wines at the lovely wine bar, delicious snacks and meals, like Pumpkin Lasagna, prepared by Chef Mike, a friendly staff, and work by local artists. The parlor provides a cozy, Victorian setting in one of Truckee’s most historic…and haunted venues. Trio can also be rented out for holiday parties and private events, with complete catering offered. 10292 Donner Pass Road in Brickelltown on the west end of downtown Truckee. Open from 4 to 11 p.m. or later, Tuesday thru Saturday. The kitchen serves till 11p.m. 530-582-2323.
