Star Hotel

Built about 1820, the Star Hotel was one of two taverns serving Bowling Green. During the Civil War, the Henry Gouldman family operated it, and it became a notorious Confederate spy headquarters and a safe haven for those who aided John Wilkes Booth after Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. About 12:30 a.m. on April 26, 1865, a 26-member Union posse from the 5th New York Cavalry under Lt. Edward P. Doherty, with two members of the National Detective Police, arrived after receiving a tip that Willie Jett would likely be there. Jett had earlier escorted Booth and David E. Herold across the Rappahannock near Port Royal. The troops surrounded the building and found Jett asleep in a room with Jesse Gouldman, who had been badly wounded at Petersburg. Expecting to find Booth, the soldiers mistook Jesse for him and nearly shot him, prompting Jett to reveal that he had left Booth at the Garrett farm. Although Jett doubted Booth would be found when the troops returned there, he was arrested and led the posse back to Garrett’s, where he had left Booth in hiding.

Bowling Green, Virginia · United States