And with money being pretty darn tight, I figure someplace nearby is the best of both worlds: vacation and thrift.
So, I’m thinking Eureka Springs, Arkansas. For most people, the main attractions of this town would be the cute shops and restaurants. But for me, it’s the hauntings.
The Crescent Hotel in particular is a hotbed of paranormal activity. Built between 1884 and 1886, the Crescent may have gotten its first ghost even before it opened its doors. During construction, a worker fell off the roof and his body landed in what is now room 218. Maybe that’s why room 218 is considered one of the most haunted rooms in the hotel. To this day there are reports of doors slamming in this room, and of apparitions.
The hotel had its ups and downs over the years, flourishing during some eras. In 1937, a quack named Norman Baker bought the hotel in hopes of turning it into a health resort. Baker had attempted to practice medicine before, and had been condemned by the American Medical Association for practicing with no license.
When he purchased the hotel, he remodeled it drastically. According to legend, he performed crazy experiments on the living and the dead, saying that he had a cure for cancer. Many of his “patients” died, but he is said to have hidden the bodies for weeks, until the bodies could be put in the incinerator. He may have even hidden bodies within the granite walls and tucked away jars of preserved body parts.
The hotel is still in operation and also has a spa. Guests and workers still claim to see apparitions and have run-ins with ghosts. The hotel is considered by some to be one of the most haunted places in the Ozarks, if not the nation, even bringing in the TAPS team a few years ago. Ghost tours of Eureka Springs and the Crescent are available, which I definitely want to check out!
Cool! I read about another haunted place the other day while I was looking at unique-to-Springfield places for my blog. It is the Pythian Castle. I guess that they have ghosts.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.pythiancastle.com/ghosts.html
It's not open to the public right now, but I bet they would talk to you. I've been in it and it is pretty creepy.
My ghost-hunting side-kick attendended a wedding at this hotel and went picture crazy, remembering the TAPS' investigation. FYI, a couple of my other girlfriends went ghost hunting in town over spring break and captured some curious photos at the National Cemetary off Seminole. If you find time, I'd love to hear about reported sightings at this location! :)
ReplyDeleteSo if you're ever in the Cody, WY neck of the woods, check out the Irma Hotel. We stayed there when I was in middle school and it lived up to it's hauntingly good (?) image. My mom didn't know it was haunted when she made reservations, but we wound up staying in Buffalo Bill's daughter's room - the Irma. She can attest that several veeeery strange things happened that shouldn't have...
ReplyDeleteCheck out some of the background on this place:
http://www.ghostinmysuitcase.com/places/irma/index.htm