THE PARANORMAL WORLD DATABASE       COLORADO   ARBY’S (COLORADO SPRINGS) PHENOMENA: One of the most haunted places in Colorado Springs is a local branch of Arby’s. In the mid 90s, the manager was shot and killed in the parking lot by one of her employees and it’s believed that she is now responsible for some unexplained events in the restaurant. People hear unexplained whispering in the lobby and objects are moved around when the restaurant is empty. Many times staff will place chairs on the tables to clean the floors, then move to another area only to return and find the chairs placed back on the floor. There are reports of the apparition of a woman in the kitchen and employees are hesitant to work by themselves. BLACK FOREST  BACKGROUND: The area known as Black Forest is in an unincorporated tow that lies in El Paso County, near Colorado Springs, within an region traditionally known as the “Pineries,” that once sprawled over a 1,000 square mile area. PHENOMENA: In 1991, Steven and Beth Lee moved to the area from Louisiana with their two sons and purchased a secluded two-story log home surrounded by untouched wilderness that was to be their dream home. The property had been owned by a man who allegedly had experienced intense paranormal activity there, yet didn’t inform the Lees at the time because he either didn’t think anyone would believe him or that he was a crack pot. The couple’s sons soon began to complain of strange lights in their rooms and shadows moving about. It was not just a case of the boys’ vivid imaginations because Steven and Beth started seeing the same thing. Flashes of light would also be seen in the forest, doors in the home closed on their own, lights and electrical appliances would turn on or off by themselves and thumps, bangs and knocks on the roof or walls, as well as footsteps and even phantom music seemed to come from nowhere. There was also an odd chemical odor that would manifest at random and permeate the house, at times so strong and overpowering that it burned the nostrils and eyes. Steven spent a great deal of time and money installing a state-of-the-art video surveillance system that would reveal strange images such as bizarre orbs, streaks of light, and most disturbingly, glowing, undefined outlines of human figures and faces in the woods near the home. At one point Senator Charles Duke visited the home in 1996 to check it out. Duke arrived as a skeptic, but changed his position when he too experienced strange phenomena and even managed to capture a ghostly, smoke-like form of what looked like a dog on film, forcing him to concede: “There are certainly some anomalies that don’t belong there. I don’t as yet know what they are. I was shocked. I’m not a believer yet, but certainly there is something going on there. There’s certainly something unusual, there’s no doubt about it.” TRIVIA: “The Black Forest Incident” was first introduced to the nation on an episode of the TV show, Sightings. BOULDER THEATER (BOULDER) BACKGROUND: Opened in 1906 as Curran Opera House by wealthy billboard sign owner James Curran, the venue featured opera, musical productions and silent movies. In 1927 the first talkie,”The Jazz Singer”, was presented by Warner Brothers. During the Depression, the theater kept going with double features and “Country Store Nights”, when sacks of groceries were given away to those in the lucky numbered seats. The Fox Theater Company purchased the building in 1935 and created the Boulder Theater. The building as it stands today was designed by Robert Boller of Kansas City and had its Opening Night on January 9, 1936. The construction included an expansion of the Opera House and was finished in the art deco style of the day. PHENOMENA: In June of 2008, a newly renovated restaurant/bar reopened, with the name “The Lounge” but its name was changed in July to “George’s Food and Drink”, in honor of the Boulder Theater’s resident spirit, George Paper, who has long been in residence as a caretaker of the theater who informs staff and patrons alike of his presence. He is drawn to light bulbs and has been known to “borrow” them from the back stage area. He is a tall man dressed in a 1920s suit and hat and for many years, staff and patrons report seeing a man fitting that description disappearing into the bathrooms, leaving only a cold spot behind as he opens and closes the door to the men’s room and the stalls inside and turns the faucets on and off. He also roams the halls as if inspecting them. When an intruder broke into the theater, police found the frightened thief hiding in the projection booth afraid to move because of the tall man wearing a hat that kept appearing in front of him, stopping his attempts to steal and generally terrifying him.  One employee coming down the stairs that lead into George’s Food and Drink, saw the ghostly figure of a man run across the cafe and disappear. BRIARHURST MANOR (MANITOU SPRINGS) BACKGROUND: Construction of the original Briarhurst began in 1872. Dr. William Bell, the home's owner, left for England to marry a woman named Cara, who agreed to live with Bell in Colorado as long as her children were born in England. One winter night in 1886, while Dr. Bell was away on business, Mrs. Bell awoke to a bedroom filled with smoke. Burning embers escaped from a fireplace in Briarhurst. She woke the children and servants. Cara stayed in the burning house and with the help of gardener Schneider, they rescued a prized oil painting by Thomas Moran, the "Mount of the Holy Cross". The family escaped safely, but lost all of their belongings and returned to England. They returned in early 1887 to begin reconstruction of a second, more elaborate Briarhurst Manor, complete with schoolroom, conservatory, cloister and a library with a special alcove to display the "Mount of the Holy Cross." PHENOMENA: On the grand stair case, spectral children are seen chasing a ball and then suddenly disappearing. The master bedroom is another hot spot with guests reporting seeing small footprints leading out the door and down to the bedrooms where the Bell children slept. Guests have heard chimes ringing in the upper floors and basement and some claim they have been bumped, touched or tugged at. There are also claims of strange noises and disembodied voices, dramatic drops in temperature, and music playing. In the downstairs restaurant, many patrons report seeing children playing outside particularly the little red haired girl in a bonnet amusing them while they eat. Others have seen the ghost of Mrs. Bell and an unknown skeletal-like woman in white roaming throughout the estate. Other phenomena include disappearing wine bottles and glasses that seem to multiply when nobody is around. TRIVIA: In 2012, the mansion was visited by the SyFy channel’s, Ghost Hunters TV show. THE BROADMOOR HOTEL (COLORADO SPRINGS) BACKGROUND: Spencer and Julie Penrose bought the property in 1916 and began to build The Broadmoor in 1918 to be "Grand Dame of the Rockies", patterned after elegant European hotels with excellent service and cuisine. Penrose hired Donald Ross, a golf architect, to design the first golf course. At the time, it was the highest golf course in the United States. A dismantled English pub was brought to the United States and reassembled at the resort. It also had one of the first full-service spas in the country and a supervised activities club for children. Penrose's goal was to build "the finest hotel in the United States". After having spent $2 million (equivalent to $33,314,159 in 2018) building the resort, it opened in 1918. As time passed, Julie frequently stayed at the hotel’s penthouse while her husband was away on business. He passed in 1939, but Julie lived there until 1956. PHENOMENA: In a much unpublicized event, a week prior to her death, Julie supposedly went missing in a heavily wooded area by the lake. She was eventually found nude, shaking, and not fully aware of how she had gotten there or where she’d been. Seven days later, she passed away. Hospitality staff at the Broadmoor, notes that a hot spot of activity is the penthouse where Julie Penrose stayed all those years. Lights turning on and off, extreme cold spots and objects moving on their own are the principal reports. Guests who stay there report feelings of being watched or of dread. A guest reported awakening one night to the covers being peeled back and the feeling that someone was dragging them by their foot out of the bed. The staff claims that a woman in a 1930s dress has been seen floating down the hallways and up the front staircases at night, suggesting the ghost is likely Julie Penrose.  Multiple spirits are seen in the penthouse floor area leading some to believe they are the victims of a casino fire of 1897. BROWN PALACE HOTEL (DENVER) BACKGROUND: The hotel was built in 1892 and named for its original owner, Henry Cordes Brown. Brown originally left his Ohio home in 1860, planning on striking it rich in California, but as his family passed through Denver, his wife liked the city so much, she reportedly said to him, “Mr. Brown, thou may press on to California if such be thy wish. I shall remain here.” The building was "one of America's first fireproof structures, according to a May 21, 1892 cover story in Scientific American. Upon its completion it was Denver's tallest building. In the early 1930s, Colorado muralist Allen Tupper True began discussing the possibility of creating two murals for the hotel with then owner Denver financier Charles Boettcher and after some delay the two works, Stage Coach and Airplane Travel were unveiled in the hotel's lobby in 1937. In 1935, as a celebration of the Repeal of Prohibition in the United States, Denver architect Alan Fisher designed "Ship Tavern"; one of four restaurants inside The Brown Palace. The hotel has never closed, not even for a day, though it has undergone numerous renovations throughout the years. PHENOMENA: Legend has it that a Denver socialite lived in room 904 from 1940 to 1955. During a hotel tour, the story of her life and heartbreak over a lost love were shared with visitors. The switchboard suddenly received calls from room 904 which was impossible as the room was at the time  undergoing renovation and had no furnishings, lights, carpet, or telephone lines. An employee heard strange sounds coming from the room one night and walked in to find a formally dressed string quartet practicing their music.  Stunned, he admonished the musicians for being in there only to hear a nonchalant reply, “Oh, don’t worry about us. We live here.” Another employee encountered the apparition of a man dressed in an old-fashioned train conductor’s uniform who appeared only briefly before disappearing through the wall. The same spirit has been seen at the airline ticket office, formerly the railroad ticket office. Other reports include the frequent sighting of a uniformed waiter seen in the service elevator, children who are known to frolic in the hallways, and a baby’s cries heard in the boiler room. CAVE OF THE WINDS (MANITOU SPRINGS) BACKGROUND: The Cave of the Winds in Williams Canyon north of Manitou Springs has been a visitor attraction since 1881. Before then, the Native American people who frequented the mineral springs at Manitou knew of the open gorge that holds the cave's main entrance. The Jicarilla Apaches in New Mexico reported in 1960 that they believe the Cave of the Winds is home to the Great Spirit of the Wind, and that anyone entering the cave could become twisted in both body and mind by the swirling movement of the wind passing through the open gorge. PHENOMENA: The reopening of the historic Manitou Grand Caverns section to public lantern tours has resulted in many reports by staff, visitors and cave explorers of paranormal occurrences. In the Grand Concert Hall, which is the largest chamber in the known cave system as well as nearby Lover's Lane, visitors report apparitions, strange mists, unexplained sounds and unusual lights in photographs. Staff in the historic early 220th-century gift shop on the rim of Williams Canyon have noted unusual and unexplained events that include phones ringing from unattached extensions, intercom calls from within the Cave of the Winds when no one is inside, and items moved or missing. TRIVIA: The caverns were featured in an 2012 episode of the Biography Channel series, My Ghost Story. CENTRAL CITY MASONIC CEMETERY (DENVER) BACKGROUND: The cemetery lies about 35 miles west of Denver in an area that was once known as ‘The Richest Square Mile on Earth’. It came into use in the 1860s and although it is now decaying and damaged, this is more wear and tear over time than vandalism. PHENOMENA: Urban legend alert >> A local legend states that every 5th of April and 1st of November, a beautiful lady in a black satin gown lays flowers on the grave of a man named John Edward Cameron who was an eligible bachelor that local girls were eager to call their own. He never showed interest in any of them except for the one ghostly woman who still visits him to this day. He died on November 1st, 1885 of paralysis of the heart and the lady planted a rosebush by his grave which would bloom every Spring. She would also visit on the anniversary of his death each year to lay a bunch of columbines on his grave. Her visits ended in 1888, but a few years later she resumed her bi-annual visits and has done so ever since.  CHEESMAN PARK (DENVER) BACKGROUND: In the late 19th century, the land that is now Cheesman Park was Prospect Hill Cemetery, which included the land that is now the Denver Botanical Garden and Congress Park further east. The long-disused cemetery was converted to a park which opened in 1907, after city planners felt it would provide an amenity to new residents as land development moved east of the central city. The park was originally named for the US Congress who gave permission to change the cemetery to a park and was renamed Cheesman Park in honor of Denver pioneer Walter Cheesman whose family donated the funds for the neoclassical pavilion on the eastern side of the park in his honor shortly after his death. The cemetery opened in 1858 and the first burial occurred the following year. In 1872, the U.S. Government determined that the property upon which the cemetery sat was actually federal land, having been deeded to the government in 1860 by a treaty with the Arapaho. The government then offered the land to the City of Denver who purchased it for $200. Although today it is still mostly remembered as Mt. Prospect Cemetery, in 1873 the cemetery's name was changed to the Denver City Cemetery. Colorado Senator Henry Moore Teller persuaded Congress to allow the graveyard to be converted to a park. On January 25, 1890, Congress authorized the city to vacate Mt. Prospect Cemetery and Teller renamed the area Congress Park. Families were given 90 days to remove the more than 5,000 bodies of their loved ones to other locations. Those who could afford this began to transfer bodies to other cemeteries throughout the city and elsewhere. The city offered the families of those who were buried there a free plot at another graveyard but after several years, only about 700 bodies had been moved. To finish the task, the city hired an undertaker named E.P. McGovern who was awarded $1.90 per coffin and devised a sinister plot to make more money by dismembering bodies and splitting up the parts into different coffins leaving body parts and discarded coffin pieces strewn around the park. PHENOMENA: A workman named Jim Astor claimed to feel a ghost atop his shoulders which frightened him to the point he threw down a stack of brass nameplates that he had looted from old coffins and ran for his life, never returning. People in nearby homes reported weird phenomena such as spirits who knocked on their doors and windows throughout the night. Moaning sounds were heard over the field of open graves and the city knew they had to act, so McGovern was told to desist after removing about 1,000 of the remaining bodies. Instead of hiring someone else to finish the job properly, the city just removed the remaining headstones. Estimates say there are still around 3,000 bodies buried under Cheesman Park which has led to it being one of the most haunted places in Colorado. Many who visit the park report feelings of sadness and dread and others claim to see misty figures, strange shadows and apparitions of the dead wandering in confusion, perhaps wondering what has become of their final resting places. COLORADO GRANDE CASINO & HOTEL (CRIPPLE CREEK) BACKGROUND: Home of Maggie’s Restaurant, there are some local exhibits inside, some which relate stories of famous criminals, most notably, a man who was convicted of cannibalism and a 12-year-old boy convicted of murder. The 1896, 3 story brick building was built to house various commercial businesses. PHENOMENA: Guests occasionally witness Maggie herself during their stay or dining there. At night, music and disembodied voices are heard from the ballroom, slot machines ring after hours and the hotel’s security cameras have caught Maggie wandering inside in period clothing. After being filed away, the tapes mysteriously disappeared. TRIVIA: The property was also featured on the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures Cripple Creek episode. CRIPPLE CREEK BACKGROUND: On the 20th of October, 1890, Robert Miller "Bob" Womack discovered a rich ore and the last great Colorado gold rush began. Thousands of prospectors flocked to the region, and before long Winfield Scott Stratton located the famous Independence lode, one of the largest gold strikes in history. In three years, the population increased from five hundred to ten thousand. Although $500 million worth of gold ore was dug from Cripple Creek, Womack died penniless on 10 August 1909. In 1896 Cripple Creek suffered two disastrous fires. The first occurred on April 25 destroying half of the city including much of the business district. Four days later another fire destroyed much of the remaining half. The city was rebuilt in a period of a few months, most historic buildings today date back to 1896. By 1900, Cripple Creek and its sister city, Victor, were substantial mining communities. The current mining operation is conducted by Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mining Company (CC&V) ran currently by Newmont Mining. The mine operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Mine operations, maintenance, and processing departments work a rotating day/night schedule in 12-hour shifts. Cripple Creek is currently more of a gambling and tourist town than a ghost town. Casinos now occupy many historic buildings. PHENOMENA: The Hotel St. Nicholas was built in 1898 as a hospital for prospectors and their families until it was expanded and began accepting the mentally ill. It closed down when the population dwindled and the gold rush came to an end. It was converted into a hotel with room 11 in particular, being extremely haunted. Two women slept with the television on because they were so frightened there. One of the them felt something sit on the end of her bed but could not see anyone. The following morning her friend said that she had awoken to see a shadow in that exact spot, but hadn’t said anything as she thought it was just her eyes playing tricks on her. Another active hotel in Cripple Creek is the Palace where a lady in a nightgown is seen walking the halls carrying another nightgown. The Imperial Hotel is said to be haunted by its former owner, George Long who was murdered by his disabled daughter in revenge for him keeping her locked in her room. She struck him with an iron skillet and he fell down the stairs to the basement which is now the hotel’s Red Rooster Bar. His presence is felt in the hotel and security guards claim to hear him playing the slot machines at night. CROKE-PATTERSON MANSION (DENVER) BACKGROUND: The Croke-Patterson mansion initially belonged to Thomas B. Croke who wasborn in 1856 to Irish immigrants in Magnolia, Wisconsin. He only lived there for six months. After the death of his wife, Margaret Dunphy Croke, in 1887, he had moved into the mansion with his two young children and his parents, but his mother also died shortly thereafter. Perhaps these two losses made the lavish home seem too ostentatious for the rural Midwesterner. (According to legend he only entered the stunning 1890 residence once and vowed never to return as something within the confines of the home chilled him to the core.) The house went on to be the family home of Thomas M. Patterson whose family stayed in the home for multiple decades before transferring ownership. The building has served as everything from a radio station to a dance studio. PHENOMENA: Over the years people have seen the ghost of Thomas Patterson wandering the home. Workers have found their daily efforts undone the following day. Two guard dogs were found dead after being left alone in the home one night after they apparently leaped from a three-story window to their deaths. People have heard footsteps, knocks on walls, disembodied voices, and babies crying. The mansion has also witnessed multiple suicides among other strange occurrences. EVERGREEN CEMETERY (COLORADO SPRINGS) BACKGROUND: When Colorado Springs was founded in 1871 there were already two cemeteries serving El Paso County but both were quickly found to be inadequate in serving the needs of the rapidly growing city. In 1874, the founder of Colorado Springs, General William Jackson Palmer, founded a new cemetery two miles from town. The original names were the Mount Washington or Mountain Home Cemetery. In 1877, the name was changed to Evergreen Cemetery. In 1875, the original 10 acres or so was deeded to the city and it has been a city owned and operated cemetery since then. The original 10 acres has grown to over 220 acres with 90,000 plus burials in 2014 and the cemetery still performs about 700 burials per year. PHENOMENA: The majority of activity reported here is centered on a small chapel built there in 1910 to be used for funeral services and storing the caskets ahead of burial, but it fell into a state of disrepair after the demand for chapel services declined. It became storage space for maintenance workers, many of whom report dark figures in the basement when they go to get supplies. This has been corroborated by a representative of the National Register of Historical Places who toured the chapel when the cemetery attempted to secure funding and listed status in 1992 in order to restore the building. On this tour, she experienced a negative force passing through her entire body prompting her to leave the building immediately. TRIVIA: One experience in the basement led to a segment of the Biography Channel’s My Ghost Story where a worker filmed a door open and close itself. GOLD CAMP RAIL TUNNELS (COLORADO SPRINGS) BACKGROUND: Originally there were nine of the passageways dug into the hills, but as railroad travel in the area dwindled, three of the tunnels succumbed to age and vandalism and collapsed. The tunnels were constructed during the 1800s for use during the gold rush. After they served their purpose for the railroad, they were converted for automotive use. There are now 3 tunnels in total, one of which is sealed off by huge gates and is not accessible to vehicles. PHENOMENA: Years ago,the third tunnel is said to have collapsed when a school bus crashed into it, killing the driver and all of the children aboard. It’s assumed the driver lost control and slammed into part of the rock. When the tunnel collapsed, it’s unknown whether the falling rock crushed the bus or simply trapped it inside. Urban legend alert >> Hikers report hearing laughter in the area and motorists able to drive close enough have found tiny hand prints in window condensation. People report tugging on their clothes or scratches on their skin with no recollection how they got there. It’s said to summon ghosts there, you park your car in neutral in the second tunnel at night. You will then feel something pushing against their car, slowly moving it uphill. Some report finding tiny hand prints in the dust covering their trunk and others report seeing the figure of a man walking to the back of their car to give it a push. GRANT-HUMPHREYS MANSION (DENVER) BACKGROUND:  Built in 1902 for James Benton Grant following his one term as the third Governor of Colorado. Mr. Grant's wife, former Mary Matteson Goodell, was prominent in Denver society, a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and helped to found a home for destitute children. Following her husband's death in 1911, she continued to live in the house six more years, selling it in 1917 to Albert E. Humphreys, remembered as "The Wildcatter Deluxe" and the "King of the Wildcatters" for his successful discovery of oil in Wyoming, Oklahoma and Texas. He was also well known for his philanthropic activities, which were shared by his wife, Alice. The couple came to Denver in 1898 with their two sons Ira and Albert E. Jr. Ira married Lucille Pattison, and they lived with the senior Humphreys in the house until the deaths of his parents. PHENOMENA: One evening, Humphreys was said to have left the dinner table to “clean his gun,” only to be found moments later with a gunshot wound to his head. He died the following day. Whether his death was an accident, a homicide or a suicide is in question as some believe the circumstances surrounding the shooting were very mysterious. His spirit haunts the third floor but according to other reports, up to four ghosts make the mansion their home. Perhaps some are from the disrupted and desecrated graveyard in the park area who find accommodations at the mansion more to their liking. Perhaps former residents or other people with a connection to this mansion have also decided to move in and make themselves at home. HAND HOTEL BED & BREAKFAST (FAIRPLAY) BACKGROUND: The original hotel was built in 1931 by Jake and Jessie Hand and was furnished with western and Indian memorabilia from the South Park area. The rustic decor and friendly hospitality resulted a steady clientèle that booked rooms there months in advance. Guests enjoyed fishing and hunting excursions and day trips into the local mountains. PHENOMENA: It’s said all 11 rooms at the hotel are subject to paranormal activity with both benevolent and malevolent spirits in residence. Stories include a pair of twin girls who favor being in the kitchens and a hell hound that roams the basement. A common apparition is Grandma Hand who haunts the room named for her who announces her presence by rocking the chair inside. HOTEL COLORADO (GLENWOOD SPRINGS) BACKGROUND: Established by silver magnate and banker Walter Devereux, construction began in 1891 at a cost of $850,000. The Hotel Colorado opened on June 10, 1893 to a program including a fireworks display, an orchestra in the ballroom, and dining at midnight for the 300 couples in attendance. The hotel quickly became a popular summer retreat, earning the nickname of "the little White House of the West" after extended visits by Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft. The teddy bear is alleged to have been invented during President Roosevelt's 1905 visit when the hotel's maids presented him with a stuffed bear pieced together with scraps of fine material. PHENOMENA: Oddly, most activity takes place between the hours of 2-4 am. Several ghosts are believed to reside there, notably a young girl in Victorian clothing seen playing with a ball, a female that peers over sleeping male guests, and a male presence on the fifth floor. The two suites in the bell towers are frequently reported to be haunted. The elevator moves on its own without passengers and strange smells and sounds have been reported by guests and staff. The screams of a woman are often heard throughout the hotel and believed to be that of a chamber maid who was involved in a love triangle and was murdered by one of her lovers. The room in which the woman was believed to have been killed was a guest room that has now been turned into a storage room, due to the history of paranormal happenings occurring there. In the Devereaux Dining Room, people have reported the smell of perfume and the sounds of dishes being moved around. On the third floor activity is rampant with guests and staff reporting unexplained knocks on doors, apparitions, strange unidentifiable smells and sounds, lights turning on and off in the middle of the night and TVs changing their own channels. In 1982, the hotel was undergoing renovation work including replacing the wallpaper in room 551. The following morning after putting up the wallpaper, all of it had been rolled neatly on the floor. The paper was re-applied, and again found on the floor the following day. After a few more attempts, some wallpaper samples were left on the bed overnight. Upon returning to finish the job the following morning, staff found all the samples on the floor, apart from one. The sample that was left on the bed was applied to the walls, and there were no more issues with the wallpaper after that. HOTEL JEROME (ASPEN) BACKGROUND:  It is a brick structure built in 1889 that is often described as one of the city's major landmarks, its "crown jewel". It was built by Jerome B. Wheeler, at the time co-owner of Macy's and a major investor in Aspen during its early boom years. It was opened with grand ambitions in the city's early boom years and survived as Aspen's only hotel during the city's long "quiet years" in the early 20th century, under the ownership of the Elisha family. With the development of skiing after World War II, it began to see a new potential realized only with major renovations at the end of the 20th century that made it the upscale hotel it is today. PHENOMENA: Room 310 is said to be haunted by a little boy staying there with his family that drowned in the hotel’s pool in 1936 and appears to guests as wet and shivering. “The Water Boy” will vanish suddenly, leaving a trail of wet footprints. Some of the staff will not work on the 3rd floor due to the continued incidents of paranormal activity. Other ghosts in residence at the hotel include Katie Kerrigan and Henry O’Callister. Katie was an attractive young woman who worked at the hotel as a maid. Other maids were envious of the attention she received from male guests and as a result treated her very badly and constantly humiliated her. One day she was falsely informed her pet kitten had fallen through the ice on a nearby pond and drowned. When she ran down to check, she fell through the ice and into the freezing pond. She was brought back to the hotel, but later died of pneumonia. She is said to appear in rooms turning down the sheets and generally performing her duties. Maids will arrive at work to find their chores have already been completed. Henry O’Callister made a fortune working in the mining industry and moved to Aspen where he fell in love with a Boston heiress named Clarissa Wellington. Her father forbade the marriage so when Clarissa returned home Henry was said to have died of a broken heart. Its reported he still roams the hallways of the hotel at night mourning his loss off Clarissa. TRIVIA: Celebrities vacationing in Aspen like Gary Cooper and John Wayne often stayed at the Jerome. Hunter S. Thompson used the J-Bar as his de facto office; later the hotel ballroom hosted his memorial service. Bill Murray partied there while portraying Thompson in a film HOTEL TEATRO (DENVER) BACKGROUND: In 1911, two architects retained by Evans – William E. and Arthur A. Fisher– set out to design an eight-story office tower for the Denver Tramway Company and adjacent three-story car barn. The Denver Tramway trolleys were in service in Downtown Denver from the 1880s until June 3, 1950. Too elegant and sturdy to be demolished, the Tramway offices were soon used by the University of Colorado at Denver. The Tramway Building’s official “reincarnation” kicked off in 1994, when the building was purchased by the Tramway Hotel, LLC. PHENOMENA: Construction crews working on the new hotel experienced a variety of phenomena including disembodied voices. The most common spirit is a mechanic seen walking the halls carrying his tools earning him the nickname ‘The Tool Man’. He’s thought to be a mechanic who worked on the rail cars in the basement when the Tramway was still in operation and died on the job. IMPERIAL HOTEL (CRIPPLE CREEK) BACKGROUND: This historic hotel was constructed in 1896 as the Collins Hotel and was renamed in 1914 as the Imperial. It was operated from 1946 until 1994 by Dorothy and Wayne Mackin, who founded the Cripple Creek Melodrama that was operated in the basement for four decades prior to the introduction of gaming. PHENOMENA:  Residents have reported hauntings in the Imperial Hotel for years, particularly feelings of a presence and the voice of a little girl that has been heard speaking to people in a 2nd floor residence. An officer of the Civil War era wearing a Confederate uniform has been seen many times in and around the coffee shop and one server who opens the shop in the morning by herself saw the ghost of a man leafing through the shop’s magazine and newspaper collection on three separate occasions. He disappeared into thin air as soon as he was spotted. MOLLY BROWN HOUSE (DENVER) BACKGROUND: Built in the 1880s and the home of American philanthropist, activist, and socialite Margaret Brown. Brown was known as "The Unsinkable Molly Brown" because she survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic. It was purchased by James Joseph Brown, Margaret's husband, in 1894 for $30,000 and the title was transferred to Margaret in 1898. For the remainder of her life, she relished any opportunity to entertain high society friends with embellished tales of how she rowed a lifeboat for 7.5 hours to safety. When Molly died in 1932, her home was split into 12 separate apartments and in 1958, the house was run as a gentleman’s boarding house before being leased to the city to serve as a home for wayward girls. Today the home is owned by Historic Denver, Inc., and public tours are run daily for a fee. PHENOMENA: It’s said that Molly and J.J.’s daughter Catherine Ellen who died at a young age haunts the home as blinds in her room go up and down of their own accord. There are rumored to be at least 6 other spirits in the building who come in and out of the atmosphere in visitation. MUSEUM OF COLORADO PRISONS (CANON CITY) BACKGROUND:  A former Women's Prison building which dates back to 1935. The building is adjacent to the east wall of the Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility, an active prison since 1871. The idea for a museum was conceived by a group of Fremont County residents who began the project in the early 1980s, with volunteers who sought obtain permission to use the former building. Artifacts of the Colorado Prison System from 1871 to the present day were collected and cataloged by volunteers. PHENOMENA: There are reports of orb sightings, disembodied voices and the lingering smell of tobacco in the old laundry room. Cell 19 is rumored to be haunted by a female prisoner who died there. There has also been the sound of coughing reported coming from an empty cell. It’s thought this activity may be traced back to the prison’s notorious past inmates that included a convicted cannibal and a 12-year-old jailed for murder. OXFORD HOTEL (DENVER) BACKGROUND: The Oxford Hotel was built in 1891. In February 1908, Bill Haywood and two other officers of the Western Federation of Miners were secretly held overnight in adjacent rooms in the Oxford, by the Denver police. Their stay at the Oxford was kept secret so their supporters could not try to block their extradition early the next morning by a special train to Idaho, to be tried for conspiracy in the assassination of a former governor of Idaho. In the 1950s, the Oxford Hotel was considered a flophouse. In the 1980s a new owner improved the hotel. The hotel restaurant was operated by McCormick's Fish House from when they signed a lease with the Oxford Hotel in 1987 until 2016. Today, Urban Farmer Steakhouse operates as The Oxford Hotel's restaurant partner. PHENOMENA: The two main ghosts that reside include a former postal worker who it’s said went missing in the winter during the 1930s and was found dead with all of his mail parcels the following spring. He visits the bar to drink beer and when finished, his glass appears to replenish itself. The other spirit, a woman, is often seen on the 3rd floor and her story has two variations; she either murdered her lover before taking her own life in room 320 or her enraged lover killed her after discovering an affair with another man. Single men staying there report someone pulling on their arm or tearing the sheets off the bed when they are asleep. Other guests claim the feeling of being watched, hearing the sound of breaking wood or the feeling someone is walking behind them. PIONEERS MUSEUM (COLORADO SPRINGS) BACKGROUND: The granite building with a domed clock tower was the El Paso County Courthouse building from 1903 to 1973. The museum, which moved to this location in 1979, has fine arts, artifacts and archival collections that document. PHENOMENA: Legend has it that the museum is haunted by a former manager who was shot and killed by an employee in the late 1950s over a dispute regarding the employee’s pay. Security guards patrolling the building after hours make it a point to stay away from his former apartment because of a sense of uneasiness there. RED CHIEF MOUNTAIN (MANITOU SPRINGS) BACKGROUND: Nestled at the base of Pikes Peak sits the tiny community of Manitou Springs in Southern Colorado. Once a mecca for spiritual renewals, early resident’s long deceased still refuse to leave. It's one of Manitou Springs' oldest ghost stories, and every year the town makes sure it lives on. The springs that bubble in the area contain curative minerals which drew people to Manitou Springs. The Native Americans, especially the Utes would come down Ute Pass now highway 24 to drink the waters which flowed out of the ground. PHENOMENA: A young woman named Emma Crawford had contracted tuberculosis and made the trip to the Springs in hopes of a cure, but was taken by the disease at the age of 19. Her final request was to be buried on the summit of nearby Red Mountain, so her fiancée and 11 other men carried her body to the summit and to her final resting place. Years of heavy rains and natural erosion caused her remains to wash down the side of the mountain and eventually into town. Due to the grotesque nature of her  disturbance, many say Emma haunts the mountain and some even claim to have seen her ghost claiming she is seen  behind the windows of the Crawford House where she and her family stayed during their visits and often hear her playing the piano. Trails have been established on the mountainside that lead to her grave and an unmarked grave in Manitou Cemetery now memorializes her. An annual coffin race down Manitou Avenue is held in her honor every October with participants riding or pushing every manner of bizarre casket or vehicle they can think of. RIVERDALE ROAD (THORNTON) BACKGROUND: Sometimes referred to as “the most haunted road in America”, this stretch of road outside of Denver is the source of many terrifying stories. Rusty metal gates belonging to a mansion where a man allegedly became possessed by the Devil, burned down the house and killed his family were once a prevalent feature there. The metal barriers became known as the “Gates of Hell” and although the structure is now gone, paranormal activity carries on. PHENOMENA: Urban legend alert >> The spirit of a woman in a white dress who may be the wife who died in this fire staring straight ahead on the path has been sighted. It’s thought she’s looking for her children or husband. She will appear in vehicle rear-view mirrors looking as if she’s seeking help. Some feeling for her have pulled over to help only to see her vanish as they open the door. It’s said the road was built on Native American burial grounds and for hundreds of years, there have been stories about Native American shape shifters roaming the land and at times on the road itself. Reports of headless animal carcasses, strange chanting, figures appearing and disappearing and bloody hand prints on road signs have been reported in the area. A jogger taking a run one day was struck and killed by a car and it’s said he haunts the road as people on foot hear a loud heartbeat or running footsteps. Slaves lived in the area as well and it’s said that on some nights when the moon is full you can see their bodies hanging from the Cottonwood trees. One driver in the 1970s was driving down the road at high speed, lost control and was killed. The legend is a phantom Camaro with one working headlight may pull up behind you and challenge you to race it. ST. CLOUD HOTEL (CANON CITY) BACKGROUND: The St. Cloud Hotel was originally built in Silver Cliff in 1883, but could not make a profit there. Owner J. P. DeWoody and his moving crew were set to dismantle the hotel and move it to Cañon City in February, 1886 until the Custer County Treasurer intervened. After dealing with some unpaid taxes, the move was completed later that spring. Using the pieces and parts from Silver Cliff, the hotel was rebuilt here, adding a mansard roof. The new hotel boasted an elevator, a bar, a billiard room, call buzzers in every room and hot and cold baths. By 1888, the hotel had electric lighting and an outside telephone connection. PHENOMENA: The spirit of a young girl is seen playing with a ball in the hallways. Much of the other activity centers around ghostly mischief. TVs and lights will turn off and on, chairs are stacked inside unoccupied rooms and objects sometimes go missing. The hotel closed in 2007 and fallen into disrepair but in 2015 a local foundation was trying to raise funds to revitalize the St. Cloud. ST. ELMO GHOST TOWN (ST. ELMO) BACKGROUND: Founded in 1880, St. Elmo lies in the heart of the Sawatch Range, 20 miles southwest of Buena Vista. Nearly 2,000 people settled in this town when mining for gold and silver started. The mining industry started to decline in the early 1920s, and in 1922 the railroad discontinued service. It was originally named Forest City but later changed to avoid confusion with towns of the same name. It was chosen by Griffith Evans, one of the founding fathers, who was reading a novel with the same title. The town was at its peak in the 1890s, when it included a telegraph office, general store, town hall, 5 hotels, saloons, dancing halls, a newspaper office, and a school house. St. Elmo is considered a ghost town, though it is still inhabited. PHENOMENA: A well-to-do family named Stark moved there in 1881 and attempted to keep the town alive. Mr. Stark worked as section boss for a mine and owned the general store and the Home Comfort Hotel. After the mining industry folded, the family began renting out cabins. One of the two Stark children - Annabelle - who passed in 1960, is said to protect her property and her ghost has been seen numerous times. Soon after her death, children playing in a room in the hotel claimed they felt they were not alone as the temperature dropped 20 degrees and all the doors slammed shut. They never played in any room in the hotel again. One time, a skier saw a woman in a white dress in the second story window of the hotel though no one was registered there at the time. The skier realized what the ghostly woman was staring at. People were snowmobiling which is illegal in town and when the skier informed them of this, the phantom woman nodded, turned away and vanished. STANLEY HOTEL (ESTES PARK) BACKGROUND: Opened on July 4, 1909 as a resort for the upper class and a health retreat for sufferers of tuberculosis. In 1903, the steam- powered car inventor Freelan Oscar Stanley was stricken with a life-threatening resurgence of it. The recommended treatment of the day was fresh, dry air with lots of sunlight and a hearty diet, so, like many "lungers" of his day, Stanley headed to the curative air of the Rocky Mountains. He and Flora arrived in Denver in March and in June relocated to Estes Park where his health improved dramatically. Impressed by the beauty of the valley and grateful for his recovery, he returned every year. By 1907, Stanley had recovered and resolved to turn Estes Park into a resort town. In 1907, construction began on the Hotel Stanley, a 48-room grand hotel catering to the moderately wealthy who composed his social circle back east as well as to consumptives seeking the healthful climate. He lived to the ripe age of 91, dying of a heart attack in Newton, Massachusetts, one year after his wife, in 1940. PHENOMENA: Guests and staff alike have experienced countless examples of paranormal activity that occur within the hotel. There are many spirits here, but the two most active are Stanley and his wife Flora. Even in death, Flora enjoys sitting in the ballroom playing her piano which was a gift from her husband in celebration of the hotel’s grand opening and still has a place of prominence in the ballroom. Some have witnessed the keys moving on their own while others have actually seen her sitting at the piano. Room 418 is a hot spot in the hotel and a mecca of paranormal activity. This is the room in which Stephen King stayed and he is just one of many guests who have seen and heard children playing in the dead of night either inside the room or just outside the door. In room 407 there is a spirit who loves flicking the lights on and off and there are reports of a face in the window seen by people outside looking up at the room. Throughout the hotel, there are reports of footsteps, disembodied voices, and other strange unexplained sounds, especially on the fourth floor. VICTOR LOWELL THOMAS MUSEUM (CRIPPLE CREEK) BACKGROUND: The Lowell Thomas Museum is located in nearby Victorand celebrates one of the country’s most revered broadcasters. Thomas made his mark in radio journalism in a career that spanned 50 years and took him throughout the world. The museum is housed in a historic, two-story building filled with artifacts, books, exhibits and photographs that depict life in Victor from its earliest days to the heyday of gold mining. PHENOMENA: A young boy named “Jake” wanders through the rooms and at times makes noises that unsettle staff and visitors. Upstairs in the museum area, the glasses of Lowell Thomas have been reported to move from their resting place in one display room to another. Contractors working in the basement and upstairs have reported a strange “presence” and in past years, several staff members have refused to venture to the upper level where the voice of a small girl has been heard. WINDSOR HOTEL (DEL NORTE) BACKGROUND: One of Colorado’s oldest hotels, the Windsor occupies nearly one half of a city block in the heart of Del Norte. Its construction started soon after the town was founded in 1871. The town of Del Norte was a booming mining and ranching center in the last quarter of the 1800’s and on the short list for the capital of Colorado when Denver got the final nod. The Windsor became the main social and commercial center of the area and remained a regional gathering spot for over a hundred years. PHENOMENA: Owner Steve Whitehead reported witnessing a rock fly out of a door he’d just opened while conducting a tour during renovations. No one was in the room at the time. A housekeeper claimed seeing clothes hangers moving of their own accord and a radio suddenly turning on and lights switching on and off in room 210 while she was working in there. A guest in room 204 reported hearing someone vacuuming in the hallway at 1 am. and as she opened her door to admonish the employee the noise stopped, only to begin five minutes later. Ground Zero of activity is room 209, where hotel guest Maud Heinz committed suicide in 1906. She’d arrived by train one morning, checked in under an alias, purchased a .38-caliber revolver and cartridges, returned to her room and shot herself. She left a note that revealed her true identity and the story that just before her death, a lover’s quarrel convinced her to end her life. In the century since then, guests report hearing or seeing Maud. They will awake in the middle of the night to see her looking down at them with one guest reporting he awoke to hearing her scream. RETURN TO PARANORMAL WORLD DATABASE