Ghostly Inhabitants of Three Hotels

You could say The Magnolia Hotel in Seguin, Texas is like the Overlook Hotel in the Stephen King novel “The Shining” in reality It is located in Seguin, Texas and its history goes back to 1840 when a log cabin was built on this property by Texas Ranger James Campbell. The cabin became a hotel during the mid-1800s and early 1900s. Finally, the hotel was abandoned and to save it placed on the Most Endangered Historic Places list. The Magnolia Hotel was bought in March 2013.

While the hotel was undergoing renovations the couple who had bought it started experiencing things of the supernatural variety. There would be strange figures climbing out of mirrors, doors were being slammed when no one was around, and shadowy figures gazed from doorways. These were the restless spirits left behind from the hotel’s rather disturbing history.

After Texas Ranger Campbell had built the log cabin he was killed by Native Americans on a trip to San Antonio. Fast forward to three decades later, Wilhelm “William” Faust a notorious serial killer from Texas was heading for the nearby town of New Braunfels to murder his wife. Instead, he killed a 12-year-old girl named Emma who was sharing a room with his wife. He ran to the Magnolia Hotel hoping to escape being arrested and it is at the hotel where Emma’s spirit is still searching for her killer.

Twelve other ghosts have joined Emma at this spooky hotel. The hotel works on a first-come, first-served basis. It sort of gives me a feel that this might be kind of like checking into the Hotel California from where you can never leave. There are suites available for the brave hearted with 2 bedrooms, a full bath, and a non-cooking kitchen. The Magnolia Hotel offers guided ghost tours.

Hotel Weatherford

Ghostly Couple at the Hotel

Way back when the state of Arizona was just a territory and tumbleweeds rolled down its dusty streets there was danger everywhere and you had to beware of vigilantes. Into this territory came a man named John W. Weatherford. He rode into Flagstaff, Arizona with the dream of opening one of the finest hotels in the West. The Hotel Weatherford made its debut on New Year’s Day in 1900. The word soon spread and the hotel grew in popularity and can boast of such guests as former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, author of Old West novels Zane Grey, and lawman Wyatt Earp. Weatherford also wanted to bring culture to the people so he built the Majestic Opera House in 1911 but unfortunately, the opera house burnt down in 1915. Not to be stopped he built the Orpheum Theater and this, the same as the hotel still stands today.

Not only does The Hotel Weatherford have a long and rich history it has acquired some ghostly residents through the ages. One of the places where you can encounter a ghostly spirit is in the Zane Grey Ballroom. This lovely ballroom has stained glass windows and an antique Brunswick bar. Here people have seen the ghostly figure of a woman who floats through the room. At other times she appears to be going from one side of the room to the other. I personally wonder if perhaps she is dancing at a long-ago ball and hearing a melody that calls to her. Other things that have occurred in the ballroom are a swaying light over the pool table and the sounds of whispers and voices coming from a seemingly empty bar. I believe that these guests don’t think that the party is over.

Other ghostly residents include a bride and groom. Legend has it that they were honeymooning at the Weatherford Hotel and were murdered in Room 54 back in the 30s. One employee awoke in the night and saw the ghostly bride and groom standing at the foot of his bed. Unfortunately, this room has been turned into a storage closet but that hasn’t stopped the couple. Guests have said that they have seen the ghostly couple entering the closet. I suppose to them they are still on their honeymoon. They do say that people who meet violent death often return to the place where this occurred to them.

So if you ever travel out West do stop by the Hotel Weatherford which offers lovely old-fashioned rooms and has great lounges. It can be just delightful to visit the hotel on New Year’s Eve for at midnight they drop down a giant pinecone. This sounds so refreshing after all of the usual New Year’s happenings.

Hotel Monte Vista

The Hotel Monte Vista located along the old Route 66 in Flagstaff opened its doors for the first time on New Year’s Day in 1927. This hotel has the honor of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Hotel Monte Vista has greeted such famous guests as John Wayne, Bing Crosby, and Harry Truman.

It counts as one of the few American hotels that was built totally from public taxes. In 1924 a man named V. M. Slipher headed a local fundraising campaign in order to build this hotel. At that time tourism was flourishing in Flagstaff and a new hotel was badly needed. Slipher’s efforts resulted in a city-voted ordinance and as a result of this, a municipal bond was established to build the hotel. It became so popular that a phrase was coined “Meet me at the Monte V”. During its first year the hotel hosted Mary Costigan’s daily three-hour radio show broadcast in Room 105. She was the first American woman to be granted a license for radio broadcasting.

The Prohibition Era and Westerns

The Hotel Monte Vista continued through the Prohibition Era and ran a most profitable bootlegging operation. It was raided in 1931 and closed down for two years. Between the years 1935 and 1940 in the hotel lounge and the lobby guests could play on slot machines. Western movies gained popularity in the 1940s and 1950s and many of the Westerns were filmed nearby in Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. During the filming, the hotel became host to actors and actresses like Jane Russell, Gary Cooper, Spencer Tracy, John Wayne, and Bing Crosby.

The Hotel Monte Vista’s biggest claim to fame is that one scene from the classic movie “Casablanca” was filmed in one of their rooms. John Wayne was the first to have seen ghosts in the late 1950s. He described the ghost that was in his hotel room as being a friendly spirit. Now that Wayne is a spirit himself I wonder if he has returned to this hotel. Perhaps he and this friendly spirit have become great pals.

The Bank Robbery

Three men robbed a Flagstaff bank not far from the hotel and one of the robbers got shot during the escape attempt. The three men still felt that they had made a successful robbery and stopped at the Hotel Monte Vista lounge for a celebratory drink. Soon it was obvious that the wounded robber's injury was quite serious and before he could drink up he died there in the lounge. This dead bandit is now among the hotel’s ghostly guests. A manager has heard an eerie voice saying, “Hello” or “Good morning”. Others have said that they have experienced feeling a ghostly presence in the lounge while having a drink. This could be the spirit of the dead robber but the hotel has also experienced cowboys on horseback in the lobby and sudden drunken brawls so no one is sure who the ghost might really be.

Ghosts at play

Guests have reported strange phenomena like ghosts who make noise, love to move furniture about, make sudden unexpected appearances, ring the phone in the lobby, and knock things to the floor. Both the staff and guests have heard a band playing in the second-floor lobby but haven’t seen anything.

In the Zane Grey Room number 210 guests have been awakened in the night by a ghostly bellhop who comes knocking on the door announcing room service. Personally, if he really brought food I wouldn’t mind having a midnight snack. However, when the guests open up the door the hallway is empty.

Other guests have seen a lady wandering the hallways right outside of this room. These ghostly spirits seem to have some connection with this room. The hotel avoids giving this room to people with pets because dogs become so frightened they start tearing the room apart. I know that dogs and cats can see ghosts so it is no wonder the poor animals get scared.

 Ghost central

Apparently, the second floor is the place to stay if you would like to meet some ghosts. Down the hall in Room 220, lots of strange ghostly activity happens. The story is that in the early 1980s, an eccentric long-term guest was known to hang raw meat from the chandelier. When he died in this room his body wasn’t discovered for several days. Now when guests stay here they say they can hear coughing and other noises even though the room seems empty. A maintenance man tried to set things right in the room, then turned off the light and locked the door. When he returned some five minutes later the light was on in the room, the bed linens removed and the TV was blasting.

The Gary Cooper Room

In this room, guests have a feeling that someone is watching them. This room was the scene of a murder where two prostitutes were killed and then thrown out of the window. Now these ladies of the night have been seen in the lounge and the pool hall.

Room 305

Here you’ll find a lady ghost who likes to sit in a rocking chair. If the chair gets relocated the next day it will be back by the window again. I’m sure this lady might have interesting stories to tell and if she could articulate I wouldn’t mind listening if I was a guest at this hotel. Just might be a book in all those stories.

Conclusion

The Hotel Monte Vista has the honor of being the longest publicly held commercial hotel in the history of the U.S. It was sold to a private individual in the early 1960s. So if you’re traveling in the states, make a stop at this hotel on N. San Francisco Street in Flagstaff, Arizona, and have some fun with the playful ghosts here. You can see the reception area in the photo on top so ring that bell and check in.