the Hotel St. Nicholas, Cripple Creek

This inn was originally built in 1898, during the 1890's gold rush, in response to the town's need for a hospital. Opened and run by the Sisters of Mercy, the building functioned as a hospital until the 1970's.  Abandoned off and on after that, it was bought and reopened as a hotel in 1995. Since that time many people have reported seeing bottles move in the bar, small objects or cigarettes going missing and seeing apparitions. the tavern stockroom is in what was formerly the morgue and voices have been recorded in there. The mischievous ghost is thought to be a boy, possibly an orphan who lived there with the nuns, and the second spirit is a miner who has been seen and heard walking down the back stairways.  The hotel overlooks Cripple Creek with a panoramic view of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.  There are 15 guest rooms and the Boiler Room Tavern. Rooms are $80-130 and include a continental breakfast. No pets are allowed.  For more information call: 719-689-0856 or 888-786-4257.  The hotel is at 303 North Third St. in Cripple Creek CO.    Hotel St. Nicholas web site

Baldpate Inn,  Estes Park

Baldpate Inn is in Estes Park which is about 70 miles northwest of Denver.  A classic log cabin style lodge nestled in the mountains, it was originally built by a newlywed couple, Gordon and Ethel Mace in 1911.  In 1917 reconstruction to make it into an inn was complete.  Named after a fictional inn where regular visitors were given their own keys to the building, the Maces themselves would give each guest their own key.  This was stopped in WWI when the cost of metal rose steeply.  After that, their regular visitors started a custom of bringing a key with them to leave at the inn.  Thus started the famous “Key Room” with over 12,000 keys including ones from Westminster Abby, Mozart’s wine cellar, the Pentagon and even Frankenstein’s castle.  Several employees and guests have seen the ghosts of Gordon and Ethel Mace. Ethel is especially active in the Key Room and in her old bedroom.  Now run by the Smiths (who are only the second family to own and run the inn), the 12 room lodge is only open from Memorial Day to October 1.  Breakfast is including in the room fee and no smoking is allowed. 4900 South Highway 7, Estes Park, CO 80517  970.586.6151

http://www.baldpateinn.com

         

Josephina's Italian Restaurant, Denver

Josephina's Italian Restaurant in Denver has been open since 1974, though the building its in is 100 years old.  On its web page, the restaurant describes itself as "Located in the heart of downtown Denver, in historic Larimer Square, Josephine's offers a tantalizing array of regional Italian favorites. Josephina's also offers nightly live music featuring some of Denver's best local talent."    For many years the staff of Josephina's have suspected a ghostly cohabitant because of feelings of a presence, and odd unexplainable incidents.  A psychic was called in and offered the following description of the spirit. The ghost is a showgirl named Amelia who worked there in the 1920's when the site was a speakeasy. She fell in love with the business' owner, married him and had a daughter named Ginger. When Ginger started dating a boy who her father thought was no good, her father ordered a hit man to get rid of him. Tragically, the hit man killed the boy and also took Ginger's life. Amelia received word of her daughter's death in the back room, near where the ladies' room is now, and still haunts that area. Again , this is what a psychic told the owner and staff - the restaurant's web site cites no corroborating evidence such as old newspaper articles or records.  Josephina's is at 1433 Larimer St., Denver, CO 80202. Phone: 303-623-0166.

 http://www.josephinas.com 

Croke-Patterson-Campbell Mansion, Denver

This stately home was built in 1890 and represent the Chateau-esque style of architecture. The builder, Thomas Croke lived there for two years, then sold it too Thomas Patterson who was a U.S. Congressman and later a Senator as well as the publisher of the Rocky Mountain News. Patterson's daughter Margaret and her husband Richard Campbell also lived there until 1916. First reports of hauntings started in 1970 after some offices in the building were remodeled. Sounds of typing were reported. The owners bought two Dobermans for security but they were found dead after seemingly jumping through a third story window. It is assumed that something scared them enough to cause that. In the 1970's a baby born to the owners died in the third floor nursery. The mother committed suicide. After that the mansion became a museum. It is at 428-430 E. 11th Ave., Denver 

Stanley Hotel, Estes Park

This majestic Georgian style hotel in the Rockies was built by F.O. Stanley, who created the Stanley Steam Engine and owned the company Stanley Steamers, which made horseless carriages run by steam.  He moved out west due to ill health. After his health improved during his stay in Estes Park he started work on the Stanley Hotel, and it opened for business in 1909.  Mr. Stanley’s apparition has been seen by many, particularly in the lobby and the Billiard Room, which was his favorite room in life. During one tour group’s visit to the Billiard Room, he materialized behind a member of the tour. Mrs. Flora Stanley, his wife, also haunts the hotel, continuing to entertain guests with her piano playing.  Music is heard, and when people look into the room they can see the keys of the piano moving, but everything stops as soon as someone crosses the threshold to investigate further. 

 

Room 418 seems to be a center of activity. Cleaning crews have heard many strange noises from the empty room, and have seen imprints on the bed even when it has not been booked. Children are heard playing in the hallway at night. One couple checked out very early, saying the children in the hallway kept them up all night, but there were no children booked in the hotel at that time.  Stephen King wrote much of his book, The Shining, here and the mini series on TV made from the novel was filmed here. The film version directed by Kubrick, however, was not shot at the Stanley.  The Hotel is at 333 Wonderview, Estes Park, CO  800.976.1377   or  970.586.3371

         link to the Stanley Hotel