1926 Railroad Station
1 E Route 66
The Brakeman
Visitor Center workers have reported feeling
like they were being watched as they climbed
the stairs to the upper floor of the station.
Others have described the stairs as having an eerie or cold
feeling to them. Strange things often happen here but are normally
glossed over by the staff, such as locked doors that have
often been found unlocked when the janitorial staff comes in
the night. A member of the staff here after hours reported seeing
and hearing people in the locked and secure building, only
to find no one was around when he went to check.
Prior to 1926, when the station was built, the railroad tracks
would have run right through the middle of the building.
On these original tracks, in an unfortunate but very common
accident, a brakeman was killed—crushed between the couplings
of two boxcars. Is it possible that this brakeman is still
here at the spot where his life was cut short?
Flagstaff Public Library
300 W Aspen Avenue
Emerson the Ghost
Built in 1982, the Flagstaff Public Library
is a new building in the downtown area.
The library, however, is built on the site of
the old Emerson School, a formidably built 2-story building
with a deep cellar beneath. The school stood in Flagstaff from
1896 until it was condemned in 1980, and was torn down to
make way for the library building.
The story goes that a custodian at the school killed his family,
then went to the school and committed suicide there. Many
have claimed to see his shadowy figure climbing a long-lost
stairway to the upper floor of a building that is no longer
there, only to disappear when he reaches the top. Doors open
and close on their own, and strange noises are often reported
throughout the building. Librarians have often accused night
janitors of moving books, papers, and other supplies during
the night—charges the janitors vehemently deny.
Milligan House—Flagstaff CVB
323 W Aspen Ave
Noises and Feelings
This building was the home of JC Milligan,
former Flagstaff Justice of the Peace
and owner of a local brickyard. Later the house served as
apartments, and now serves as the office of the Flagstaff
Convention and Visitors Bureau. Past employees and
tenants of the house report they often felt an unsettling
presence late at night. The presence seemed to originate in
an upstairs office. One former CVB employee speculates
that this was the bedroom of Mabel Milligan, who died
unexpectedly in 1923 and may continue to habituate her
home. Footsteps are heard at night on the stairs and across
the wooden floors, although the doors are locked and no
one could be in the building. Often these noises are accompanied
by freezing cold, and the unmistakable feeling
of being watched. The spirit does not seem to be hostile or
angry, but is just there.
Coffee Maker Pranks
The spirit apparently is particular about the kitchen. One
previous employee reports that no fewer than three separate
coffee makers in the kitchen area refused to work properly,
boiling over and spilling coffee grounds all over. Thinking
that maybe the cause was faulty equipment, staff replaced
the coffee makers with more expensive brands, only to have
the same problems. Finally the coffee maker was placed in a
different spot and the problem stopped.
A Helpful Spirit
Not only is the ghost of Milligan House benign, she can
often be helpful. An employee tells of a time that she was
to be at the Visitor Center for an evening event. She was
in the back office doing some last minute work on the
computer, and lost track of the time. She began to feel the
cold feeling, and to hear movement in the hallway. She
went to investigate, and found no one there. Upon returning
to her office, found a picture of the Visitor Center on
her keyboard—a reminder that she had an appointment,
and needed to get moving.
Doris Harper-White Playhouse11 W Cherry Avenue
Three Old Ghosts
This site, once a private home, a boarding
house, then the site of the Flagstaff Public Library, became the home of the Flagstaff
Theatrikos Theatre Company in the early 1990s. Reports
of strange happenings began shortly after the public library
moved into the building. Librarians refused to go into certain
areas of the basement after dark, reporting that there was a
very malevolent feeling there. The library would often have
cold areas, and many times odd things would happen with
the lights and with the thermostat.
Theatrikos staff and performers have reported seeing three
separate entities in the building. Two have come to be not
only accepted, but revered by the staff, but the third they
would just as soon be rid of.
The Kindly Looking Old Lady
This apparition has often been seen in the
auditorium during rehearsals, only to vanish
upon second glance. She never says or does
anything; she just sits and enjoys the show.
The Old Man in
the Basement
The second reported apparition is an older
man who simply stays in the basement area,
minding his own business. He wanders
about, oblivious to all around him, until he
disappears as quietly as he appeared.
The Angry Young Man
While the other spirits are quiet and benign, the last of the
apparitions most definitely is not. The ghost of a very angry
young man stays near the north stairway to the basement. He
has a history of violent behavior, and has scared the wits out
of many of the staff. It is very possible this is the spirit of a
man who, in the late 1970s, hung himself from the loading
dock at the top of the stairway—this apparition was never
reported until after this event took place.
Orpheum Theater
15 W Aspen Avenue
The Balcony Specter
The Balcony Specter is a shadowy figure
that stays on the old balcony. A janitor who
was cleaning late at night when the theater
was closed reported that he watched as a
dark figure moved back and forth through
the aisles of the balcony. Knowing that no one else should be
in the building he went to investigate, only to find that he
truly was alone in the building—there was no one there that
he could find.
Downstairs Phenomena
Employees tell of a time at the concession stand, while the
last show was playing for the evening, they watched in amazement
as a roll of paper towels hanging on the wall started to
unravel onto the floor. One of them stopped it, but when he
let go it began to unroll of its own volition. The men’s room
has had phenomena reported as well. Employees and patrons
alike have said that as they would walk into the room they
could sense that something was there. Others would report
feeling strange, electric vibrations in the room. One evening
after closing, several employees reported that suddenly the
toilets began flushing and the sinks started running full blast.
While nobody is sure who or what might be causing the
disturbances here, there are rumors. Near the projection
room at the very top of the balcony, there is a crawlspace with
a ladder that leads to the roof near the marquee. The story is
that a man committed suicide there, but there is absolutely
no evidence to support this.
Weatherford Hotel
23 N Leroux Street
The Zane Grey Ballroom
Complete with its stained glass windows
and antique Brunswick bar from Tombstone,
The Zane Grey Ballroom is said
to be the site where at least one of the
Weatherford’s ghosts appears most often.
In this beautiful ballroom, the ghostly woman has often been
spied floating across the room. On other occasions,
The Newlyweds
A bride and groom reportedly haunt Room
54. According to the legend, the honeymooning
couple was murdered in this room
in the 1930s. Most people report eerie feelings
or glances of figures. On one occasion
an employee staying in the hotel awoke in
the middle of the night to find the bride
and groom sitting on the foot of the bed. Today the room has
been turned into a storage closet, but that hasn’t stopped the
ghostly pair, as guests have often reported seeing the couple
entering and leaving the room.
Staff often report hearing their names being called out by an
unseen spirit while on the fourth floor as well as feeling a presence
standing behind them. On the ground floor, the light
over the pool table seemingly sways of its own accord, and
the sounds of whispers and voices come from the empty bar.
Employees also have been reported to refuse to step on a spot
of bare earth in the basement, and say that they get cold eerie
feelings from that spot.
Monte Vista Hotel
100 N San Francisco Street
Strange Happenings
To this day any spirits you may encounter
here seem to be more playful than
otherwise, causing all sorts of strange
happenings. Spirits will make noises, move
furniture around, make sudden appearances,
ring the lobby telephone, and knock things over. An entire
hallway has its lights unscrewed and/or completely removed
on a regular basis. In the cocktail lounge a phantom couple in
formal dress is often witnessed dancing and laughing. There
is often the very disturbing sound of a baby crying in the
basement—this occurrence has spooked many of the staff to
the point that they refuse to go there. Often visitors and staff
have seen the ghost of a small boy wandering the halls, looking
as if he is speaking to his mother—some people say they
have actually had physical contact with this apparition!
The Phantom Bellboy
In Room 210 guests will report hearing
a knock on their door and a voice calling
that room service has arrived. When the
guests open the door, they find nobody is
there, and nobody is in sight. This ghost
was first reported by John Wayne. Others
have reported seeing the wispy apparition
of a young woman wandering through the halls near this
room. The hotel avoids putting guests with pets in this room
because dogs tend to go crazy and tear up the room.
The Ladies of the Night
Reportedly there were two prostitutes from Flagstaff’s old red
light district who were murdered in room 306 in the 1940s.
For some reason the men who had hired the ladies grew
angry with the women, and threw them out of the window
to their abrupt and violent deaths. Now many guests report
a disturbing feeling that they are being watched while in that
room. They will wake up in the night, and that feeling will be
so strong that they cannot get back to sleep. Male guests have
reported feeling like they are being smothered—as if someone
has put a hand over their mouth and throat. These two ladies
have also been seen in the pool hall and in the lounge.
The Old Woman
In room 305 is the ghost of an old woman
who used to sit in a rocking chair by the window
for hours, just watching the town below.
This is reportedly the most active room in
the hotel. People have reported seeing the old
woman sitting in the chair, but many also
have reported seeing the chair rock by itself.
Cleaning staff report that if they move the chair to another spot,
it always manages to move itself back to the window.
The Bank Robbers
The cocktail lounge is also the site of eerie phenomena. Members
of the staff report that they are often greeted by a voice that says
“hello” or “good morning” when they open the bar each day. Bar
stools and drinks will sometimes move by themselves, and some
guests have said they feel an unsettling presence while having a
drink in the lounge. Many staff members think they know who is
responsible. In the 1970s three men robbed a bank near the hotel.
The men laid low in the Monte Vista Lounge, casually drinking
and hoping to be left unnoticed. One of the robbers was shot during
their getaway, and his injury was apparently more serious than
they thought. The man died in the lounge before he could finish
his first drink. Today, many staff and guests feel that this dead robber
is one of the spirits still haunting this historic old building.
