Page 36 - the NOISE October 2015

getting spooky, noraz style!
story by
mike williams
Fall is in the air. The leaves are changing colors and the chill in the morning reminds us in our very bones that summer has passed. Long associated by early Christians and Pagans as the time of year when the door between life and death is at its most open, even trees seem to mirror the sentiment. With October, of course, comes Halloween, a holiday where we can allow ourselves to look upon death with a sense of fun and humor, a point proven by simply Googling the creepiest costume idea possible with the word “sexy” in front of it ... In the spirit (see what we did there?) of the holiday, we’ve put together a list of some of the creepiest, bloodiest, and most regularly witnessed haunted spots in Northern Arizona. If you dare, visit them yourself, but remember there’s a good chance you could wind up a permanent resident, forever bumping in the night!
FlagstaFF
Monte Vista
The V has nine commonly-seen “eternal patrons,” and there have been too many stories about them to count. Ghosts have been sighted or heard in the bar, bathrooms, basement, in multiple rooms, the hallways, and pretty much everywhere else. This author even had a personal experience where a ghost walked into an adjacent bathroom stall, closed the door, and disappeared. Upon informing the bartender, he just said, “That happens at least once a week.”
MuseuM Club
This iconic Route 66 watering hole also served as a brothel and gambling hall during its early years. One former owner took his life in front of the fireplace by the entrance and the specter of a man in a black cowboy hat has been sighted repeatedly in the old bar. Then, there’s the lynching tree. You read that right ... They have a lynching tree. Estimates vary on exactly how many rustlers and miscreants met their end on its branches, but visible scorch-marks and buckshot holes from mobs’ desecration of corpses are still visible on the trunk and branches. The Museum Club has been featured on several ghost hunting shows and both employees and patrons see orbs, hear voices, and even are touched with terrifying regularity.
orpheuM theater
One of the oldest venues in the city, The Orpheum was built in 1911 and is a local hotbed for paranormal activity. Janitors have reported seeing shadows moving on the balcony long after the last patron has left and a playful ghost sometimes runs through the lobby during closing time. The men’s restroom seems to be a focal point for weird occurrences, with the toilets sometimes all flushing simultaneously after closing, sinks turning on at full force, and entire rolls of paper towels unraveling themselves.
northern arizona uniVersity
Room 200A in North Morton Hall is said to be haunted by the ghost of a 19-year-old girl named Kathy who reportedly hung herself in the closet in 1953. Her body went unfound for several days until maintenance staff entered the room. From there, it served as storage unit for years, but has since been reopened to students willing to brave the repeated occurrences of faucets turning on themselves, sounds of crying, walls turning pink (her favorite color), and the unexplained smell of her favorite flower, the rose. Rumor has it that a miscarried baby was found in the basement a month later, but any connection to Kathy and her untimely passing has yet to be verified.
Jerome
JeroMe hotel
Widely considered one of the most haunted places in Northern Arizona, it’s estimated some 9000 people died here during its days as a boomtown hospital. The ghost of the late maintenance worker, Claude Harvey, whose head was found suspiciously pinned under the antique elevator in the lobby, is said to still wander the halls at night. A phantom toddler is frequently seen and the wails of an otherworldly baby has been the source of many distressed phone calls to the front desk. Visitors are encouraged to document their experiences at check-out, a tradition which has filled three entire binders over the years. Hands down, one of the best bets for a sighting.
spirit rooM/Connor hotel
It’s burned down twice, witnessed the death and resurrection of the entire town, and formerly served as a brothel. At least two spirits reside on the main floor, right by what was known as “Husband’s Alley,” in rooms 1 and 5. Located directly above The Spirit Room, Room 1 houses
“The Lady In Red,” famously depicted on the bar’s downstairs mural, she’s been known to “frighten” (wink, wink) single men and whisper otherworldly missives in the middle of the night. Room 5 hosts hot and cold spots, as well as unexplainable electronic malfunctions. Alarm clocks go off whenever they please, the TV and lights will turn on for no reason, and palm pilots seem to take on a mind of their own!
prescott
VendoMe hotel
Built in 1917, this two-story hotel’s classic decor only adds to its eerie ambiance. Allegedly, it’s haunted by a heartbroken woman named Abbey and her cat who lived in Room 16 around the start of World War II. A séance in 1984 did little to quiet the apparitions, as visitors report several sightings a week in the form of moving objects, the sounds of phantom cat toys, and even apparitions appearing in the dead of night.
clarkdale
Clarkdale historiCal MuseuM
Once a ward for sick and dying workers of the town, it found new life as a police station and jail. Visitors report seeing shadowy figures lurking about and employees often hear strange sounds and noises in the basement, only to turn up nothing upon further inspection.
payson
the outskirts
Curiously, rumors surrounding Payson’s hauntings are generally more tied to the terrain surrounding it more than any of the buildings themselves. While the majority of the sightings listed here are fairly innocuous, the ghosts that stalk these hills are described by hikers as being horribly mutilated. Some are decapitated, burned, and with visible wounds, and also actively harass and act aggressively. No one is sure why, but perhaps this was host to an ancient battle or mass murder?
camp Verde
MontezuMa’s Castle
Considered one of the most impressive cave dwellings in the state, visitors and park employees alike swear feeling
photo by gean shanks
mysterious cold spots, even on hot days, and the distinct feeling of unexplainable presences inside the dwelling. The structure was built between 1100 and 1425 A.D. by the Sinagua people and undoubtedly saw its fair share of violence and death over the hundreds of years of settlement in the area.
Clear Creek ChurCh and CeMetery
Construction began on the church in 1898 and misty phantoms have been seen moving through the tombstones on dark nights. Buried in the cemetery are two young businessmen murdered during a botched 1899 robbery, as well as a teenage girl named Maggie Farrell who took her own life. Accounts of both her exact age and the circumstances of the wedding that preceded her passing are varied; however, it’s generally agreed that she met death at her own hand by ingesting either lye or strychnine. She was the first body interred in the cemetery in 1884.
winslow
la posada hotel
Once you’ve gotten the obligatory “standing on a corner” thing taken care of, head on over here. Guests frequently find possessions moved on their own accord and wake up in the middle of the night seeing human figures in their rooms. The ballroom has been morbidly nicknamed “The Suicide Room,” and it’s been said that energy of famed architect Mary Colter, who designed the hotel as well as the Desert View Watchtower in the Grand Canyon, can be felt in these very halls.
sedona
89a into oak Creek Canyon
Ghostly hitchhikers and road-bound specters have been sighted for years along the side of the twisting highway into Sedona. Some speculate they could be victims of any number of the fatal car crashes that have occurred over its long history. The most common ones involve pulling over to pick someone up, only to reverse and find not a soul present.
energy Vortexes
While not ghost-related, the handful of energy vortexes that exist in Sedona are a supernatural spectacle to behold. The most famous include Bell Rock and Airport Mesa, both of which are allegedly charged with electricity thanks to their high iron content. While the official verdict is still out on the validity of the claims, many report seeing the rocks glow blue in the moonlight and having their hair stand on end. Juniper trees seem to be most affected by the magnetism of the vortexes as well, illustrated by strange twists on limbs and trunks.
Miller house
Allegedly haunted by an ancient Native American protector-spirit that was disturbed when the house was built atop the former site of a ceremonial kiva, the Miller House is Sedona’s most well-known haunted house. Numerous cleansing rituals and blessings have done little to calm the spirit, as its famous owner and renowned actor Ann Miller would attest to until her passing in 2004.
| Mike Williams swears he only had, like, two beers when the ghost appeared. Five tops ...
mike@thenoise.us
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