The Haunted History of Cripple Creek, Colorado

Haunted Hotels of Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek is full of ghost stories and hauntings. Want to stay in a haunted hotel in town, there are a few to choose from. Below are some of the most haunted hotels in Cripple Creek you can book on your visit to this haunted former mining town.

The Hotel St. Nicholas

Check-in at the Hotel St. Nicholas. Originally built as a hospital in 1898 for the prospectors and their families, it expanded and also catered to people who were mentally ill. It was closed when the population started dwindling.

Room 11 is considered a hotspot for paranormal occurrences, and investigators often book the room in the hopes of witnessing sightings. Two ladies who have checked in the room had more than their fill of fright. They decided to leave the TV when they slept because they were not comfortable being in a pitch-black room.

One of the women felt something sit on the bed near her legs, although she could not see anyone. In the morning, her friend told her that she saw the figure of someone sitting near the bed, exactly where she had felt the presence. [Book a Room]

The Palace Hotel

The closed Palace Hotel & Casino was originally a wooden structure, that was built to be the town’s drug store in the early 1800s. It was later expanded to become a hotel as the gold rush swept through town. Tragedy hit in 1896 when a huge fire destroyed the building, and it was later rebuilt from brick that same year.

In the Palace Hotel, a woman with a nightgown has been frequently seen walking around and carrying a nightgown.

The ghost of the former owner Mrs. Kitty Chambers is known to frequent the hotel, supervising the business that she loved so dearly during her life. She died in room 3 in 1908.

The Imperial Hotel

The currently closed Imperial Hotel is another haunted hotel that was opened in 1896.

It was run by a man named George Long, who was married to his first cousin. They had a daughter named Alice, who was mentally disabled, and she was kept locked in an apartment next to the lobby.

This room is now the hotel’s Red Rooster Bar. It is believed that Alice, using an iron skillet, hither father on the head. George fell to his death in the basement. He can be seen and felt in the hotel today. He would play the slot machines at night, and the security guards have reported hearing him.

Maggie is the resident specter of the Colorado Grande, and she has been sighted numerous times. She looks like a 25-year-old girl, and she wears Victorian clothing. She can sometimes be heard singing, and her rise perfume also permeates the air.

Plans are afoot to renovate this historic building, though its use is not yet clear.

Hospitality House

Hospitality House was originally a hospital known as Teller County Hospital, built in 1901. It was Cripple Creek’s second hospital, after Hotel St. Nicholas.

It was the largest and grandest hospital in the area, boasting several wards, a modern operating room, and a grand staircase. It survived many booms and busts through to the late 1950s and finally closed its doors in 1960 after it had been used for several years as a retirement home.

The current management are well aware of the hauntings of this historic building, but they are adamant there is only good energy here. Whether that’s the case or not, is up to you to decide.

Past guests have sleepless nights from unexplained sounds, and movement in their rooms. They have claimed the “energy” is most certainly not as the management state. Some state, it’s one of the most active spots in Cripple Creek.

Cripple Creek was perceived to be unimportant back in the days, and it was actually considered nothing more than cattle pasture. However, in October 1890, a man named Robert miller Womack discovered a rich ore, and that was when the Colorado gold rush began. Prospectors started flocking to the region, and not long after, one of the largest gold strikes in history occurred.

By the 1900s, Cripple Creek, along with Victor, became an important mining community. During Cripple Creek’s heyday, many miners joined a union, and a significant strike took place in 1894. It was one of the rare times when the governor called out the national guard to protect the miners from violence against unions.

By the year 2005, the Cripple Creek district has produced more than 20 million troy ounces of gold. Today only small operations remain and most of the underground mines are idle. The current mining operation is now conducted by Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mining Company. The mine operates all throughout the year and workers have a rotating night/day shift. There are now less than 500 employees.