Haunted Inns
Updated: January 7, 2009
Many inns around the Midwest have stories of resident ghosts.
As shared by Jennifer Huls-Wayland of L & L Travel on "The Morning Show."
The Inn at 835 in Springfield IL was first developed by Bell Miller as luxury apartments - four of which were converted to seven guest rooms. Now, the stories indicate that the spirit of Bell Miller is still in residence. A warm friendly voice from out of nowhere. A single book book being placed in the middle of the room multiple times. Wallpaper perfectly repaired by itself. A figure in a doorway and an elevator that delivers you to random floors regardless of what button you push - making you wonder if there are unseen passengers.
The building is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Story Inn is located in Brown County, IN. It is one of the most documented haunted locations in Indiana. The inn is located in a small town formally known as Storyville. It is a romantic getaway without the normal everyday conveniences. There are no TVs, cable or telephones in the rooms.
Many stories include kitchen workers seeing apparitions and objects moving. The most famous room of the inn is called the "Blue Lady Room". Apparently when the blue light is turned on it summons the blue lady to appear. Starting in the mid 1900`s, guest books were left for guest to make comments on their visits.
Other Haunted Inns include the Karsten Inn, Kewaunee, WI. Storied ghosts include: sailor William Karsten, his grandson and one of his maids. And Lemp Mansion, St. Louis, MO. Storied ghost: a variety including the Lavender Lady.
Tips for booking your Haunted Stay
Avoid booking your stay during "spooky" dates, such as Halloween. The spirit world doesn`t seem to know the difference between October 31 and June 4. Choosing a more meaningful date may make it harder for you to secure a room, and more expensive for you to stay.
Do your homework! Research the story of the property and the entities that haunt it before you go.
Ghost-chasing is more fun if you know what you`re looking for. Find out where the ghosts hang out. There may be a special guest room that gets more activity than others. Or perhaps you should be in the green ballroom in the wee hours to catch a glimpse of the netherworld. Call the hotel staff ahead of your stay with special requests -- chances are they`ll help out if they can.
Know your options. Many guests check out of haunted hotels suddenly at 3:00 a.m. You won`t know how you`ll react to a sighting until it happens. Before you settle down for the night, have a backup plan. Know what alternate hotels are nearby and will accept a very, very late check-in.
When you stay in haunted hotels, take along a camera. It can be challenging to capture a ghost on film, because often what the camera sees is invisible to the naked eye. But it can be done. Here`s how.
20 OCT 04
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