29 October Haunted Places: The Stanley Hotel October 29, 2018 By NPI Marketing Team Holiday, Just for Fun entertaining, fall, Haunted Places Series, real estate 0 HAUNTED PLACES: THE STANLEY HOTEL October 29, 2018 | Holiday, Just for Fun | Haunted Places Series, entertaining, Fall, real estate Location: Estes Park, Colorado Architectural Style: Colonial Revival Built: 1908-1909 One of the most haunted places in America, the Stanley Hotel’s past is filled with interesting characters, remarkable coincidences and most importantly, all kinds of spooks. Read on as we delve into the fascinating history of this haunted hotel. Beginnings Nestled in the Rocky Mountains 1.5 hours northwest of Denver, Colorado, The Stanley Hotel was built near the turn of the last century by Freelan Oscar Stanley, inventor of the Stanley steam-powered automobile. In 1903, Stanley moved to Denver from Massachusetts on the advice of his physician, to combat the effects of tuberculosis. In love with the clean mountain air of nearby Estes Park but put off by the overly rustic surroundings, Stanley decided to create a resort that combined the health benefits of mountain living with the modern amenities he was used to in the Northeast. Haunted Rooms From the beginning, odd events were frequent at the hotel. As the years wore on, ghostly sightings became common throughout the eleven buildings of the hotel complex. Room 217: In 1911, the hotel’s head housekeeper was injured in an explosion as she lit lanterns in room 217. While she survived and went on to live a full life, her spirit seems tied to the room she almost died in—guests in the room to this day report their items moved, luggage unpacked and lights turning on and off with no reasonable explanation. The Concert Hall: Flora Stanley, Freelan’s wife, haunts the concert hall just east of the main hotel. In life she was an accomplished pianist, and today you might hear a few lonely notes echo through the hall as she practices. The Grand Staircase: Guests taking photos of the hotel’s main staircase have captured images of spirits ascending, and you can occasionally catch a glimpse of ghosts in the many mirrors that line the walls. Room 408: The ghost of a young boy haunts this guest room, where visitors often hear tiny footsteps running back and forth across the room. The Shining Many people know about the Stanley Hotel by way of Stephen King’s landmark horror novel, The Shining. Stephen King spent the night at the Stanley on October 30, 1974, where he slept in the infamous room 217 and had a nightmare of his three-year-old son being chased through the hotel’s corridors by an unknown force. This nightmare image became the seed of The Shining and its famous Overlook Hotel. Staying at the Stanley The Stanley Hotel is still in operation today, and you can even stay in the hotel’s most haunted rooms—just be prepared for a long wait. Rooms with the most ghost activity are booked out months in advance, so it pays to plan ahead. Comments are closed.