White Horse Tavern, Rhode Island

The White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island was established in 1673 and holds the oldest tavern license in the country.

The White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island is the oldest tavern still in operation in America. Not only does it hold this distinction, but it is also listed on the National Historic Register of Historic Places, and it should come as no surprise that it is said to be called home to a couple of resident ghosts.

Located on the corner of Farewell and Marlborough Streets, the first building on this site was constructed in 1652 by Francis Brinley as a residence for his family. For the next 20 years, he lived in the two-story, two-room residence.

In 1673, William Mayes Sr. saw the commercial possibilities of the building and purchased it. After enlarging the structure, he turned it into a tavern and inn. Mayes officially obtained a tavern license in 1687. His son, William Mayes, Jr., a notorious pirate that operated in the Red Sea, also helped run the tavern at times. After his criminal adventures, he would return to Newport with his bounty, where he was openly welcomed and protected by the townspeople. William Jr. inherited the tavern in 1702. However, the British authorities were not so forgiving and shortly afterward, the tavern was operated by William, Jr.’s sister, Mary Mayes Nichols, and her husband, Robert. For the next 200 years, with one brief interruption, the Tavern remained in the Nichols family.

In the 1720s, an overnight guest of the inn died in his sleep. Dying of unknown causes, authorities feared a communicable disease and sent Mary Nichols and an Indian girl who worked at the inn to Coaster’s Harbor Island in Narragansett Bay, which was used as a quarantine island at the time. While there both women were infected with smallpox. Mary survived to later return home, but the Indian girl died of the disease.

In 1730, Jonathan Nichols became tavern keeper and gave the White Horse Tavern its name.

Newport, Rhode Island in 1730

During these early years, the tavern served as a center of local affairs throughout the early years of Newport. The Town Council met here, as did the colony’s General Assembly while Richard Munday’s Colony House was under construction in 1739. At other times the building was also used for large meetings and by the Criminal Court.

During the American Revolution, British warships arrived in Newport’s harbor in December 1776. For the next three years, British soldiers occupied the city. Many of the towns’ residents, including Walter Nichols, who then owned the tavern, fled the city during this time. While Nichols was gone, the tavern was occupied by British troops. When they finally left in 1779, Nichols returned and reopened the tavern. He also added the gambrel roof and enlarged the structure to its present dimensions.

In 1895, the Nichols family sold the property to Thomas and Bridget Preece, who turned it into a boarding house. By 1954, the old tavern showed years of use and neglect and through the generosity of the Van Buren family, the property was acquired by the Preservation Society of Newport County. For the next three years, the building was carefully restored and again opened up as The White Horse Tavern.

White Horse Tavern Interior, 1970s

In 1972, the Tavern was recognized as a National Historic Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1981, The White Horse Tavern again became privately owned, when O.L. Pitts of Fort Worth, Texas and three partners purchased the Tavern, as sponsors of America’s Cup. Later it was purchased by Paul Hogan, a Newport native, and in 2014, it was sold to a Newport-based group.

Today, the 350+-year-old building remains a popular drinking and dining location that is known as one of Newport’s finest restaurants.

The two-and-one-half story clapboarded building is also of great architectural significance, as its original section is one of the earliest structures preserved in the state. Much of the 17th-century character of the interior is still intact and is well maintained.

However, along with its long history, beautiful structure, and upscale ambiance, some say that the old building is called home to several spiritual residents.

One of these is said to be the man who died at the inn in the 1720s. He has been seen by staff and guests dressed in common, shabby Colonial attire, most often in the main dining room by one of the fireplaces. He has also been spied in the upstairs men’s bathroom.

Another unseen entity has been known to tap staff on their shoulders and is said to act as a guardian of the building. A little girl has been heard crying near the restrooms on the second floor when no one is there. The entity of a female has been seen floating above the dining tables and was even captured in a photograph. Heavy footsteps are sometimes heard in unoccupied rooms.

More Information:

White Horse Inn
26 Marlborough St
Newport, RI 02840
401-849-3600

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Haunted Bullock Hotel in Deadwood,South Dakota

The Bullock Hotel, Deadwood, South Dakota

1876 saw the arrival of Seth Bullock and Sol Star to Deadwood, South Dakota. Moving their hardware store from Helena, Montana, they came in a an ox-drawn wagon piled high with mining equipment, dutch ovens, frying pans, and chamber pots. On the very night they arrived in the camp, Bullock began to auction equipment and supplies to the highest bidder.

That was the beginning of their successful hardware store business. Soon they bought a lot on the corner of Main and Wall Street (the current site of the Bullock Hotel) and within a year the partners built a new store and warehouse.

Bullock had been sheriff in Lewis and Clark County, Montana before his arrival in Deadwood. After the death of Wild Bill Hickok in August 1876 the camp began to demand law and order, which resulted in Bullock’s appointment as the first Sheriff of Deadwood a few months later.

Tall, with steely gray eyes, Bullock had an imposing appearance that commanded instant respect. His grandson would say of him later, “He could outstare a mad cobra or a rogue elephant.”

Bullock was undaunted by Deadwood’s lawless and dangerous nature and wasted no time appointing several fearless deputies to help him “clean up” the town. Before long, order had been established in the former hell-raising camp.

Seth Bullock

In the meantime, the hardware store continued to thrive. The rear east side of the building was utilized as a warehouse and the front part of the building as a hardware store. In 1879 the building survived Deadwood’s devastating fire and the hardware store continued to prosper. However, in 1894 the building was again struck by fire, this time entirely destroying the hardware store and leaving only the brick warehouse standing at the rear of the building.

Changing tactics, Bullock, along with his partner, Sol Star, then decided to build Deadwood’s finest hotel over the original store and warehouse. Hauling in native pink and white sandstone from Andrew’s Quarry in Boulder Canyon, the work of building the Italianate style hotel began. When it was complete it boasted a restaurant that could seat 100 people and offered such delicacies as pheasant and lobster. The large lobby featured red velvet carpeting, brass chandeliers, oak trim, and a Steinway grand piano. Upstairs, the 63 rooms were furnished with oak dressers and brass beds, each floor had a bathroom, and a library and parlor were located off the balcony. In no time at all, the hotel was the most sought after luxury hotel of its time. In 1900 a small building that adjoined the hotel on the South was obtained by Bullock which served as the Gentlemen’s Bar.

Seth Bullock died of cancer on September 23, 1919, at his ranch near Belle Fourche, South Dakota. He was buried on the high trail to White Rocks above Mount Moriah Cemetery. The gravesite, facing toward Mount Roosevelt across the gulch, was selected for its view of Friendship Tower, a view since obscured by a half-century growth of ponderosa pines.

However, according to dozens of reports, Seth Bullock continues to play host at his beloved hotel. All manner of strange occurrences has happened at the historic hotel according to both staff and guests. Reports include feelings of a strong paranormal presence inside several of the rooms and in the hallways of the second and third floors, as well as in Bully’s restaurant, and in Seth’s Cellar.

The side of the Bullock Hotel still shows the advertising used by the Star & Bullock Store

Others have reported actually seeing the tall ghostly figure of Bullock in various areas of the hotel, including the restaurant and the basement. Apparently Seth’s ghost wants to ensure that the staff is working hard, as paranormal events tend to increase when staff members stand idle, whistle or hum a tune. Plates and glasses have been known to shake and take flight in the restaurant, lights and appliances turn on and off by themselves, items are inexplicably moved by unseen hands, and showers turn on, seemingly, of their own accord.

Many guests have reported hearing their name called out by a male voice when no one is present, or have been tapped on the shoulder by unseen hands. Others have heard whistling and many report the sounds of footsteps in the hallways when no one is there.

In both the second and third floor rooms, guests have reported a number of strange occurrences including photographs that produce strange anomalies, alarm clocks that go off, even when they are unplugged, televisions that seemingly operate with unseen hands, cloudy figures seen in rooms and hallways, and even an antique clock, that hasn’t functioned in years, that chimes of its own accord.

The Bullock Hotel has been the subject of the once-popular TV show Unsolved Mysteries.

Over the years the historic Bullock Hotel has undergone several renovations to upgrade the hotel with modern amenities; however, it loyally maintains its historic appearance and grandeur.

A cowboy figure in silhouette has often been spied in Seth’s Cellar

Today the hotel is the most photographed building in Deadwood and still provides the most luxurious historical accommodations in the area. The Historic Bullock Hotel & Casino offers historic deluxe accommodations, 24-hour gaming action, the Gentlemen’s Bar, fine dining at Bully’s Restaurant, and Seth’s Cellar for weddings, meetings, banquets and more.

The Bullock Hotel also offers a ghost tour for those that want to hear more of the story and see the places where paranormal activity has occurred.

Contact Information:

Bullock Hotel
633 Main St
Deadwood, South Dakota 57732

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History & Haunting of Fort Douglas, Utah

One of the oldest US Army posts in Utah, Fort Douglas was established in 1862 on a rise overlooking Salt Lake City. Colonel Patrick E. Connor and his California–Nevada Volunteers were ordered by the military to build the fort with two primary objectives — guarding the overland mail and keeping an eye on the Mormons and any secessionist activities. Other tasks included protecting the area from Indians, guarding the transportation routes crossing Utah, and aiding road survey parties.

Commanding the Military District of Utah, Colonel Connor supervised Army operations in Utah, Nevada, and part of Wyoming. He and his troops first arrived in October, 1862, living in hastily made dugouts covered by tents. The post was first called Camp Douglas, in honor of the recently deceased Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas.

One of the few instances in which the troops saw action in the Indian campaigns was Colonel Connor’s 300-man campaign in the fall and winter of 1862-63 against marauding Shoshoni, Snake, and Bannock in northern Utah. In January, 1863 he dealt a severe defeat to the Shoshoni Chief Bear Hunter in the Battle of Bear River.

When the Civil War ended, Regulars replaced the Volunteers and soon talk of Mormon succession ended. The fort became a major supply center for the busy cavalry during the 1870s, and 1874 to 1876, the fort was almost completely rebuilt of stone. In 1878, Camp Douglas became Fort Douglas.

During the Spanish American War and World War I, the fort was used as a training base, and in both World Wars it served as a POW camp for enemy soldiers. After World War II, the Army began to slowly divest much of its acreage to the adjacent University of Utah. However, it continued to serve reserve forces for several decades.

On October 26, 1991, Fort Douglas officially closed, though the Utah National Guard maintained control of the Military Museum and the southern portion of the fort, including the historic buildings on Soldiers Circle, which continues to be used as the headquarters of the 96th Army Reserve Command and as a base of operation for U.S. Navy and Marine Reserves.

Today the fort is designated as a National Historic Landmark, includes a museum inside one of the old stone barracks, the still active 1863 cemetery, and numerous buildings. Grouped around the parade ground, stone buildings dating to 1875 include the old headquarters building, post office, stables, chapel, barracks, and officer’s quarters. The post cemetery includes the bodies of soldiers killed in the Battle of Bear River.

Though Fort Douglas’ rich history should be enough to entertain any visitor, some may be looking for another entirely different experience – the paranormal. Yes, Fort Douglas, like many forts across the American West, is said to be haunted.

The Fort Douglas Military Museum, housed in an 1875 building that was once called home to some 50 infantry soldiers, has served a variety of functions over the years, including being utilized for office space, a fire station, a mess hall, a post office, and supply storage. A century after it was built; however, it became a military museum in 1975.

The fort’s most famous resident ghost is the spirit of a Civil War era soldier who is fondly called “Clem.” Most often sighted at the museum, the ghost was given his name by a local Boy Scout Troop who, after spending a night in the museum, decided “Clem” was a scary name for the ghost. In any event, numerous reports have been told over the years of this dead soldier’s activities.

Fort Douglas Military Museum,

Numerous reports from staff and guests alike tell of Clem’s activities. Several people have seen the full-body apparition of the old soldier appearing in various places before quickly disappearing. Others have reported that they have felt spirit breathing on their necks. Yet more tales report the sounds of footsteps on the stairs when no one is there, other unexplained noises, and objects that inexplicably seem to move by themselves.

Some who have seen the spirit describe him a stocky man with dark hair and a beard, dressed in a Civil War Federal uniform. Some speculate that he may be the spirit of one of the many men who committed suicide at the fort. Clem has also allegedly been spied in the Mariott Library of the University of Utah.

Every year, during October, the museum hosts an event in Clem’s honor, telling the stories of this lively apparition, who has been investigated by paranormal groups on a number of occasions.

Though Clem is the most famous ghost of the fort, there are other reports of strange happenings on the grounds.

At Carlson Hall, which houses the history department and the ethnic studies program, a young woman who allegedly committed suicide in the 1930s, has been seen walking around the building all dressed in white. She is also blamed for the service elevator’s frequent malfunctions.

At the Humanities House on Officer’s Circle, a young girl is said to roam the building and others have reported seeing a floating face.

Fort Douglas Cemetery

In Chapel Glen, there have been a number of reports of a ghostly woman dressed in purple who has been spied in a gulley.

And of course, the cemetery is said to have its share of ghosts as well. The still-active military cemetery houses not only regular soldiers of the fort, but also those who were killed in the Battle of Bear River and German, Italian and Japanese prisoners of war. Here, visitors have reported hearing the footsteps of someone or something that isn’t there.

The fort is located on the University of Utah campus at the northeastern edge of Salt Lake City.

More Information:

Fort Douglas Military Museum
32 Potter Street
Fort Douglas, Utah 84113

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The White Lady of Spring Canyon, Utah

Due west of Helper, in Carbon County, Utah is Spring Canyon, a one-time coal-mining mecca now filled with ghost towns. Here, along this rugged path, surrounded by mountains, boulders, mining remnants, and the crumbling remains of once thriving buildings, roams an ethereal white lady.

Before the mysterious “white lady” and the many coal miners who lived in this canyon, the area was long occupied by the Fremont Indians, who left behind numerous rock art panels. Other larger occupants, namely dinosaurs, also left their marks in abundant large footprints which have been found in many of the area coal mines.

Carbon County changed dramatically; however, when the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad began to seek a route from Denver to Salt Lake City in the 1880s.

Utah Railroad in Spring Canyon, Utah by Harry Shipler, 1927.

As the railroad opened up the area, coal was discovered and by the late 19th century, the county was filled with coal mining camps. As prospectors continued to search the region for coal, more was discovered in Spring Canyon and the first mine in the district was established in 1895 at Storrs. Over the next several decades, numerous mines and small settlements sprouted up in the canyon, including Standardville, Rains, Peerless, Mutual, and Latuda.

Throughout the decades the Spring Canyon District was called home to over 2,000 miners, businessmen, and their families as the mines extracted almost 43 million tons of coal from the rugged hills through the 1960s. Though the mines brought people and prosperity to the region, it also brought tragedy and violence in mining explosions and major strikes. But, when Spring Canyon’s heydays were over, it left behind only memories, scattered mining remnants, fading ghost towns, and legends, the most famous of which is that of the White Lady.

Persisting for years, the legend has numerous variations that have been told of who this mysterious woman might have been. Though her identity may always be in question, it is interesting to note that a century ago, women and mining equaled bad luck to virtually every miner in any type of mining camp. The superstition, having its roots in Europe, was very strong among immigrants, which tended to make up the vast majority of miners of the time. These miners believed that disaster and tragedy would follow if a woman visited a mine and could cite instance after instance of “true” stories that had occurred. Though outsiders believed these instances were purely coincidental, the miners didn’t think so and became extremely agitated if a female even got near a mine shaft, causing almost as much nervousness in the mine workers as did ghosts or Tommyknockers.

Carbon County, Utah Miners, 1919

Given the superstitious nature of the coal miners, it is not surprising that the legend of the “White Lady” has been told for so many years.

The woman was believed to have lived in Latuda, which is about seven miles west of Helper on Spring Canyon Road. The mining camp, which got its start in 1917 when the Liberty Mine went into production, once boasted numerous homes, a post office, a school, a company store, mining offices, and about 400 people.

One version of her history says that her husband was killed in the mine and his body was never found. Another says that both her husband and a son were killed in a mine accident, leaving her alone with an infant daughter. The tale continues that her baby was later kidnapped, thrown into a wash and drowned. Afterward, the woman lost her mind and soon died.

Yet another version alleges that she lived in Peerless, another mining camp situated just about three miles west of Helper that thrived from 1917 to 1930. This account says that after her husband died from blood poisoning and, as his death was not mining related, she and her infant child received no compensation and were destitute. Instead of allowing her baby to starve, she drowned it, lost her mind and was institutionalized in a mental facility. Later she escaped returning to Peerless, where she later died.

Latuda about 1940

Another report says that she herself was killed in a rockslide in Latuda, while an additional story says that her child was killed in an avalanche and she later committed suicide.

A final tale says that after her husband was killed in a mine accident that the company refused to give her full compensation and after a confrontation with mine officials, she was so angry and driving so fast, that she drove off the narrow road and was killed.

Though the truth of her life will probably never be known, for whatever reason, she continues to make her presence known in the canyon. Some say she seeks revenge against the mining company or against those who kidnapped her infant daughter. Dressed all in white, others say that she continues to search for her lost child, specifically in the canyon wash. Interestingly, this sounds very much like another popular legend – that of La Llorona, who has been seen haunting rivers and streams, also looking for her lost child, throughout the southwest for centuries.

Various low walls and foundations dot the entire length of Spring Canyon

In any case, numerous sightings of the spectral lady in white have been reported throughout the years. Some of the earliest accounts say that she was known to float around the entrance to the mines, luring miners into their vast depths, ensuring certain disaster. Other tales are not so sinister, saying that instead of enticing them into the mines, she would appear to warn them to leave in order to avoid some kind of accident.

Allegedly, she has been seen several times around the Latuda mine entrance, inside the mine, and near the old Liberty Mine office. By the 1960s, the legend was so well known that teenagers often came to the Latuda mine office at night to tell ghost stories and catch a glimpse of the spectral lady. On one occasion, though there is no evidence that the ghost ever appeared, the teenagers’ visit resulted in disaster when one of them blew up the building, resulting in his imprisonment.

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