5 Haunted Places in Seattle

In honor of Halloween coming up, I’m highlighting some of the supposed “haunted places” around Seattle. Whether these or true or not, they are a little spooky. You’ll have to decide for yourself, or maybe be brave enough to stop in to see if you spot any paranormal activity.

Kells Irish Pub

1916 Post Alley, Seattle, WA 98101

Kells is a popular bar by Pike Place Market often filled to capacity on the weekends, but its history is much more interesting than people watching the drunk college students stumbling out. The original building, the Butterworth building, was built in 1903 and was the site of a mortuary. Seattle was filling up with more dead bodies than it could handle due to disease and labor accidents, and thousands of bodies passed through the Butterworth building. Fast forward to today, where this building is now an Irish pub.

More reports of unearthly activity have been reported than can be counted. The upstairs wood floors creak when no one else is in the building, mirrors have shattered suddenly with no explanation, and people have sworn on their mother’s grave they have seen countless figures in the shadows and stairwell of the building. Employees report feeling a sudden burst of cold air in certain parts, even with no air conditioning on. Go for a pint and see for yourself if you notice anything out of the ordinary.

The Cadillac Hotel

319 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

The original hotel opened in 1898 and was a popular place to stay with the local loggers and miners during a time the city was rebuilding from the Great Seattle Fire. Prostitution was said to be common in this hotel was well. The hotel thrived on and off until the 1970s, when new fire regulations in the city shut down the hotel since it didn’t pass. People were reported to have been seen “floating by” the windows, even though it was vacated.

The hotel eventually reopened, but got badly destroyed in the Nisqually earthquake in 2001, and was once again abandoned for awhile. It was rebuilt and turned into the Klondike Gold Rush museum. A woman and her child are said to be heard crying late in the night, and a chill is often felt in the elevator, leading some to believe ghosts of past hotel guests are still guarding it.

The Sorrento Hotel

900 Madison St, Seattle, WA 98104

I’ve been here for happy hour many times, but had no idea it was supposedly haunted. Built in 1909, it was Seattle’s first boutique hotel and had amazing views of the city before other buildings went up around it. Having dinner up on the 7th floor was very popular from 1930-1950, and the restaurant was known as “Top O’ the Town” due to its location up on First Hill.

There are several ghosts who are said to still roam the hotel. One woman reportedly goes up and down the halls of the 4th floor. Another ghost is considered “friendly,” and the hotel even holds a celebratory dinner for him every year on Halloween. I have to say, it does have a creepy look to it at night with the dim lighting.

The Moore Hotel

1932 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

Currently a popular music and arts theater, the hotel on top is often forgot about by locals. The hotel opened in 1907 by James A. Moore from Nova Scotia (the same guy who created land around what is now Greenlake and parts of West Seattle, as well as coming up with the idea for what is now the Lake Washington Ship Canal). It became a grand theater with its lavish decorations and big name shows it brought.

It appears that some theater-goers loved it so much, they’re still here. Footsteps have been heard in unoccupied areas of both the theater and hotel, and cigar smoke has been known to come from the theater’s seats, even though smoking hasn’t been allowed in ages. Mr. Moore himself is also said to have been seen roaming through the hallways of the hotel he created.

Comet Lodge Cemetery

2100 S Graham St, Seattle, WA 98108

I’m sure you’re not surprised a cemetery might be spooky, but this one has a different reason. Years ago, a graveyard was here and the city moved the tombstones, but didn’t move the graves deep in the ground. Houses ended up being built over parts of the cemetery where children’s graves were. The people who lived in the new homes started hearing strange noises, and each morning toys would be all over the living room. When they asked their children, they repeatedly denied it. It’s rumored the souls of the children in the graves come out at night to play.

Do you know any of haunted places or ghost stories around your city?

 

Image attribution: Irish pub – Pixabay, Cadillac Hotel – Tadson Bussey via Flickr, Sorrento Hotel – Java Colleen via Flickr, The Moore – Adrienne via Flickr, and Cemetery – Pixabay.