52 53 Historical Hauntings Exploring Nevada’s Ghost Stories I nthepopularcomputergame,Oregon Trail,therearenumerous ways a player can die as they travel West. Whether hunger, weather, disease, wildlife or conflict, a person can never tell how theywillmeettheirend.Fromthesetrials,mishapsandtribulations, we get some of Nevada’s best ghost stories. With over 100 ghost towns throughout the State, in varying degrees of ruin, and a tangled web of Mob involvement, is there any wonder that Nevada is haunted?Theexistenceofghostsisdebatable,butthestoriesarefun! Here are a few ghost stories from around the State: SilverQueenHotelinVirginiaCity,NV Virginia City is notoriously haunted. As one of the State’s early mining towns, many buildings possess a rich history filled with characters and events of days gone by. This old hotel is home to several hauntings and noteworthy occurrences hard to explain. It is rumored that a prostitute committed suicide in Room 11 at the Silver Queen Hotel back in the 1800s, and her ghost has been roaming the hallways ever since. Whether or not that’s true, visitors report very strange things happening like loud noises at night, including deep growling sounds, tapping noises and footsteps. One woman even insisted she was chased down the hallway by a dark figure! The hotel was featured on the popular television series Ghost Adventures. GrimesPointinFallon,NV This is one of the largest petroglyph sites in the Western US. Its ghosts include various glowing apparitions walking around the mining area, loop trail and cave tour on moonless nights. Governor’sMansioninCarsonCity,NV Stories say there are at least two ghosts haunting the governor’s mansion, an older woman and a younger girl. An antique grandfather clock was given to the governor which was haunted by two spirits. Some believe the two are “First Lady” Una Dickerson and daughter, June Dickerson. On the first floor, if a person stands in front of the antique mantel or grandfather clock, an unexpected cold breeze or a paranormal cold spot can be felt. Doors in the parlor open by themselves. A male apparition, perhaps a former servant of the people, is said to have enjoyed his job so much, he also remained around the home, frequently heard going up the staircase to the second floor. TheMizpahHotelinTonopah,NV Built in 1907, the hotel is said to have many spirits roaming its hallways and rooms. A psychic who visited the hotel said one spirit inhabiting the building is named Rose and was a prostitute who used to work at the Mizpah.Shewaskilledbyajealousgambler and still visits guests in their hotel rooms, sometimes leaving a single pearl behind. One of the most historic hotels in the State, the Mizpah was featured on Ghost Hunters which depicted an old elevator supposed to be out of commission, but randomly opens and closes its doors. Other baffling instances include rumors of mysteriously moving items and even a phantom figure that taunts guests. HooverDamnearBoulderCity,NV During construction of the dam in the 1930’s, around a hundred workers died from various causes. One urban legend tells of several workers falling into the vats of concrete, their bodies entombed forever. This story has been refuted by Hoover Dam staff, but rumors persist of hauntings at the dam and nearby locations like the Boulder Dam Hotel and even Boulder City Hospital. FlamingoHotelandCasinoinLasVegas,NV It is said the ghost of infamous Bugsy Siegel, who was killed in December 1946, can be seen by the pool in the late evening hours or in the “Bugsy” or Presidential Suite and the Wedding Chapel, built on the site of his old apartment. His ghost has been reported hundreds of times over the years by employees and guests. LaPalazzaMansioninLasVegas,NV The La Palazza Mansion is in the Scotch 80s neighborhood in mid-town. According to the stories, the mansion is haunted by the original owner, a mobster. The house has a colorful history, including a “murder room” and was featured in an episode of Ghost Adventures in 2010. Investigators reported hearing hissing, banging, singing, snarling and more. They also reportedly heard “You broke in here,” “Kill her” and “Not that way.” Previous owners saw an unknown older woman wearing over- sized sunglasses sitting in a chair. Bally’sHotelandCasinoinLasVegas,NV Bally’s is built on the site of the former MGM Grand Hotel, which burned on November 21, 1980. The fire started in a deli, killed 85 people and injured 650. Most deaths were from smoke inhalation after people were trapped in their rooms or stairwells trying to escape. Some say that those who died during the fire now roam the halls of the hotel and haunt the employee restrooms. There are reports of a group of ghosts walking around together. ZakBagansHauntedMuseum inLasVegas,NV Bagans hosts the Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” series, in which his team investigates the paranormal. His latest project: The Haunted Museum opened in 2017 at 600 E. Charleston in downtown Las Vegas with an extensive collection of bizarre, macabre and haunted objects. Arethereanylocalghoststorieswemissed? Please share them with us. Join us on Facebook and tell us your favorite Nevada ghost stories using #RHLovesGhosts. 52