AROUND DENVER
Exploring the Most Haunted Places in Denver: A Spooky Tour Through the Mile High City’s Eerie History
Denver, Colorado, may be known for its breathtaking mountain views and vibrant urban life, but beneath the surface of this bustling metropolis lies a darker, more mysterious side. With a history steeped in the Old West, Denver has its share of ghost stories, haunted buildings, and eerie encounters. Whether you’re a believer in the paranormal or just looking for a thrilling scare, these haunted places in Denver offer spine-tingling experiences and a glimpse into the city’s eerie past.
The Brown Palace Hotel
One of Denver’s most iconic landmarks, the Brown Palace Hotel is a luxurious destination that is also notoriously haunted. Opened in 1892, this elegant hotel has hosted presidents, celebrities, and royalty. But some guests may have yet to check out.
The hotel’s ghostly activity includes reports of eerie laughter, the sound of footsteps in empty halls, and the sighting of a man in a train conductor’s uniform—possibly the spirit of an employee from the days when the hotel had an underground connection to Union Station. The hotel’s eighth floor is particularly infamous, with numerous reports of paranormal experiences, including the apparition of a baby’s cry in one of the rooms.
Cheesman Park
Cheesman Park is one of Denver’s most beautiful green spaces but harbors a dark secret. Built on the grounds of an old cemetery, the park’s history is filled with tragedy and scandal. In the 1890s, the city attempted to move the bodies to make way for the park, but the contractor in charge of the exhumations was caught mishandling the remains, leading to hundreds of bodies being left behind.
Today, visitors and locals report strange phenomena, such as cold spots, eerie figures, and feelings of unease. Some claim to see spirits wandering the grounds as if searching for their final resting place. Cheesman Park is a peaceful retreat by day, but it transforms into one of Denver’s most haunted locations by night.
The Molly Brown House
Molly Brown, known as the “Unsinkable Molly Brown” for surviving the Titanic disaster, lived in this elegant Victorian mansion in Capitol Hill. While the home is now a museum dedicated to her life, it is also said to be haunted by Molly herself and other spirits connected to the house.
Tour guides and visitors have reported hearing footsteps, smelling phantom cigar smoke (which Molly’s husband was fond of), and experiencing sudden cold drafts. Some have even claimed to see Molly Brown’s apparition in the halls or standing near her beloved stained-glass windows. The paranormal activity has drawn many ghost hunters eager to glimpse Denver’s most famous ghost.
The Oxford Hotel
The Oxford Hotel, built in 1891, is another historic Denver site with a spooky reputation. It is best known for its infamous Room 320, where a woman named Florence Montague is said to have murdered her lover before taking her own life in the early 1900s. Guests who stay in the room report feeling an oppressive presence, hearing unexplained sounds, and seeing the ghostly figure of a woman in Victorian clothing.
In addition to Room 320, the Oxford’s Cruise Room bar, modeled after a lounge on the Queen Mary ocean liner, is said to be haunted by a postman who frequented the bar in the 1930s. Legend has it that he appears to finish his last drink, only to vanish moments later.
Capitol Hill’s Haunted Mansions
Denver’s Capitol Hill neighborhood is known for its beautiful old mansions, but many homes are steeped in ghostly lore. The Peabody-Whitehead Mansion, once home to prominent Denver figures, is perhaps the most famous. It was a hospital in its early years, and many believe the spirits of former patients still linger within its walls. Staff and visitors have reported hearing phantom footsteps, voices, and unexplained cold spots.
Another eerie mansion in the area is the Croke-Patterson Mansion, a beautiful red sandstone building with a tragic past. It was once home to Thomas Croke, a businessman who mysteriously moved out shortly after construction. Later, the mansion became a sanitarium, and reports of paranormal activity surged. Visitors claim to hear the cries of ghostly children, see shadowy figures, and even witness objects moving on their own.
Denver’s Union Station
Denver’s Union Station is a bustling hub of activity, but it also holds ghostly secrets. As one of the city’s oldest buildings, Union Station has seen its share of tragedy, from accidents to untimely deaths. Some believe the spirits of those who died at the station still haunt its halls.
One of the most well-known tales involves the ghost of a woman in black, said to have been a passenger who perished in a train accident in the early 1900s. She is often seen walking through the station’s Great Hall, vanishing as she approaches the tracks. Other reports include unexplained noises and shadowy figures lurking in the historic tunnels beneath the station.
Fitzsimons Army Hospital
Now part of the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, the former Fitzsimons Army Hospital was once a treatment center for soldiers and tuberculosis patients. Given the hospital’s long history and the many lives lost within its walls, it is no surprise that ghost stories abound.
The most famous spirit said to haunt the old hospital is that of a nurse who perished in a fire decades ago. Witnesses have reported seeing her apparition, dressed in a vintage nurse’s uniform, patrolling the hallways. Some have also experienced cold spots, heard disembodied voices, and seen flickering lights in the abandoned sections of the building.
Denver’s haunted history adds a thrilling layer to its rich cultural tapestry. From haunted hotels to eerie parks, the Mile High City offers opportunities for ghostly encounters and paranormal adventures. Whether you’re a history buff or a supernatural lover, these haunted locations will send shivers down your spine as you explore the city’s spooky side.