Haunted Colorado: Historical Hotel Jerome in Aspen
Would you freak out if you saw a young boy shivering in the hallway of the hotel you were staying and then poof, he vanishes before your eyes, yet leaves a pool of water on the ground where he stood?
I think I might be the one shivering and leaving a puddle of water if I saw anything of the sort.
It's been said that the Historical Hotel Jerome in Aspen, Colorado is not only gorgeous, but it's definitely haunted.
Hotel Jerome is one of the oldest buildings In Aspen, and it's known to be the most haunted building in the town. Rich history follows the famous hotel.
Built in 1889, by Jerome B. Wheeler, who at the time was co-owner of Macy's Department Store. During the towns slow years, it even became a morgue for a short time. Mr. Wheeler wanted to build a hotel that was more upscale, with a European feel to it for those that would come to visit the charming elegant whistle-stop.
Spirits said to remain lingering in the hotel are known as, "Water Boy," Henry O'Callister, and Katie Kerrigan.
Water Boy
Water Boy is known as the ghost of a 10-year-old boy that had tragically drowned in the hotel pool in 1936. Water Boy apparently likes to pay a visit to the visitors, especially on the third floor. Room 310 to be exact. Room 310 overlooks the pool where he sadly died.
It has been reported that in 1988 a woman staying in Room 310 had called down to front desk saying she just saw a lost boy shivering wrapped in a towel, but he vanished. He left behind his wet footprints. The women were told that no children were staying at the hotel at the time.
A painting of the water boy hangs in the hallway of Hotel Jerome that you can only be seen by visiting the hotel. The painting gives me chills.
Henry O'Callister
A broken heart was the death of Henry O'Callister. In 1889 he arrived in Aspen, Colorado to seek fortune. Not only did he dig-up a 1,500-pound silver nugget, he struck gold in his heart when he fell deeply in love with hotel guest Clarissa Wellington.
Clarissa Wellington came from a very prominent Boston family. Miss Wellington's family/father strongly disapproved of her relationship with Mr. O'Callister.
Clarissa father sent his daughter back to Boston and poor Henry spent all his money on drinking and dying from a broken heart. He has never left the hotel and sticks around to haunt others,
Guests of the hotel have reported that they've heard a man crying in the halls. Henry was crushed.
Katie Kerrigan
Lastly, the third ghost that seems to really cause some issues with both guest and employees would be the wonderful Katie Kerrigan. Katie has a little bit of a grudge, to say the least.
Katie was a beautiful 16-year-old who became a chambermaid in 1892. Her striking looks made the wealthy guest pay more attention to her. As you can imagine the other employees got extremely jealous.
The other maids played a lot of tricks on Katie. One wintry night one of the other maids told Kerrigan that her kitten fell in the pond nearby. Katie went out on the ice to save her kitten and she fell through the ice.
It was traumatic that Katie came down with pneumonia because of that incident and died a week later.
It's believed that Katie likes to mess with the maids who currently work there. Employees have been so frightened of the paranormal activity that they've complained about working on the third floor.
Now and then she wants to help turn down the covers for the guest before the staff members have a chance to do it, she likes to turn on the heat, and play other tricks that send chills up the spine.
I'm thinking Katie enjoys teasing the staff and even an occasional guest, perhaps the mean ones ... haha.