These 10 Hauntings In Montana Will Send Chills Down Your Spine
With a long history that includes violent battles and rambunctious residents, it’s no wonder that Montana has its fair share of ghost stories. Whether or not you believe, it’s fun to hear the tales of people who swear they’ve experienced paranormal activity. Montana is so full of rumored hauntings that entire books have been written about its ghosts. These 10 places are some of the spots with the most sightings.
The Montana Territorial Prison housed prisoners from 1871 until the 1970s, and in the beginning its insufficient facilities, overcrowding and poor food quality made it an especially miserable place to be. There were quite a few murders here as well as a huge 1959 riot. Visitors and employees of the museum have seen the ghost of one of the most infamous residents, "Turkey Pete." Hearing strange noises and the feeling of being touched or even choked are also common.
Virginia City might be a fun tourist town now, but it has a dark history of murders, hangings and debauchery. The Bonanza Inn is the most haunted building in the city—guests have reported being pinched and poked during their stay, and anyone who slept in the notorious Room 1 had a good chance of seeing a ghost.
This beautiful historic hotel was built in 1910...but it seems that some guests, including the builder John Q Adams, never checked out. John’s spirit has been seen, and many people have witnessed a housekeeper appear out of nowhere and walk into a closet that is no longer there. Imagine seeing that in the middle of the night!
Fort Benton is one of the oldest towns in Montana, and the elegant Grand Union Hotel was built in 1882. Legend has it that a cowhand drunkenly rode his horse into the hotel and up the main staircase before the bar manager shot and killed him. There have been a number of odd happenings here: phantom hoofbeats have been heard on the staircase, mysterious blue lights sometimes dance across Room 202 and a male ghost in a long coat has been seen throughout the hotel.
How could the beautiful Bear Canyon Road be scary? It isn’t...as long as you don’t see a little girl in a white dress. Several campers and hikers have, and she’s apparently a ghost who tries to lure females off the trail and into the woods. Yikes!
The most haunted bar in Montana can be found in the lobby of the old Davenport Hotel and is apparently home to between 12 and 20 spirits, according to the many paranormal investigators who have explored it. Employees and guests have experienced glasses falling off shelves for no reason, taps on the shoulder when no one is there, and actual ghost sightings. It isn’t uncommon for bar patrons to suddenly feel cold chills that have nothing to do with what they're drinking.
The Elks Lodge was a hotspot in its early years, during prohibition—it was the place to go for drinks and entertainment, and rumor has it that Bonnie and Clyde once played cards there. There was also a suicide at Elks Lodge in 1936, and the ghost of a woman in a long dress is often spotted in the halls. An apparition has even been caught on camera coming out of a bathroom.
Though the original 1863 building has been renovated many times, this hotel is considered a historic landmark. The resident ghost here is Simone, a prostitute who was murdered by a mining executive. Strange male voices have also been heard on the property.
The original owner, William Andrews Clark, is said to haunt his old home. Unexplained shadows, random cold spots and a warm, welcoming presence are the most common reported experiences.
If there was ever a place where ghosts might roam, this would be it. The site is a prime spot for paranormal activity, from sounds of men screaming to apparitions at night.
Have you ever seen a ghost in Montana?
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