ASHLEY NATIONAL FOREST
MOON LAKE
Duchesne County
Status: Natural Wonder
History
Moon Lake is a high mountain reservoir on the Lake Fork River in the Ashley National Forest. In 1938 The US Department of Reclamation built the dam to increase the size of the natural lake for irrigation purposes.
Paranormal Activity
This lake is haunted by the ghost of a little girl who is said to have drowned in the lake.
Witnesses near or on the lake shore have been approached by a little girl – she is said to be about 7 years old – who is crying and asking for help. The girl is soaking wet; as if she has fallen in the lake; her lips are blue tinged and she is shivering.
Not too many – if any – people can ignore a small child so obviously in need of help. However, once anyone goes to help her, she will suddenly disappear into thin air. Unlike the majority of paranormal activity, the apparition of this little girl appears exclusively during the daylight hours.
For those who don’t see her frequently hear the sounds of crying echoing over the lake. Again, this paranormal activity happens exclusively when the sun is up.
So, I’m sure you’re asking does this ghost doing anything after dark? After the sun sets phantom very loud screams are heard in the woods. Splashes are also heard in the lake but the surface is never disturbed. Late at night phantom footsteps are heard – as an extra creepy factor the footsteps usually circle the tent campers are trying to sleep in.
There also said to be a monster in the lake nicknamed “Moonie”.
The sounds of babies crying are heard along the shore of the lake at night. These are said to be from the “water babies” who will drag the curious to the bottom of the lake.
COTTONWOOD HEIGHTS
COTTONWOOD PAPER MILL
(Old Mill Club)
6900 Cottonwood Canyon Road
Status: Former Paper Mill; Former Dance Hall; Abandoned
History
The building was originally built in 1883 by the Deseret News – a newspaper that is still published in Salt Lake City – to grind logs into paper. While the mill was in operation it was creating 5 tons of paper a day.
In 1892 the mill was sold and in 1893 fire broke out in the paper storage room which left only the stone walls by the time it was put out.
In 1927 the building was partially restored and turned into an open air dance hall. The dance hall remained open until the 1940’s and then opened again the 60’s when bands played live there. In 1970’s and 80’s it was used as a haunted house attraction.
It was declared as a historic site in 1996 and then condemned by the city in 2005.
Paranormal Activity
It is said that 2 vagrants and their dog died in a fire here. There is only one recorded fire at this location – the one in 1893 – and there are no fatalities or injuries reported in that fire. There is also a story of a caretaker killing himself here but nothing can be found in the history of that either.
The entire building and close surrounding area is reported as feeling oppressive and just plain eerie.
People report lights in the building despite years of no electricity; cold spots, objects moving on their own; doors opening and closing on their own; electrical disturbances and the phantom barks of a dog.
OGDEN
BEN LOMOND SUITES
(Bigelow Apartments)(Bigelow Hotel & Residences)
2510 Washington Boulevard
Status: Former 3 Star Hotel; Apartments and a Hotel
By <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Ricardo630&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="User:Ricardo630 (page does not exist)">Ricardo630</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
History
Opening in 1927 this hotel was the biggest in Ogden; it was called the Bigelow Hotel. It has been sub divided into both a hotel and apartments now but still remains the biggest hotel in the city.
It was considered one of the grand hotels of Utah along with the Hotel Utah – now the Joseph Smith Memorial Building – and the Newhouse Hotel – now demolished and turned into a 10 acre parking lot; both of which were/are in Salt Lake City.
It was built on the foundation of another hotel (Reed Hotel) dating back to the late 19th century.
In 1933 the new owner changed the name to the Ben Lomond Suites.
In the 1980’s Radisson Hotels purchased it and did a massive renovation and modernization.
In 2017 the name was changed back to the Bigelow Hotel.
In 2019 it was subdivided into apartments and hotel rooms (Bigelow Hotel and Residences).
Paranormal Activity
There have been numerous deaths on this site dating back to the Reed Hotel which stood on this location before the Bigelow Hotel/Ben Lomond Suites.
On September 8, 1902, Mrs Helen Tide – who has just moved into one of the Reed’s apartments on the 3rd floor with her husband – shot herself in the head. She was said to have been suffering from a number of illnesses.
On September 26, 1921, Asugi Nakano – a recently hired cook – fell three stories to his death in the elevator shaft. Thinking the freight elevator was there he stepped through the doors and plunged to the bottom of the shaft.
On March 29, 1929, Dan Rowlands caught Edward Spellman in the act of raping an unconscious woman in his suite on the 12th floor after she had laid down because of drinking too much. While Rowlands was bringing Spellman down to the lobby Spellman tried to hit him. Rowland hit back causing Spellman to fall and hit his head on the wall killing him.
Rowlands was charged with murder, but the charge was dismissed.
In 1939 two men entered the hotel and asked the elevator operator to take them to the top floor (13th floor) – the elevator operator sensed something was wrong and tried to get help, but the lobby was deserted – and the men took the elevator themselves. Once on the top floor the 2 men went to a window at the end of the hallway and jumped out one after another.
It was later found out that both men had just lost their jobs.
On July 16, 1951, Donna Anderson – an Ogden teacher – jumped to her death from the window in her 9th floor room.
On October 24, 1976, a hotel clerk, Henry Topping Jr, was found in the lobby after being stabbed 44 times. The police would eventually find and jail his murderer; a 15 year old boy.
All of these deaths are documented in archives and local newspapers but the hauntings themselves have made some “Urban Legend” level changes to the truth. Most obviously some of the stories have been moved to the 11th floor creating the legend that the 11th floor attracts the emotionally weak and suicidal which is a fabrication.
What is true is that hotels and motels have always been magnets to people looking to end their own lives. That way the family doesn’t have to deal with cleaning up the mess. They are also more prone to accidental deaths because people are relaxing and less on guard; they are also more prone to drink alcohol more heavily and use recreational drugs on vacation leaving them more vulnerable to accidents.
The records from the past are never perfect and it’s very possible some of the stories surrounding the hauntings did happen but just can’t be verified historically.
Disembodied voices are heard in Room 1106 said to be the room the 2 men – which Urban Legend have turned into brothers – jumped in. In truth a newspaper article confirms the 2 men were not guests of the hotel and didn’t enter any of the guest rooms plus they jumped from the 13th floor not the 11th.
While there certainly may be disembodied voices in Room 1106 but it is not related to the 2 men who jumped to their deaths. Not to mention the 13th floor hallway needs to be investigated.
The other rooms connected with paranormal activity are 1102 and 1101 and there are so many reports of paranormal activity from both staff and guests it’s clear there is something happening here regardless of whether it can be backed up by historical records or not.
The story is a bride who was about to get married in the hotel drowned in her bathtub in Room 1102. Her son – who was staying in Room 1101 – either came in to clean up her things or he just simply was checking on her and found her dead – was overcome with grief and jumped out a window to his death.
It is rather strange it was son and not her fiancé doing this.
The part of the hotel containing these rooms was said to have been kept locked up. Whether this is simply to keep out the curious and ghost hunters out or protect the living from the level of paranormal activity or both is unknown.
It is unclear is this part of the hotel even still exists as suites after the conversion to apartments.
Either way the following activity has been recorded:
In Room 1102 the tap in the bathtub turns on it’s own and begins filling the tub up, people have been pushed by something unseen, the lobby is said to get phantom calls from the room when it is empty, her disembodied voice has been heard and her full body apparition has been seen.
In Room 1101 people have described the sad/depressed energy of a male being sensed as it paces the room.
In both rooms apparitions have been seen, male and female voices have been heard, electrical disturbances and empathic feelings of unease and not being wanted have been reported as well as feelings of not being alone.
OGDEN
OGDEN EXCHANGE BUILDING
600 Exchange Road
Status: Former Office Building, Former “Haunted House” Attraction, Abandoned
History
Construction began on this grand building in 1930 and it was opened in 1931. It had been built to replace another smaller exchange office when the stockyard business began booming.
It functioned as offices for both the stockyards and the railroad. In its heyday it boasted a soda fountain, a shower room and a barber shop.
By the 1950’s the stockyard business had significantly decreased and trucks were replacing trains as the major force for moving goods. In early 1971 the stockyards closed and the building was no longer needed for offices.
From 1971-74 a trade school was run out of the building. The school was replaced by an outpatient mental health clinic and a methadone clinic called Weber Mental Health. Despite rumors it was never used as an inpatient asylum and there were certainly no experiments conducted on people here.
Weber closed down in 1987 and the building was abandoned. The area became targeted by vandals and teenagers after that. Two other buildings on the site were burned to the ground – probably by arson.
From 2005 for about 9 to 10 years the building operated as a “haunted house” attraction. A fake name and history was made up to make the tourist attraction scarier. This is probably where the haunted insane asylum stories come from.
Since then, the building has been boarded up and abandoned again. It is now part of a refurbishment plan of the entire area and hopefully will find some new use soon.
Paranormal Activity
There are only 2 recorded deaths on the property; both by natural causes – heart attacks. The stories of a triple homicide and numerous suicides appear to be nothing more than made up stories and Urban Legends.
That being said there are enough reports of paranormal activity that it is quite likely this building may actually be haunted albeit for more mundane reasons then some of the stories going around.
Reported paranormal activity:
The apparition of a little girl has been seen on the stairs.
Phantom screams have been heard coming from the building.
Misty faces are seen looking out of the windows of the empty building.
SALT LAKE CITY
MCCUNE MANSION
200 N Main Street
Status: Former Residence; Music School; Heritage Property
By <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:David_Jay_Fullmer&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="User:David Jay Fullmer (page does not exist)">David Jay Fullmer</a> - <span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link
History
Built between 1898 and 1901 at a cost of one million dollars by Alfred W McCune, a retired railroad tycoon. In 1920 the McCune family moved to Los Angeles and donated the house to the Church of Jesus Christ and the Latter-Day Saints.
The Church converted the mansion into the McCune School Of Music. In 1999 the McCarthey family bought the mansion and respectfully returned it to its past full glory.
The mansion is now available for tours, weddings and corporate events.
Paranormal Activity
The apparition of a young blonde girl is frequently seen. Witnesses have identified her as matching that of a girl depicted in a painting in the house. she is said to be 11 or 12 years old and is often seen wandering the halls and rooms or emerging or going into a large mirror on the west wall.
She is also said to be responsible for moving objects around and locking doors including those with no locks on the doors. Phantom footsteps have been seen and heard beginning and ending in the middle of rooms.
Lights go on and off on their own even when the mansion is empty.
SALT LAKE CITY
RIO GRANDE DEPOT MUSEUM
Rio Grande Plaza
270 South Rio Grande Street
Status: Former Train Station; Government Building; Closed To The Public 2020+
By <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/14812197@N00">vxla</a> from Chicago, US - <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/vxla/5414790707/">Rio Grande Depot</a>, CC BY 2.0, Link
History
This depot was opened in 1910 as the jewel in the crown of the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad. It was designed in the Renaissance Revival by Henry Schlacks who was known for designing churches in Chicago.
It cost $750,000 at the time and was built explicitly to overshadow the nearby Union Pacific Depot built the year before for less money.
It included a men’s smoking room, a women’s lounge, a barber shop, a restaurant, a souvenir shop and even a telegraph office. It was the major the central point for the city’s soldiers being shipped off to war in both World Wars.
In 1986 all Amtrack trains moved to this depot from Union Pacific. It served such famous trains as the California Zephyr – to Emeryville; the Desert Wind – to Los Angeles and the Pioneer – to Seattle.
All train service ended in 1999 when Amtrack moved to the Salt Lake City Hub and the tracks around the depot were torn up.
The depot was damaged in the 2020 earthquake and has been closed to the public ever since. Although the State still keeps offices in the building.
While the building is being repaired no one really knows what it will be used for when it is done. Some plans include: a farmer’s market, a State history museum and some people want to bring back Amtrack as well as light rail and buses.
Paranormal Activity
The famous ghost is known as “The Purple Lady”
The story says she was having a fight with her fiancé and at some point, her engagement ring was thrown and bounced down onto the train tracks. Cooling her temper, and realizing her mistake, the lady crawled down onto the tracks and was hit by a train.
She now – in her purple dress – haunts the depot. She is only very rarely seen but she is said to be responsible for turning lights on and off including in a locked room no one has access to. She also likes to slam doors when no one is near, pushing on paintings until they hang crooked, has locked staff out of the building repeatedly and likes to sing in the women’s washroom. There are also stories of her turning on the taps in the same women’s washroom.
Those that have had the luck to run into her actual apparition say she either looks angry or terribly upset.
What most people miss out on, is that the “Purple Lady” is not the only ghost haunting the depot.
In fact, in one investigation the ghosts said there were 7 of them in the building.
An old Station Master is said to haunt the lobby.
On the upper level there have been sightings of apparitions at the south end as well as disembodied voices and singing. Sometimes the alarms go off up there for apparent reason.
Paranormal Activity in the basement includes: cold spots, communication through a Spirit Box, strong feelings of unease bordering on fear, light anomalies and feelings of being watched.