Hotel Metropolitan Museum

History

Opening in 1908 this hotel housed African American guests during the Jim Crow period of discrimination in American history. It was run by African-American women from it’s opening to it’s closure.

During this time African Americans were not welcome at the “white” hotels in the area; even celebrities. Guests such as Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong stayed there while touring the United States.

African Americans were often denied lodging and food while traveling as well as being subject to arrest for nothing other than the color of their skin. Hotel Metropolitan was one of the few safe places they could come to.

There were 11 rooms in the hotel, and they were all full almost the entire time the hotel was open.

In 1996 the hotel was closed and left to decay. In fact, it was very nearly demolished.

Thankfully, in 1999 renovations were began to save this historically significant building.

It is now open as a museum of a time that should never be forgotten and the people it gave safe haven to.

Other famous guests included: Ella Fitzgerald, Ike and Tina Turner and BB King.

Paranormal Activity

Unexplained images – looking rather like people – have shown up in photos taken at this location.

Pictures have fallen off the wall with the nail and back string still perfectly intact. Objects have also been seen moving on t heir own.

Fire alarms have a tendency to go off for no reason at all; especially after dark when they sometimes go on and off all night long.

Investigations with an Ovilus have resulted in answers specific to the hotel’s history including white investigators being called a “honky” and worse.

Cold spots that move from person to person in a room with closed windows and no AC present have been felt. A sudden drop of 10 degrees was even recorded.

And many people claim they have contacted some of the famous hotel guests have since passed on.