STANLEY HOTEL

Haunted hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, that inspired Stephen King’s novel The Shining.

History

The Stanley Hotel takes its name from its builder, Freelan Oscar (F. O.) Stanley, the inventor of the Stanley Steamer automobile in the early 20th century. A resident of Maine, Stanley suffered from advanced tuberculosis and was advised by his doctor to move west for the clean mountain air, with little expectation of long-term survival. The physician arranged for Stanley and his wife, Flora, to stay in a friend’s cabin in Estes Park, Colorado.

The couple arrived in 1903 and were immediately enchanted by the beauty of the region. Stanley’s health improved dramatically, and they decided to remain there despite the area’s lack of modern comforts.

Stanley purchased 160 acres of land from Lord Dunraven, an Irish earl, and in 1907 began constructing a grand Georgian-style luxury hotel. The property included a main building, reservoir, ice pond, and a nine-hole golf course.

When the Stanley Hotel opened in 1909, it offered an unprecedented level of luxury for the time — featuring running water, electricity, telephones, and lavish furnishings. The hotel, intended as a summer resort, had no central heating. Stanley also built a road and used his automobiles to bring guests to the property, at a time when most resorts were accessible only by rail or carriage.

The Stanley quickly became a destination for notable guests, including “The Unsinkable” Molly Brown, the emperor and empress of Japan, composer John Philip Sousa, and President Theodore Roosevelt.

Freelan Stanley passed away in 1940, but the hotel continued to operate and is now open year-round.

In 1974, Stephen King and his wife, Tabitha, stayed in Room 217, the hotel’s most prestigious suite. At the time, King was searching for a new story idea, and the hotel’s eerie atmosphere provided the perfect inspiration. The result was The Shining (1977), later adapted into Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 film, starring Jack Nicholson.

Haunting Activity

Reports of paranormal phenomena at the Stanley predate King’s stay by many decades. King himself is said to have witnessed the apparition of a small boy calling out for his nanny on the second floor — a spirit seen by others throughout the building as well.

Haunting activity is reported on all floors, with the fourth floor — once the servants’ quarters — regarded as the most active. Lord Dunraven is believed to haunt Room 407, where lights turn on and off by themselves and the nearby elevator makes sounds when not in operation. His ghost has been seen standing silently in a corner or gazing out the window when the room is unoccupied.

Room 418 is among the most haunted in the entire hotel. Sometimes called the “Demon Room,” it earned its name after a female guest reported feeling as though demonic entities were trying to possess her while she lay in bed. Scratch marks left on the headboard remain visible today. The room is also said to be home to the spirits of children who play in the hallway, along with other lingering presences.

Paradoxically, Room 217, associated with Stephen King, is considered one of the hotel’s least active rooms.

Freelan Stanley himself is said to haunt the lobby, bar, and billiard room, occasionally appearing to guests. Phantom piano music in the ballroom is attributed to Flora Stanley, who loved to play for visitors during her lifetime.

Hauntings are not confined to the main building. Activity is also reported in the service tunnels beneath the hotel and in the manor house, concert hall, and carriage house.

Investigators suggest that several geophysical factors may amplify the paranormal energy of the site. The Stanley’s elevated location in the Rocky Mountains, its proximity to a lake, and its position atop magnetite rock—visible in the service tunnels—are believed to contribute to the persistence and intensity of supernatural phenomena. Mountains, water, and mineral formations are frequently associated with sites of strong paranormal activity, and the Stanley Hotel remains a prime example.

FURTHER READING:

• Davis, Susan S. (ed.) Stanley Ghost Stories. Estes Park, Colo.: The Stanley Museum, 2005.
• “Rocky Mountain Legends: Haunted Estes Park, Colorado.” Available online. URL: https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ CP-EstesParkHaunting.html. Downloaded September 27, 2006.

SOURCE:

The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits– Written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley – September 1, 2007