More Ghost Stories

The Crescent Hotel

 Since it is finally starting to feel like fall around here, I am in the mood for ghost stories and exploring some more of my unique area of the world. I'm still determined to make the Ghost Tours this year, at the Basin Park Hotel and at the Crescent! I really want to do this and I'm pretty sure I want to try and stay a night in the Crescent. With my camera and my laptop, I would certainly get no sleep! I will search out the haunts all night, taking photo after photo... well , here I am lost in my mind already.

The Crescent has been many things in its illustrious past. Which can all be Googled, so I won't bore you with every minute detail of its history- but it was once a Women's College.

Bowling League

The Crescent is best known for Dr. Baker's Cure though. Here's a good account of Baker's doings: CLICK HERE
And a really nice summary in this blog about the Crescent Ghost Tour. Clickety
I did learn that the swindler, fake-doctor Norman Baker only operated his cancer hospital there for about three years, and was already being investigated over his fake hospital in Iowa. He was eventually sent to Leavenworth prison for four years, which was a mere slap on the wrist for a guy who hastened the death of  hundreds of trusting cancer patients with excruciating treatments. Those few years of pain and misery and death left quite a mark on the atmosphere of the hotel.
Before that Baker was a vaudeville magician who performed with a Miss Tangley, and he happened to invent and produce the Air Calliophone, a calliope operated more efficiently with air. I know the owners have a few grand old calliope organs in the lobby, but I did not know that Norman Baker made these things! Further exploration and investigation needed here! I also know that at the time about 2 years ago that the present owner's husband Marty was killed in a car crash, they had been on their way to pick up an 'organ' from somewhere up north.. I don't know if the organ was purchased and brought back or not. Here are some pictures I found relating to Norman Baker's Calliophones:

Baker Made His Calliophones Here

Oh yeah, and Baker also had his own radio broadcast 'dissing' the American Medical Association and other   entities, which stirred quite a controversy. Here's a photo from his radio station. The photo below said that isn't Baker, but I beg to differ...

Marvin Lucke? Looks like Baker to me. Just sayin.

This is Baker

 

Above photos all borrowed from Google

There are many things about the Crescent that have impressed me, and I have felt the weird energy every time I enter its doors. I get just under the roof of the carriage entrance, and it starts every time- goosebumps - like all my skin is electrified. It stays with me until I am out of there.
Once when I was showing our daughter Charleigh the hotel for the first time, we went upstairs and both of us just STOPPED; I believe it was outside of 218. We saw movement in shadows under the door. We definitely felt something and it was freaky having another person sharing it!!! We clutched at each other and ran away! LOL! Later we learned about that being a haunted room. (The one where Michael, the construction worker, fell to his death from working on the roof, landing in room 218)
I took pictures in the hallways and in the middle of a lot of 'normal' ones there is a dark one. The flash was on and the lights were on in the hallway, but in that photo there is a heavy darkness. A maid later told me that a dark form follows them sometimes and they don't like it. I won't even get into the maid's stories. There are even a few faint orbs in here. Other pics have clearer orbs. No, it isn't dusty in there.

My Photo of Dark Hallway near 218

Last time we were in there, Scott and I both were in the little area just inside the door from the top balcony that overlooks Eureka Springs. There are restrooms there, and a bench. Well, inside the hotel the main hallway was quiet, but when we stepped through that doorway to that area, there was the sound of roaring whistling wind- violent wind!!!! When we stepped away and stepped back in again, it was like turning the volume up and down. It was surprising to us to open the door to the balcony outside and have it be a calm, quiet, sunny day. Because right inside that door sounded like a tornado!!! I went into the restroom but nothing happened.
Old hotels are fascinating.. so many people have been in and out.. some leave "baggage".

The Driskill Hotel; Austin TX

Once with some friends in the Driskill Hotel in Austin, we rode the elevator. There was a bellhop operating the elevator. He was a middle aged black man, with a red vest, and a portly belly. He chatted to us about if we had seen ghosts or not. Our friends who had a room there said they hoped not!!! He laughed, and said if we were interested, they had ghost pamphlets down in the lobby at the front desk. He was very friendly and charming.
Later when we went down, no one was operating the elevator. We went to the front desk and requested ghost pamphlets, only to be met with a strange look, and to be told that they no longer had those pamphlets, but did have them several years ago. We asked about the bellhop. There was no one of his description working at the hotel, and they had no elevator operators.
While we were having a drink at the bar, we saw him walk past. He smiled and waved to us. I wish we had followed him. That was the afternoon of a night at Antone's when our band was opening for Jimmy Vaughan, so we didn't have much time to pursue ghosts.
But one weird thing is when we discussed that incident later, Scott had a completely different description of the elevator bellhop than mine.

The Courthouse in Eureka Springs

 Another strange thing happened to me at the Carroll County Courthouse in Eureka Springs. It was during the trials and depositions and court appearances with the evil one who wished to harm us.
I went downstairs to the restrooms. The beautiful wooden stairs are noisy. I clacked down to the lower floor, saw a woman at the desk and brightly flourescent-lit offices through the windows behind her. I don't recall exchanging a greeting or any words with her- I was in no mood to be chatty. I went in and used the restroom, thinking of the evil one following me in there and killing me the whole time. I washed my hands and exited the restroom. The outside door to my left opened and a man walked in. This time there was no one at the desk or in the dark offices.
I turned and went up the stairs and he also was going up the stairs behind me, about 6 steps below me. I heard him. He was there. I opened the door at the top and turned to hold the door for him.... and guess what!! Nobody there.
I think that's all I have for now.