The Haunting of the Goldfield Hotel in Nevada
Goldfield was known for its Saloons, mining stock exchange, a grocery store and a few banks. The town had suffered over the years many devastating events from fires, to heavy rains. In 1905,Goldfield had their first fire, when a stove had exploded in a shop. Two blocks of businesses and homes had burned down from the fire. Eight years later, in 1913, Goldfield had suffered yet another blow to their town. Heavy rains had caused a rolling wall of water to pour into their city, which had caused buildings to be completely wiped out. Finally in 1923, a moonshine still had exploded across the street from The Goldfield Hotel. The fire destroyed twenty-seven blocks, and the town had never recovered. The Goldfield Hotel had opened in 1908, by a architect named, George E. Holesworth. Built by George Wingfield, he was the primarily owner of the Goldfield Consolidated Mines Company. The hotel had been built over a mine shaft that had gone dry. The hotel had 154 rooms, with electric lights, steam heat and telephones. The hotel was considered the most luxurious hotel from Chicago and San Francisco. Furnished with black leather upholestry, and crystal chandeliers, the hotel had even imported chefs from Europe. The Goldfield hotel had one of the very first Otis elevators, considered west of the Mississippi River.
Most of the society's upper class was appealed to the luxurious hotel, making owner George Wingfield a multi-millionaire by the time he was age 30. He was a very powerful political view in the state of Nevada, active in both Democratic and Republican parties. Wingfield had gone on to continue his good fortune with a chain of several Reno hotels, several banks and ranches as well as the Goldfield Hotel. By the 1930's, the town had supported less than a thousand residents, and the hotel had declined as well. By then, it had become a flop house for cowboys and undiscriminating travelers. It even housed Army Air Corp personnel during World War II. Once the soldiers had left in 1945, Goldfield Hotel had closed its doors forever.
As years have passed, so had owners numerous times to the hotel. In 1985, an investor named, Lestor O'Shea had owned the Hotel, making promises to rebuild the hotel and open it. When his company went bankrupt, the county took the hotel back. In 2003, a rancher named Edgar, "Red" Roberts became the new hotel owner of The Goldfield Hotel. Many legends and history have been told as to what haunts the hotel these days. As the story shall be told, a prostitute named Elizabeth was a young lady whom owner George Wingfield was very much fond of. He had visited her quite frequently back in the 1930's. She had discovered she was pregnant, claiming it was Wingfield's. Some stories tell that Wingfield had found out she was pregnant from another man, and became furious. Though whether this is true or not, is unclear. When Wingfield discovered she was pregnant, he had paid her to stay away, fearful of how it might affect his business and personal affairs.
Eventually, when she couldn't hide her pregnancy, Wingfield was said to have lured her into the Goldfield Hotel, into Room 109, where he had chained her to a radiator. There she had been left, supplied with food and water until her child could be born. Reports had told the story Elizabeth had died in childbirth, while other stories contend that Wingfield had murdered her after the child was born. After the birth of the baby, Wingfield, still angry with Elizabeth, took the baby and had thrown it into a old mine shaft at the northern end of the basement, in which the hotel was built on. Sightings of Elizabeth are about the same, in which are described as seeing her with long flowing hair, in a white gown, and smelling the perfume of lilac. It's said when she is seen, she is very horribly sad, and walks the hallways , crying out to her child. She is typically known to be seen in Room 109. Most investigators report that this room is immensely cold, to seeing spirits, hearing voices, and others claim its a portal opening to another spirit world. A video had shown in Room 109 by investigators a spirit energy exiting a wall on the left side.
It looks like the wall is changing form, from a less solid one. There are other reports of ghosts that haunt the hotel, some to which their identities are still unknown today. George Wingfield himself still lingers haunting his own hotel as some investigators believe. He makes his presence known by the smell of his cigar smoke, while others have reported finding fresh cigar ashes in his first floor room. He's also been sensed near the giant lobby staircase. A malevolent spirit lingers in what was once called the main dining room. He usually randomly attacks those who cross the threshold, with a large kitchen knife, though he's never harmed anyone, he's frightened many before. Even children have been reported haunting the Hotel.
Two children and a midget have been claimed to linger near the lobby staircase, and tap people on their backs, while giggling and dancing away. As many apparitions, noises, shadowy figures, smells, portal openings and other things go on at this hotel, it is a truly amazing story of how the west lives on. The Goldfield Hotel has been featured on television such as "World's Scariest Places" and even "Ghost Hunters (T.A.P.S.)". The Goldfield Hotel truly has amazing history and legends here. Does Room 109 really have a portal opening or a Vortex as the investigators claim? Many more investigators and psychics are not sure as of now. With many claims and so many unanswered questions, you begin to wonder what really lies beyond the spirit world. As for the hotel itself, it definitely has a historic legend of hauntings here, that won't let go, and continues to live on.
