Haunted Places in America: The Goldfield Hotel

Goldfield, Nevada is considered to be not much more than a ghost town today but thanks to a gold discovery, Goldfield held a population of over 30,000 during its heyday back in 1906. It was estimated that $11 million of ore was being produced at its peak and in 1908 the Goldfield Hotel was opened to the public. By around 1910 the gold was decreasing and so was the town. In 1920, just 1500 people were left in Goldfield, today it is less than 500 but the Goldfield Hotel still strives as one of the most haunted places in America.

Since the whole town was closely associated with the gold mines rise and fall, it is no surprise that the Goldfield Hotel went through many owners through the years. Many attempts were made to profit off the building, even drilling two mine shafts under the hotel itself, but none were a success. Between 1943 and 1945 the hotel housed military families from the Tonopah Air Field. Once it closed its doors in 1945, they were never reopened.

With less than 40 years in service, the Goldfield Hotel doesn’t have the rich history of other famous haunted hotels but rest assured it makes up for it paranormal activity. It has even been names by Fox TV as one of the scariest places on earth.

The most notable of the apparitions at the hotel is that of a prostitute named Elizabeth. She is reportedly linked to a previous owner named George Wingfield. The story is told that Elizabeth became pregnant. When Wingfield found out, he paid her to stay away but when the pregnancy could not be hidden any longer he took her to room 109 and handcuffed her to the radiator.

Elizabeth died in the room, whether it was murder or from child birth is still unclear. The baby was taken by Wingfield and thrown down one of the mining shafts under the hotel. Elizabeth can still be seen as well as heard in room 109 looking for her baby. From the basement, sounds of a crying child can be heard echoing about the room.

There are numerous other spirits that have been known to wonder the halls of the Goldfield Hotel. The apparitions of two guests that committed suicide in the hotel have been reported seen by many over the years. One is a woman who hanged herself and the other a male who jumped to his death.

A malevolent spirit is said to occupy what was once the main dining area. Though no one has been harmed to date, this ghost is said to randomly stab people as they enter the room. In contrast, near the staircase in the lobby there are three spirits, 2 kids and what is described as a midget, that love to sneak up behind people and tap them, then run away giggling.

There have also been reports of the scent of cigar smoke near those same lobby steps and ashes found on the floor. Could this be the ghost of George Wingfield? Possibly, though Wingfield did not die in the hotel, could he be there because of Elizabeth?

We will never know these answers for sure, but we do know one thing, there is unexplainable activity at this hotel. Take a look at these Goldfield Hotel ghost videos.

Related posts:

1. The Haunted Crescent Hotel
2. The Haunted Baker Hotel
3. The Haunting of the St. James Hotel
4. Goldfield Hotel Ghost Video
5. The Haunted Mount Washington Hotel