5 haunted spots in downtown Salt Lake City
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Salt Lake City & County Building. Photo: Kim Bojórquez/Axios
Salt Lake City's history is filled with tales of pioneers and grim events that have left their mark on Utah's capital — and some believe the spirits of those who came before still linger.
Why it matters: Everyone loves a good ghost story, especially ones with local roots.
State of play: I went on my first haunted tour of downtown this week with US Ghost Adventures, led by 8th-grade history teacher Cody Owens, to learn more about these ghostly legends.
- What truly terrified me, though, was the $42 parking ticket I found on my car at the end of the night.
The big picture: Some downtown landmarks perceived to be haunted have real-life tragedies attached to them.
Zoom in: Here are five downtown spots believed to be haunted.
1. City & County Building
Employees have reported paranormal encounters at City Hall for years.
- The 131-year-old building is said to be haunted by the city's first non-Latter-day Saint mayor, George Montgomery Scott, who served in the early 1890s.
What they're saying: Andrew Wittenberg, a spokesperson for the mayor's office, tells Axios he's never experienced anything paranormal in the five years he's worked in the building.
Yes, but: He says a number of his colleagues have reported doors closing, lights flickering, unexplained children's laughter, mysterious gusts of wind and seeing things out of the corners of their eyes.
- "It's conceivable that there are other forces at play," he says.
2. Holiday Inn Express
The former International Dunes Hotel was the site of a mass murder-suicide.
Flashback: In 1978, a woman and her seven children plunged from the hotel's 11th floor. Only one child, a teenage girl, survived, according to news reports.
- Authorities described the incident as an "act of religious zealotry." The woman's husband, cult leader Immanuel David, had died by suicide days earlier.
- The hotel was later turned into a Holiday Inn Express. Reports of hauntings include unexplained sounds and seeing apparitions of children.
3. Whiskey Street
Whiskey Street opened in 2013, taking its name from a stretch of Main Street once known for its saloons, distilleries and brothels in the early 1900s.
- Before it became a bar, the space housed the Rotisserie Inn, an upscale restaurant from 1915 to 1957.
The intrigue: It's believed to be haunted by a ghostly little girl and other patrons who've stayed beyond last call.
What's next: The bar was destroyed by last year's Main Street Fire, but its owners plan to rebuild.
4. Capitol Theatre
The Capitol Theatre, previously called the Orpheum Theatre, opened in 1913 to much excitement. It's now home to Ballet West and the Utah Opera.
Flashback: In 1949, a fire broke out in the basement, killing a 17-year-old usher who is believed to have never left the premise.
5. The Peery Hotel
The historic hotel opened in 1910 during the state's mining boom.
The intrigue: The hotel is believed to be haunted by several ghosts, including a moaning woman reportedly seen in the hallways and elevator, and children said to run through the halls.