Hood River Oregon’s Haunted Hotels

Categories
Featured Haunted Places Horror Mystery and Lore

Hood River sits in the Columbia Gorge along the Columbia river surrounded by fields, orchards, vineyards, and at the foot of Oregon’s tallest mountain, Mount Hood. “The area was inhabited by Native Americans when the Lewis and Clark expedition passed through on October 29, 1805. Here they found a campsite called “Waucoma,” or “place of big trees.” The camp was located near what became known as the Dog River.” – City of Hood River Website. The town was established in 1858 and was originally called “Dog River.” The Columbia Gorge is a wonder of nature unto itself stretching 80 miles and at times is 4,000 feet deep. The Columbia River that flows through the gorge near Hood River is notorious for windsurfing and kiteboarding. On any given day you can see the sails and kites littered about the massive river.

Haunted Hood River Hotel Side View
Haunted Hood River Hotel

The quaint town of Hood River is an outdoor adventurer stronghold. Sprinter vans, mountain bikes, kite and windsurfers, and craft beer are everywhere. The town is home to about 8,000 people and it’s a blend of farmers, migrant workers in the summer working the vineyards, mountain sports enthusiasts, beer lovers, surfers, and about anyone else who loves outdoor activities.

Scenic Map of The Columbia River
Scenic Map of The Columbia River

The town is also the home of two of Oregon’s most haunted hotels. The “Hood River Hotel” and “The Columbia Gorge Hotel.” The Hood River hotel established in 1912 is now over 100 years old and the magnificent Columbia Gorge Hotel will turn 100 next year in 2021. After a century in business, these hotels have seen some life and even some death. The town was originally a major hub for trade before being discovered as an outdoor person’s hot spot. With hundreds of thousands of visitors a year there are stories to tell.

The Haunted Hood River Hotel

Haunted Hood River Hotel Front
Haunted Hood River Hotel Front Door, Hood River, Oregon

The original hotel named the Mt Hood Hotel dates back to 1888 which was strategically located near the train depot in the center of town. It is the oldest hotel in the city of Hood River. Local lore tells of the original owner Ola Bell still inhabiting room 319 even though she died in 1942. She owned the hotel for over 30 years and her ghost is said to still haunt the hallways. The haunting ranges from sheer terror guests have experienced such as mortal fear when entering a room and disembodied footsteps to less terrifying events such as doorknobs moving with no one in sight, phantom phone calls. The most horrifying account comes from a guest staying in room 310. The guest reported opening the door and becoming overcome with dread, this the statement left in their review of the hotel room ” I nearly knocked my poor daughter down trying to get out. Every hair on my body stood on end, every rational thought left my brain and all I could do was yell GO GO GO GET OUT GET OUT.”

The Haunted Columbia Gorge Hotel

blank
Haunted Columbia Gorge Hotel, Hood River, Oregon

The Columbia Gorge Hotel was built by Simon Benson, who was involved with the Columbia Gorge Scenic Highway. Benson envisioned a hotel at the end of the highway and completed the Mission style hotel in 1921. The new hotel was built on the site of the previous Wah Gwin Gwin Hotel, built in 1904. Between 1925 and 1952, the hotel went through several changes of ownership.

The then-48-room hotel closed in 1952, when it was sold to the Neighbors of Woodcraft, a non-profit fraternal benefit society based in Oregon since 1905, and converted into a retirement home.It was sold again in 1978, with the new owners planning to reopen it as a hotel. After a $1-million renovation, the now-42-room hotel reopened in September 1979. 

In January 2009, the landmark hotel closed its doors again, due to foreclosure. The foreclosing bank later re-opened the hotel before selling it to Vijay Patel’s A-1 Hospitality Group in October 2009 for around $4 million. Between 2009 and 2012, the hotel underwent a major renovation. The hotel is currently open and you can take a virtual toor.

Haunting and ghost sightings within the hotel vary. There are sighting of a woman in White attire who allegedly committed suicide at the hotel, most recently sitting at a park bench on the ground. Scents of cigar smoke with no identifiable cause possibly related to a retiree who died on the premises when it was a retirement home. There are other sightings of a ghost of a child near an area that once held a pool. Room 330 has reports of another female ghost of unknown origin. Rooms have been found barricaded with no known cause and a man wearing a frock coat and a top hat been seen.

Recent guests report strange dreams such as this guest in 2020 “I saw a black mass hovering above my the nightstand next to the bed. In the dream, it started to smoke and the room started on fire due to this presence.” In 2018 Another guest reported, “I saw a human form walk around the foot of our bed and to my side of the bed, suddenly I couldn’t move or speak.” That was not the only guest who was left paralyzed in fear. Another man in 2016 reported “my wife said she couldn’t move, speak or open her eyes, she was in a frozen state. I woke up when something felt like tugging or sitting on the blankets on my side of the bed that sent tingles up my legs.”

Columbia Gorge Hotel Information Guide
Columbia Gorge Hotel Information Guide

The town of Hood River is beautifully nestled along the Columbia River Gorge. It is home to some of the best outdoor activities in Oregon but it also has a long and haunted history. It’s well worth a visit for ghost-hunters, historians, and anyone who visits the great haunted state of Oregon.

Want more Oregon Lore, check out these articles?

https://puzzleboxhorror.com/tag/oregon/

Index
https://cityofhoodriver.gov/community/history/
https://www.columbiagorgehotel.com/
https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g51909-d114266-r605770471-Hood_River_Hotel-Hood_River_Oregon.html
https://thoughtcatalog.com/amy-venezia/2015/09/i-spent-a-night-at-the-columbia-gorge-hotel-after-i-heard-stories-of-its-haunted-rooms/
https://www.oregonhauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/hood-river-hotel.html
https://www.oregonhauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/columbia-gorge-hotel.html

blank

Advertisements

Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






Hope…for the Future, Vol 1 – A Neo-Noir, Pulp Crime Horror

Categories
Best Of Best of Comics Featured Reviews

Imagine the black and white pulp crime world of Dick Tracy mixed with the neo-noir of Frank Miller’s Sin City. Now, add in a dash of occult magic and envision the love child of James Ellroy and Alan Moore, a genre-bending mashup of L.A. Confidential and Hellblazer. Starting to get the picture? If you love any of those genres as much as I do, then you will be head-over-heels for 2000AD’s gritty detective graphic novel Hope…for the Future. 

Puzzle Box Horror may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Hope for the Future comic book cover
Hope for the Future comic book cover

In an alternate post-war 1940s Los Angeles, where occult forces are a fact of life, Mallory Hope is a private detective haunted by his past… and by the demon he works with. When a new case involving a missing boy reminds him of his own lost child, Hope is determined to find him. But he soon discovers all is not what it seems, with dark powers lurking behind the lights of Hollywood

Our protagonist, John Mallory, is very much a John Constantine type: a hard boiled private investigator who’s tuned into the magical world existing beneath everyday reality. He’s a man on a mission, navigating the dark underbelly of 1940s Los Angeles with a dry wit and a grim disposition that makes him immediately likeable. He’s rough and tough, and when given the option to run or double down he always chooses the latter (at one point shrugging and saying “It’s been hours since my last beating”). But he’s also compassionate – demonstrated when he risks his life to save a misfortunate child threatened by a gang of violent goons. I was invested in him from the very first page, his narration really helps to carry the story and give it the necessary exposition and snark.

john mallory art from Hope for the Future comic
John Mallory takes a beating

In this story Hope is tasked with finding a young movie prodigy, a child star who has suddenly gone missing. His investigation will take him to various Hollywood locales, from glitzy film production studios to seedy underground clubs. Along the way we learn about his use of magical powers and how these supernatural interactions are slowly draining his life force. We learn about the enigmatic spirit he accidentally conjured, who wears a nun’s habit and gas mask and feeds off his misery. And we learn, to my great excitement, that there is an overarching storyline about him tracking down the dark being who stole away his wife and son.

demon kidnapping art from Hope for the Future comic
A demonic kidnapper

The writing of Guy Adams is on point here. Literally every single wistful, droll, and pessimistic line from Hope is gold. The story includes a good mix of drama, horror, and humor, and the core mystery of the missing boy would be compelling enough, but the added occult elements really elevate it. Inserting scenes of snake-tongued demons into a detective thriller plot is jarring, but in the best way possible. I definitely appreciate that magic is simply part of the story, and that it’s the dynamic characters who drive the momentum. We get just enough backstory on Mallory to make him engaging, but there’s suggestions of more intriguing reveals in the future. 

And that art from Jimmy Broxton…wow. Normally, I’m a fan of vibrant colors in comics, but the black and white illustrations here just fit so superbly. They’re grungy, gritty, and the art certainly feels like an homage to earlier horror/crime comics. I love the shading and stark contrasts, and how the style bends towards realism in the way the characters and settings are drawn. I also love how Broxton overlays swirling runes and symbols across the panels to let us know when magic is (literally) in the air.

Occult magic art from Hope for the Future comic
Seeing the world through dark magic

This first volume, in my opinion, is a near perfect story. It’s a horror crime thriller with a solid plot  and great pacing, populated with wonderful character archetypes plucked from the supernatural noir genre that bred it. It has a self-contained storyline, but it expertly weaves in a larger plot and perfectly sets up the next book. At 66 pages it’s a very quick read and it leaves you hungry for more. I absolutely cannot wait to join Mallory Hope’s further adventures in the next volume!

Hope…for the Future is available now from 2000AD Comics

blank

Advertisements

Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






Horror Art Fundraiser for Social Justice

Categories
Featured Lifestyle

NO BARS BUT DIVE BARS // ART AUCTION FUNDRAISER50

Craft Fair Ganes is auctioning every piece of Ryan’s original artwork they’ve got left. 100% of the money goes to Denton Bail Fund & North Texas Mutual Aid. ++ AUCTION ENDS: Mon. JUNE 8, 2020 @ 11:59PM READ THIS FIRST: – To bid on a drawing, comment your bid amount on its photo (NOT the album thread) – DO: Keep in mind while bidding that this is a fundraiser for an important cause. – DON’T: Comment on photos if you’re not bidding. – If someone outbids you, feel free to bid again! – When the auction ends, the highest bidder on each photo will get that drawing. We will message each winner to get shipping info. – CW: Some drawings contain depictions of violence. – USA BUYERS: SHIPS FREE – OVERSEAS BUYERS: $15 flat shipping (no matter how many drawings you win) – PAYPAL/VENMO ONLY – PAYMENT MUST BE RECEIVED BY WEDS. JUNE 10, 2020 (If it’s not, we’ll move on to the second place bidder.) – NO LOCAL PICK-UPS – SOLIDARITY // MUTUAL AID // CHAOTIC GOOD FUNDS RAISED WILL BE DIVIDED EQUALLY BETWEEN: Denton Bail Fund: t.ly/D05T North Texas Mutual Aid: t.ly/Pm6f

Auction Link

https://www.facebook.com/pg/craftfairgames/photos/tab=album&album_id=2915330671911871&__tn__=-UC-R

Sample of Art From The Gallery

Craft Fair Games Art Gallery
blank

Advertisements

Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






Horror Bound – Original Horror and Reviews

Categories
Featured Lifestyle
blank

Tell us a bit about yourself and Horror Bound started?

My name is Charlotte, I started Horror Bound 8 years ago as a little blog for me to talk about horror movies because I didn’t have anyone in my life who liked them. Over the years it got bigger and I found my vision for it. I bought the domain and set up a proper website, hired my team of writers and since then we’ve been writing and posting daily. Horror Bound is all about the positivity in horror. It can be a pretty negative space with lots of clickbait titles and scathing reviews. We’re fighting against that – we only review things we love. There are no negative reviews on our site. We also wanted to create a space for indie horror authors to have their books spotlighted. A lot of my writers are also authors so we created the “frightful fiction” section where we share short stories in the horror fiction world. We cover anything from books to movies to video games to podcasts and real-life horror like haunted places and true crime. It’s a horror fan site for horror fans.

Give us some recommendations for our next horror view or read:


My favorite horror movies are:
Saw
Ginger Snaps
Scream
Misery
The Craft
Cult of Chucky
Drag Me To Hell

My favorite horror books are:
N0S4A2 – Joe Hill
Duma Key – Stephen King
The Luminous Dead – Caitlin Starling
We Sold Our Souls – Grady Hendrix
The Ruins – Scott Smith
The Shining Girls – Lauren Beukes 
My Sister the Serial Killer – Oyinkan Braithwaite 

Where can we find you and your site?
Horrorbound.net
https://twitter.com/horrorboundblog
https://www.instagram.com/horrorboundblog/
https://letterboxd.com/horrorbound/
https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4850922-sidney-prescott

blank

Advertisements

Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






Horror Conventions 2022

Categories
Featured Horror News Indie Horror

Another year and another chance to meet your favorite actor/actresses at a Horror convention. 2020 horror cons were a bust, thanks a lot COVID. 2021 we were at 70% power at the conventions. 2022 is the year of the “Horror Con Comeback.” We’re calling it now. Undoubtedly things will change but here is a list of cons to keep an eye on for 2022. We tossed in some of the comicons as well, many are featuring horror celebrities this year. Stay safe out there and mind the zombies.

January 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

Horror

  1. Villicon, 21-23, Orlando, FL https://horrorcons.com/event/17461/villicon-2022
  2. HorrorVille, 22-23, Cocoa, FL https://horrorvillecon.com/
  3. Cowtown Horror Fest, 29-30, Hurst, TX https://www.cowtowncomiccon.com/

Comic 

  1. Fan expo New Orleans, 7-9, New Orleans, LA https://fanexpohq.com/fanexponeworleans/
  2. Albuquerque Comic Con, 14-16, Albuquerque, NM https://albuquerquecomiccon.com/
  3. Fan Expo Portland, 21-23, Portland, OR https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpoportland/

February 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

Horror

  1. Mad Monster Party Carolina, 18-20, Concord, NC http://madmonsterparty.com/events/carolina2022/
  2. Days of the Dead Atlanta, 25-27, Atlanta, GA https://www.daysofthedead.com/atlanta/
  3. MystiCon, 25-27, Roanoke, VA https://mysticon-va.com/

Comic

  1. Simi Valley Toy and Comic Fest, 6, Simi Valley, CA https://simivalleytoycomicfest.com/
  2. Long Beach Comic Expo, 12-13, Long Beach, CA https://longbeachcomicexpo.com/
  3. Con Nooga, 18-20, Chattanooga, TN http://www.connooga.com/
  4. Pensacon, 18-20, Pensacola, FL https://pensacon.com/
  5. Farpoint, 25-27, Hunt Valley MD https://www.farpointcon.com/
  6. Alaska ComicCon, 19-20, Fairbanks, AK https://www.alaskacomicon.com/

March 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions::

Horror

  1. The Fandemic Dead, 18-20, Atlanta, GA https://www.fandemictour.com/
  2. TransWorld Halloween Con, 17-20, St. Louis, MO https://www.haashow.com/

April 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

Horror

  1. TBD

Comic

  1. WonderCon, 1-3, Anaheim, CA https://www.comic-con.org/wca
  2. MoCCa Arts Fest, 2-3, New York City, NY https://www.moccafest.org/
  3. Fan Expo Philadelphia, 8-10, Philadelphia, PA  https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpophiladelphia/
  4. Star Trek: Mission Chicago, 8-10, Chicago IL https://www.startrekmissions.com/en-us.html
  5. Ratha Con, 9, Athens, OH https://www.therathacon.com/
  6. Fanboy Expo: Las Vegas, 22-24, https://fanboyexpo.com/
  7. Fan Expo Cleveland, 29- May 1, Cleveland OH https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpocleveland/

May 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions::

Horror

  1. Crypticon Seattle, 20-22, Seattle, WA https://crypticonseattle.com/
  2. Stranger Con Chicago, 21-22, Schaumburg IL https://www.creationent.com/cal/stranger_chicago.htm

Comic

  1. Fan Expo St. Louis, 13-15, St. Louis, Missouri https://fanexpohq.com/fanexpostlouis/
  2. MegaCon Orlando, 19-22, Orlando, FL https://fanexpohq.com/megaconorlando/
  3. Florida Supercon, 20-22, Miami Beach, FL https://www.floridasupercon.com/en-us.html
  4. Kids Con New England, 21, Concord NH https://kidsconne.com/
  5. Star Wars Celebration, 26-29, Anaheim, CA https://www.starwarscelebration.com/en-us/home/announcement.html
  6. Corecon, 26-29, Fargo, ND https://www.fargocorecon.org/
  7. Comicpalooza, 27-29, Houston, TX https://www.comicpalooza.com/
  8. Fanboy Expo Columbus, 27-29, Columbus, OH https://fanboyexpo.com/
  9. Phoenix Fan Fusion, 27-29, Phoenix, AZ https://www.phoenixfanfusion.com/
  10. Stoker Con May 12th – May 15th (Stoker Awards for Writers) https://www.stokercon.com/

June 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

Horror

  1. Spooky Empire June 17-19, 2022 @ Wyndham Orlando Resort https://spookyempire.com/
  2. Stranger Con New Jersey, 25-26, Edison, NJ https://www.creationent.com/cal/stranger_nj.htm

Comic

July 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

Horror

  1. Southeast Hollows Haunt Convention, 29-31, Savannah, GA https://www.sehhc.com/
  2. Midsummer Scream Halloween and Horror Convention, 29-31, Long Beach, CA https://midsummerscream.org/
  3. Motor City Nightmares, 29-31, Novi, MI https://www.motorcitynightmares.com/

August 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

Horror

  1. Idaho Halloween and Horror Convention, 12-14, Boise, ID https://www.idahohorror.com/
  2. Midwest SlaughterFest, 13-14, Bellevue, NE https://www.eventbrite.com/e/midwest-slaughterfest-2022-tickets-137715746505
  3. CreepyCon Knoxville, 26-28, Knoxville, TN https://creepyconknoxville.com/
  4. Maryland Pop and Horror Con, 27-28, Linthicum Heights, MD https://marylandpopandhorrorcon.com/

September 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

Horror

  1. Tidewater Horror Convention, 9-11, Norfolk, VA https://tidewaterhorrorconvention.com/

October 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

Horror

  1. Biohazard Con, 22, Sacramento, CA https://www.biohazardcon.com/
  2. Scarefest Horror and Paranormal Convention, 21-23, Lexington, KY https://scarefestweekend.com/

November 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

December 2022 Horror and Comic Conventions:

  • Stranger Con December 17-18
  • Did we miss any? Leave us a comment if you have the inside scoop on a Horror Convention we might have missed for 2022. Check the websites and our advice is not to buy too early with the current state of things. Here’s to hoping 2o22 is the year of the Horror Con Comeback! See you all there.

    blank

    Advertisements

    Join "The Horror List" for Weekly Horror in your inbox






    Join The Horror List