The second you pull up to the Fairmont Banff Springs resort in Alberta, you’ll feel the goosebumps. The “Castle in the Rockies” is surrounded by snow-covered mountains that give off major The Shining vibes, while the exterior is half castle, half Tower of Terror. You know the type – rustic and scary, yet extremely sophisticated. Now don’t get us wrong, this hotel is luxurious… going for up to $300 a night while hundreds of guests each day lounge in private suites, dine on fine cuisine, play golf and enjoy the beautiful sights of Alberta. But little do they know that there are other guests roaming the halls of this popular hotel, many of whom aren’t even human.
With over 130 years in business, and 757 rooms hosting people from around the world… it’s safe to say that Fairmont Banff Springs has quite the history. Between the spa appointments and selfie moments, guests have also reported quite a few ghost sightings – some harmless, and some a bit more sinister. One of the most famous spirits? The Ghost Bride. Back in the 1930’s, the young woman was said to be walking down the marble staircase on her wedding day, only to abruptly fall down the stairs to her death. It was definitely not the wonderful day she had in mind, and her ghost has been sighted by countless guests and hotel employees – dancing in the ballroom, walking up and down the stairs, or crying in the bridal suite only for staff to find it empty. Besides the cold chill she leaves behind, most consider the Ghost Bride to be relatively harmless. She’s even famous enough to have her own Collector’s Coin from the Royal Canadian Mint!
There have been other friendly ghosts known to frequent like Fairmont Banff Springs, like Sam the Bellman. Sam McCauley took his job as bellman at the hotel very seriously – so much that he still hangs out around the hotel helping guests since his death in 1975. There have been many instances of his friendly nature, such as the two older women who claimed that an elderly gentleman in plaid had unlocked their room for them… only to be told by staff that a man of that description did not work at the hotel. Or just sightings of Sam strolling along the seventh and ninth floors of the hotel without a care in the world. Sam the Bellman is forever dedicated to providing assistance to the guests of the Fairmont Banff Springs, even in death.
We’ve told you about the happy haunts, but the Fairmont Banff Springs does have a dark side. In particular, the gruesome tales of room 873. The legends say that there was a horrifying murder-suicide that took place in the room many years ago, with a man killing his young daughter and wife before himself. And the ghost stories have continued ever since. Guests staying in the room have heard bloody shrieks and scream all throughout the night, while maids cleaning the room report bloody fingerprints that only reappear after being washed away. In fact, the paranormal activity was so common that the hotel was forced to board up the room altogether – which we know is bad news for the major thrill seekers. But the ghosts at this century-old hotel are thriving, and always ready to meet guests. If you’re lucky enough to visit the Fairmont Banff Springs, don’t forget to look out for spirits in between your fancy dinners and spa appointments!
Want to read more about haunted hotels? We’ve got you covered.
I am a lifelong pop culture junkie with immense passion for all forms of art and entertainment. On a typical weekend, I can be found at a concert or musical, chasing ghosts on the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland, or watching way too many makeup tutorials on YouTube.
In a PBS special called Legendary Lighthouses, the Heceta Head Lighthouse is referred to as a haunted lighthouse—stating that nearly everyone who has stayed at the lighthouse since the 1950s has experienced paranormal activity. These experiences include things like disembodied screams, items moving or disappear and the reappearing on their own, as well as the shadow of an old woman’s ghost in an attic window. Along with the older woman, it is said that her daughter also haunts this scenic lighthouse.
The History of the Heceta Head Lighthouse
This Queen Anne styled cottage with a red roof overlooks the rocky cliffs and violent waves of the Pacific Ocean and has done so for more than a century. Originally built in 1894, when the lamp was first lit, to the early 1960s, the men who kept the lighthouse running, and their families called this cottage home. During World War II it served as military barracks and was used as a satellite campus for Lane Community College in Eugene from 1970 to 1995. Since 1995, it has been run as a bed and breakfast with room enough to fit fifteen guests comfortably.
Ghostly Experiences at the Lighthouse Keeper’s Cottage
Photography by Jrozwado
Some of the experiences that have occurred on the premises have been the apparition of a gray-haired woman who appears wearing a late Victorian-era dress; a wispy gray figure has also appeared floating down the hallway. The sounds of sweeping and furniture being moved occur at night and they come from the locked and otherwise unoccupied attic. These occurrences in the lighthouse keeper’s cottage have given this location the reputation of being one of the most haunted places on the West Coast.
For the last four decades, the main apparition—or presence—has been known as Rue, ever since a group of the Lane Community College students broke out their Ouija Board and began to ask questions. Apparently the board spelled out, “R-U-E,” and the name stuck. While “[Rue] doesn’t ever do anything scary or harmful or threatening,” current manager Anderson reports, “it’s more like she’s watching over the place. Watching the house and looking for her daughter.”
Anderson has heard many versions of many stories over the years that she has managed the property, to the point where she wonders if they even know the truth, and says that “it’s just [their] version [of the story].” The only story that they do endorse as the truth is the theory that Rue was the wife of one of the lighthouse keepers, but records can’t confirm that due to the fact that the wives and children of the keepers were never documented. Anderson believes that Rue had two daughters and that one of them had drowned—they are uncertain whether she drowned in the ocean or in a cistern, but that there is an unmarked grave up on the hillside that had been long left undisturbed and consequently was overgrown.
Although Rue left the Heceta Head Cottage after her daughter died, it is said that she came back after her own death to look for her daughter. When checking into the bed and breakfast, there are many guests that request the Victoria room, where the keepers of the lighthouse and their wives were said to have slept. Others are drawn to the Cape Cove Room, which contains a closet that houses the stairs leading up to the locked attic. Still other guests prefer not to know at all.
Possibly the most frightening encounter with Rue that was ever reported appeared in the Siuslaw News in 1975—a workman was cleaning one of the windows in the attic when he noticed an odd reflection in the glass. When she turned to see what was behind him, he saw the apparition of an elderly woman wearing a late-Victorian style gown—he fled the house and didn’t return to the cottage for several days and refused to ever go into the attic again. Even when he accidentally broke one of the attic windows, he opted instead to repair the window from the outside and the broken glass was left on the attic floor. That same night, the caretakers of the house were woken up to the sounds of scraping sounds in the attic and reported that it sounded as if someone was sweeping up broken glass, but they had not yet been told about the broken window. The next morning when they went to investigate, they found that the glass had been swept into a neat pile.
One of her employees, a housekeeper and food server named Beth Mozzachio, said she often feels a presence while she’s working and specifically reported making the bed and then noticing a depression has formed, as if someone recently sat there. Mazzachio knows that if she ever saw an apparition of Rue that she would be terrified, but believes that because she takes care of the inn and makes it look nice that Rue doesn’t bother her much.
The Anna Byrne Chronicles: Chapter 01 – The Haunting of Heceta Head
We’ve discussed the Heceta Head Lighthouse before in our Encyclopedia of Supernatural Horror, where we aimed to discuss the facts of the location–in this article we’ve tried to go a bit further with witness experiences. We have even created an original horror fiction where our character visits Heceta Head–so check out The Anna Byrne Chronicles: Chapter 01 – The Haunting of Heceta Head.
Georgia-based author and artist, Mary has been a horror aficionado since the mid-2000s. Originally a hobby artist and writer, she found her niche in the horror industry in late 2019 and hasn’t looked back since. Mary’s evolution into a horror expert allowed her to express herself truly for the first time in her life. Now, she prides herself on indulging in the stuff of nightmares.
Mary also moonlights as a content creator across multiple social media platforms—breaking down horror tropes on YouTube, as well as playing horror games and broadcasting live digital art sessions on Twitch.
The first floor is dedicated to the public rooms, such as the grand entrance hall, formal parlor, music room—where the Flavel daughters held their music recitals—the library, dining room, and conservatory. The more private rooms on the first floor included the butler’s pantry, kitchen, and mudroom which were reserved for the housekeeping staff. The second floor was where the main bathroom, five bedrooms, and a small storage room or sewing room were. The attic floor is large and unfinished and houses the two plain wood bedrooms that were used by the Flavel’s domestic help. The four-story tower was made for the Captain to have a 360-degree view of Astoria and the Columbia River as a way for him to keep an eye on the local ship traffic coming through. There was also a dirt-floor basement that housed the large wood-burning furnace that kept the house warm.
The Carriage House was home to the family’s caretaker, and was also originally made to hold the family kept their carriage, sleigh, and small buggies—where it had three temporary holding stalls for their horses, a tack room, and an upstairs hayloft. In time it was transitioned to hold the more modern vehicles, such as the Flavel’s Studebaker sedan, and the family’s driver kept a room upstairs.
The Grounds
Not too long after the house was originally built, the family’s gardener, Louis Schultz, began planting trees, beautiful roses, as well as bulb flowers and shrubs—many of which were typical of a traditional Victorian garden. A number of the trees on the premises were officially named Oregon Heritage Trees—there is also a pond and a bench under the pear tree where Flavel’s daughters would sit in the shade. The entire house is considered a significant architectural and historical treasure for the entire Pacific Northwest.
The Timeline of the Flavels, Their Houses & Fate
1886
While the construction of the Captain George Conrad Flavel house was started in 1884, and it was finally finished in the spring of 1886. The Flavel House was built for Captain George Conrad Flavel and his family. The house was designed by German-born architect Carl W. Leick and the construction bordered between the Victorian and Colonial Revival periods. It was considered a prime example of Queen Anne architecture; one of the few remaining well-preserved examples in the entire Northwest. Due to the Captain’s long history and contributions to the community of Astoria, the Flavel family had long been considered the most prominent family in town.
The Carriage House was built on the south-west corner of the property.
1890s
Alex Murray, the family’s hired caretaker, called the Carriage House home while in the employment of the Flavels.
1893
Captain Flavel lived in the house for seven years with his wife Mary Christina Boelling and their two adult daughters, Nelli and Katie. Their son, George Conrad Flavel never resided within the George Conrad Flavel House, as he was already married and living in a house of his own. During his seventh year in the residence of the Flavel House, Captain Flavel passed away, leaving the to the family.
1901
Captain George Conrad Flavel’s son, George Conrad Flavel would build his house—the house that is now often referred to as the Harry Flavel House. George Conrad Flavel Junior had worked as a bar pilot for his father, becoming a Captain as well.
1922
When most of downtown Astoria was destroyed by a fire, the Flavel House was one of the only survivors.
The house was set to be torn down to establish an outdoor community property—the city ended up having financial difficulties and returned the property to Patricia Flavel—that same year, Patricia deeded the residence to Clatsop County, but with conditions. The understanding was that both the grounds and the house would be kept in good repair and used for public purposes.
1937
From the time the house was deeded the to county, until the end of World War II, the Public Health Department, Red Cross, and local Welfare Commission all had offices within the mansion.
The Camperdown Elm, Sequoia Redwood, four Cork Elms, Bay Laurel, Pear, and Ginkgo Biloba trees on the premises were named official Oregon Heritage Trees in a state-wide dedication ceremony that was held on the grounds.
The Haunting at Captain George Conrad Flavels House
Truly, ever since the Flavel house was converted into a museum in 1951, there have been many reports of hauntings; phantom music and voices were heard on the first story of the house which was believed to have been a product of the Flavel sisters, as they were gifted musicians. The Library has always housed an unhappy and strange presence. There is an apparition of a woman who roams the hallway on the second floor, but she vanishes when approached—and a floral scent can be smelt at strange times in the bedroom of Ms. Flavel, when no one has been around. In Captain George Flavel’s room, his apparition can be seen, but he disappears into the floor once he has been noticed.
Georgia-based author and artist, Mary has been a horror aficionado since the mid-2000s. Originally a hobby artist and writer, she found her niche in the horror industry in late 2019 and hasn’t looked back since. Mary’s evolution into a horror expert allowed her to express herself truly for the first time in her life. Now, she prides herself on indulging in the stuff of nightmares.
Mary also moonlights as a content creator across multiple social media platforms—breaking down horror tropes on YouTube, as well as playing horror games and broadcasting live digital art sessions on Twitch.
The Carolina Theatre of Greensboro has a long history surrounding of paranormal activity. What makes the theatre all the eerier is that it opened on Halloween night, 1927. Originally called “The Showplace of the Carolinas” it began featuring a mixture of specialty acts such as burlesque comedy, song, and dance. Today it is home to many different events including concerts and live plays.
The Carolina Theatre of Greensboro is also home to three ghosts in particular. One ghost was a steelworker who fell from one of the beams during construction and died during the construction of the Carolina Theatre. A technical director who works at the theatre claims to have see this ghost. He recalls coming in early in the morning and walking across the lobby when it happened and said he saw a man in work clothes walking across the lobby 10 to 15 feet in front of him.
The Carolina Theatre
Thinking it was his coworker, the director began following him across the lobby. The apparition pushed open the door of the restroom as the director followed behind. When the director opened the door the lights to the restroom were off and nobody was in the bathroom. He believes it to be the ghost of the construction worker wearing overalls and Dickies.
The second ghost is that of a little boy. In 2014 a paranormal team stayed overnight at the theatre. They reported communicating with a little boy whose house used to be on the grounds before the theatre was built. His passing was a tragic event. Though no one has seen the little boy’s apparition there are childish things that go on at the theatre. Some report to have had stacks of chairs move on them and chairs taken off of the stacks the next day. People have also heard children’s laughter throughout the theatre.
The third, and most known, ghost is that of Melvaleene Reva Ferguson who died in a fire she had set to the theatre in 1981. In the ’80s there was a homeless woman who apparently had mental health issues. She came to a movie and hid behind the seats. As the story goes, she was denied her medicine that day and she told them if she didn’t get her medication that Greensboro was going to burn that night. After the movie she hid behind the seats while everyone else closed up. She went into the south stairwell of the theatre and started the fire which ultimately killed her. There have been sightings of her walking across the mezzanine level while she holds a clothing basket. People during rehearsals have also seen her walk back and forth before disappearing.
With its long history and many sightings of paranormal activity it’s only right that The Carolina Theatre offers an event called “Paranormal Carolina with The Ghost Guild.” In the description the event offers you the chance to explore hidden parts of the haunted theatre, learn about 90 years of paranormal history, and experience being locked-in overnight with the spirits the Carolina holds. No prior paranormal experience required!
Comparing The House on Haunted Hill and The Haunting Movies
The House on Haunted Hill (1999) is a chilling tale that will keep anyone up at night. The Haunting (1999) is a heart-pounding story of fear providing a number of suspenseful screams. Both of these movies feature strikingly similar themes, settings, propaganda and even cast. Sincerely capitalizing on the “haunted house” genre, these two films released a matter of months apart! Although each film has its own loyal fan base, there are clear similarities and differences which cannot be ignored. Here are some of the biggest comparison notes between the two haunted house movies.
Similarities Between The House on Haunted Hill and The Haunting
Many horror fans have asked, “How is The House on Haunted Hill the same as The Haunting?” And the truth is, there are obviously many similarities between the two hit blockbusters. Here are some of the most obvious, as well as some of the more interesting similarities Horror Enthusiast found when comparing the two movies…
Haunted Houses
Obviously it is impossible to list similarities without mentioning that both movies are about a haunted house. Both titles even share a variation of the word “Haunt.” This was not a coincidence, however, a tip of the hat to the 1950s novel by Shirley Jackson, turned film, The Haunting of Hill House (1959). Both movies are loosely about a haunted mansion, a behemoth-style house.
Victims Were Invited
In The House on Haunted Hill, the guests are invited to attend a party thrown at the mansion by famous, wealthy entrepreneur Steven Price. Although the house actually changed the celebrity-invites to seemingly ‘no name’ people, they were invited nonetheless!
In The Haunting, the guests are invited to take part of an insomnia study hosted at the mansion by Dr. David Marrow. Although the guests all believe they are there to help resolve insomnia, Dr. Marrow’s true intensions are to observe the participants’ response to fear. And in a truly terrifying mansion, there is plenty of fear to go around!
Two Survivors
The House on Haunted Hill allows for two survivors, Sara Wolfe and Eddie Baker (a female and a male survivor).
The Haunting allows for two survivors as well, Theo and also Doctor David Marrow (again a female and a male survive).
House Seals Itself
Both haunted mansion thrillers feature a house that is able to seal itself, leaving the survivors trapped inside to face the doom and evil with seemingly no way to escape.
A Supreme Evil & Tortured Ghosts
In The House on Haunted Hill, the merciless Dr Richard Benjamin Vannacutt is responsible for the torture and sadistic experiments on his psychiatric patients, who in turn haunt the mansion and its medical catacombs. The psychiatric patients are victims in themselves, although they haunt the house and all its guests.
In The Haunting, an ominous ghost and original mansion owner Hugh Crane terrorizes and kills children, trapping them in the house for all of eternity. And although Crane is the true evil, the enslaved children also haunt the guests of Hill House.
Locked In Overnight
Despite the house’s ability in each movie to fully lock-down and secure the victims within the premises on its own…the guests all willfully sign up for a night’s stay. In fact, all guests in both movies understand the gates are to be locked overnight. The survivors are forced to make it all night until the gates are re-opened by a gatekeeper or otherwise the next morning at sunrise.
Male Organizer
Both horror films feature a strong male lead role who orchestrates the entire experience. In The House on Haunted Hill, Steven Price arranges a birthday bash for his wife, inviting the guests to partake in the fun. While The Haunting is about Dr Marrow’s invites his guests to aide his investigation into fear.
Differences Between the House on Haunted Hill and the Haunting
A true haunted house movie fan would ask “How is the House on Haunted Hill different from the Haunting?” as these two movies are creepily similar (as noted above). Fear not, however, Horror Enthusiast has identified a number of differences when comparing the two haunted house movies! Here are some of the easiest, as well as more elusive differences…
Successful Entrepreneur vs Experimental Doctor
It is true that both lead male roles, also responsible for the accommodations to begin with, are successful, powerful individuals who are able to rent the entire haunted mansion themselves. However, there is an obvious difference in that Steven Price is renting the house on haunted hill for entertainment-based puposes, while Dr Marrow is renting his haunted house for a psychological experiment.
Sympathetic Help From The Other Side
Both movies have groups of horrifying ghosts lurking within the walls of the mansions. One big difference, however, is that many of the ghosts in The Haunting (the children namely), turn out to help the protagonists survive. The ghosts that haunt The House on Haunted Hill are all just as threatening and scary as Dr Vannacutt himself.
Human Threats
The House on Haunted Hill is a complex movie, cascading story lines upon one another to create an interwoven, truly scary tale. In this movie, there are a number of suspected threats that are human based, making the hauntings of the house that much scarier…as no one knows what is real! The Haunting is purely a supernatural fear, though, still arguably just as scary to some!
CGI vs Psychological Thriller
Sure, both movies have their fair amount of CGI, but it’s obvious that The Haunting relied much more on it’s CGI visual effects to scare than The House on Haunted Hill. There is definitely a difference in how the two movies choose to invoke fear…and is a perfect highlight as to how two very different movies can be made with nearly the same story line and setting.
Insane Asylum vs Private Mansion
The House on Haunted Hill takes place in a mansion-looking property resting high on a hill that was previously Vannacutt Psychiatric Institute for the Criminally Insane. This is a place where horrific medical experiments were performed on patients. The patients got loose, killed everyone and the place burned, lock down mechanism initiated.
The Haunting sets the scene in a beautifully constructed and decorated mansion that was built for Baron Hugh Crain and his wife. It was their dream to have a large family of children. Unfortunately, they would never have any children, only evil which spawned and haunts the house forever.
Release Date
Although the two movies are very similar, they chose release dates about 3 months apart. The Haunting was released first on July 23rd, 1999. The House on Haunted Hill secured the more prestigious spot for a horror movie…right before Halloween being released on October 29th, 1999.
Movie Budget
Neither of these films performed very well, and probably made a lot of people really upset (despite becoming cult classics and horror fan favorites, especially The House on Haunted Hill). The starting budget, however, was hugely different between the films.
The House on Haunted Hill had an estimated budget of $37,000,000. It ended up earning $40,846,082 in the United States.
The Haunting had a tremendously large estimated budget of $80,000,000, nearly double its competitor! In the end, The Haunting only raked in $91,411,151…still rather slim earnings for such a huge investment!
Fun Fact: It is no wonder The Haunting had a budget nearly double the size of The House on Haunted Hill…as the crew members of almost every department (art, makeup, visual effects, special effects, stunts, sound, etc), were nearly double!
Final Comparison Notes: Haunting vs Haunted Hill Movies
Despite the amazing similarities between the two films, there are obviously more than enough differences to warrant two unique viewing experiences. Interestingly enough, they each have developed their own cult-fan clubs. And while both of these haunted house thrillers are based upon a more than 50 year old novel, they are both frightening and paved their own places in horror movie history.
Tritone’s love of horror and mystery began at a young age. Growing up in the 80’s he got to see some of the greatest horror movies play out in the best of venues, the drive-in theater. That’s when his obsession with the genre really began—but it wasn’t just the movies, it was the games, the books, the comics, and the lore behind it all that really ignited his obsession. Tritone is a published author and continues to write and write about horror whenever possible.
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