Halloween Haunting Cripple Creek, Colorado
Cripple Creek Mining District of Colorado is extremely rich in history and it is also touted to be one of the Most Haunted Places in the United States.
On Highway 67, at the base of Pike’s Peak, southwest of Colorado Springs, Cripple Creek sits at an elevation of 9,500 feet. 
There are mine shafts, head frames, miner’s cabins long abandoned tumbling down. A lonely stone fireplace may be all that’s left of a miners home. Standing among the rubble might cause the hair on the back of your neck to stand on end. A brief visit to one of the abandoned cabins still standing, gives you a window into what it was like back in the late 1800’s or early 1900’s. Can you imagine a more inviting place for ghost to spend Halloween?
Cripple Creek, Colorado was the land of opportunity beckoning men from across land and sea to claim their fortune in the gold fields. Most of the men came from the east where they were farmers and had little knowledge of gold mining. Pikes Peak or Bust was their battle cry, it was painted on covered wagons and carts. But the Rocky Mountains didn’t give up its gold easily, buried deep in the mountain, it was fifty years after the first wave of gold fever hit that the mountain gave up its gold.
Many prospectors lost everything they had, some even their lives in the pursuit of gold. With the tales of fires, (Cripple 
Creek burned to the ground in 1896) floods, mining accidents, general lawlessness in the beginning then bloody battles between mine owners and labor unions, it’s no wonder stories abound of ghosts haunting this historic town that once boasted one murder a day.
Hotel St. Nicolas
So let’s take a closer look at those ghosts. First up, The Hotel St. Nicholas boasts a colorful history. Today its spectacular view of Cripple Creek, 15 guest rooms, furnished with elegance of a bygone era and one restored historic miner’s cottage still includes tales of the supernatural and unexplained. Originally built as a hospital that served the flood victims in the region in the late nineteenth century, it also served as a home for the Sisters of Mercy. As time went on, the hospital served prospectors and their families and then expanded adding a ward for the mentally ill. The hospital closed in the 1970’s. St. Nicholas is rumored to be haunted by several spirits including children, former patients of the mental ward, nuns and an old cantankerous miner. For more information see Hotel St. Nicholas.
** Tomorrow we’ll take a look at more Halloween hauntings in Cripple Creek including the Imperial Hotel where I once attended a theater production of Dracula during the week of Halloween. That was a hair-raising experience I can’t wait to share with you. Until then Happy Haunting! Bawahahaha
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Posted in My Say What Blog and tagged Colorado, ghosts, Halloween, Haunting, Mountain Town, Tena Stetler by Tena Stetler with 3 comments.
Interview Sam Batrusis Author of Wicked Salem
Give a warm welcome to Sam Baltrusis, author of Wicked Salem: Exploring Lingering Lore and Legends, Released May 2, 2019.
Pull up a chair, grab a drink of your choice from the cooler, a Chocolate Chip or Peanut Butter cookie from the plate, and let’s find out a little about Sam and WIcked Salem!
What defines you as an author? As a person? Are they one in the same?
I’m a journalist turned author of ten historical-based ghost books, so I would say that I have a knack for uncovering hidden gems sometimes overlooked by history. As far as the paranormal, I’ve always been sensitive to ghosts. However, I consider myself a clairvoyant at this point of my journey and that sensitivity has helped me give a voice to the victims, and the villains, of the Salem witch-trials hysteria of 1692.
What inspired this particular story?
My first book on the Witch City called Ghosts of Salem did a great job at spotlighting the haunted locations associated with the Salem Witch Trials. However, after giving tours in Salem for years, I was overwhelmed with the misinformation that has been perpetuated by pop culture and even Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. My goal with Wicked Salem was to untangle the misinformation and focus on the individuals that shaped the city’s history over the past four-hundred years.
What secret do you use to blast through writer’s block?
I have good days where I get into the zone and I can’t stop writing. And then I have other days where I have to power through chapters. When I am have a good writing day, I just keep at it and try to accomplish as much as possible. When I’m dealing with writer’s block, I usually go out in the field and visit the location that I’m writing about. For Wicked Salem, I had so much fun visiting locations that were major players during the witch trials, like the Parson Barnard House in North Andover and the Rebecca Nurse Homestead in Danvers. When I take these road trips, I’m usually able to rekindle that excitement I need to finish the book.
Who is your favorite character of all of the books you’ve written and Why?
I definitely feel a connection with the innocent victims of the Salem Witch Trials. I’ve always felt close to Bridget Bishop, the first person to be executed and the only victim to be hanged by herself. While writing Wicked Salem, I interviewed some amazing living people who helped shape the city. I interviewed Laurie Cabot, the “official witch of Salem,” in the book and that discussion was amazing. Interviewing Laurie Cabot was a dream come true. I would say that profile in the book is my favorite chapter by far.
What inspired you to write?
I’ve been writing most of my life. When I was a teen, I was creative and knew that I was great at weaving together a narrative. I was inspired by my high school journalism teacher, Mrs. Reinschmidt, to keep writing. I needed that encouragement and haven’t stopped. My writing has shifted from journalism to writing books, but I find that books are just really long articles and I approach each chapter or section as if I’m piecing together several long-format magazine articles.
How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for thirty years and writing books for ten years.
Did you tell friends and family that you were writing a book? Or did it take a while to come out and tell friends and family you were a writer?
I actually interviewed several of my friends from the paranormal and Salem communities. So, I was fairly transparent that I was working on a new book on Salem. My family has always been supportive. In fact, my step-father who passed on December 26, 2018, was so proud that my books are historical. He was a history major and really rubbed off on me growing up.
Do you see yourself in your characters?
Yes, I definitely identify with the innocent men and women executed for witchcraft in 1692. I have a history of challenging the status quo and so did many of those featured in my book, Wicked Salem.
What do you want your readers to take away from your books?
I genuinely care about Salem’s people … the living and the dead. Wicked Salem is for them. I hope I do them justice.
Where do your story ideas come from? If they come to you in the middle of the night, do you get up and write them all down?
I give tours in Salem and Boston. I also lecture at local libraries and paranormal conferences. So, I love engaging with my readers. The ideas for my books usually come from those discussions.
Do you find it easier to write from a male or female point of view? Why?
I write historical, non-fiction books, so the goal is to be as accurate as possible telling the stories of people who have been dead for more than three-hundred years. Oddly, I tend to connect more with the women in Wicked Salem. There was an obvious patriarchy in 1692, but the women accused of witchcraft all fought and pleaded that they were innocent. I admire the strong women featured in my book.
Why do you write what you write? Ie. Contemporary, paranormal, suspense, etc.
I write paranormal-themed history books. Wicked Salem is about correcting the misinformation associated with the witch-trials hysteria of 1692. Over the past decade, I have noticed a shift toward untangling these historical inaccuracies, but we still have a long way to go. Will we ever be completely accurate? No, because we weren’t there. However, my goal is to take all of the pieces that we do know and weave together a cohesive narrative that not only educates and entertains my readers but makes the city’s “ghosts” proud.
A sneak peek between the pages of Wicked Salem.
What is it about the sleepy New England city that engenders itself to history’s witches, rakes and rogues?
Salem, Massachusetts suffers a bit of an identity disorder. There are two versions of the so-called “Witch City” that have symbiotically etched itself into the collective unconscious. There’s the iconic, blood-stained Salem that boasted a sadistic sorority of witch-hanging zealots in the late 1600s. And then there is the modern, witch-friendly spectacle that welcomes thousands of supporters into its coven of commercialism every October.
It’s a tale of two Salems.
As far as the paranormal is concerned, the city is considered to be hallowed ground. However, based on my personal experience as a local historian and tour guide, Salem has a love-hate relationship with its ghosts. Why?
“The city has a long history of not wanting to get wrapped up in commercializing its witch history,” explained Tim Weisberg, host of the radio show Spooky Southcoast and researcher with Destination America’s Haunted Towns. “It’s something they’ve only really embraced over the past couple of decades. There’s still a bit of an ‘old guard’ in the city that doesn’t want to see anyone capitalizing on witches, ghosts or things of that nature.”
As Salem’s on-air expert for the national Haunted Towns TV show, I helped Weisberg hunt for locations with ties to the witch trials of 1692. It was tough. “As they’ve let some of that guard down and television shows have come in, it’s been my experience that the ‘powers that be’ who control many of the allegedly haunted and historic locations have been disillusioned with the way productions have come in and treated its history,” Weisberg told me. “At least, that’s what I heard in the rejections I received from certain locations when attempting to get permission to film Haunted Towns.”
Known for its annual Halloween “Haunted Happenings” gathering, it’s no surprise that the historic Massachusetts seaport is considered to be one of New England’s most haunted destinations. With city officials emphasizing its not-so-dark past, tourists from all over the world seem to focus on the wicked intrigue surrounding the 1692 witch trials.
Originally called Naumkeag, Salem means “peace.” However, as its historical legacy dictates, the city was anything but peaceful during the late seventeenth century. In fact, when accused witch and landowner Giles Corey was pressed to death over a two-day period, he allegedly cursed the sheriff and the city. Over the years, his specter has allegedly been spotted preceding disasters in Salem, including the fire that destroyed most of the downtown area in June 1914. Based on my research, a majority of the hauntings conjured up in Salem over the city’s tumultuous four-hundred-year-old history have ties to disaster, specifically the one-hundred-year-old fire that virtually annihilated the once prosperous North Shore seaport.
Cursed? Salem is full of secrets.
My thoughts on the book – Review:
Sam Baltrusis explores the ghost lore and the people behind the tragic events that turned the “Witch City” into a hot spot that has become synonymous with witches, rakes, and rogues.
The author takes us back to the Haunts of Salem, MA as an exploratory follow up to his 2014 “Ghost of Salem.
The last portion of the books addresses the most colorful creatures that called Salem home. Like Harry Houdini, Nathaniel Hawthorne and the terrible Sheriff George Corwin. Yeah, kinda had to leave the light on due to tales of George.
Okay I’ll admit it, Salem, MA is still on my bucket list to visit over Halloween someday. Armed with this information, I’m excited!
If the history of Salem, MA, intrigues you, or if your interest is piqued by the Salem Witch Trials, this is the book for you! Happy Reading!
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Posted in Authors' Secrets Blog and tagged ghosts, Haunted History, Haunting, Local History Salem, Sam Baltrusis, Wicked Salem by Tena Stetler with comments disabled.
Colorado Hauntings – Happy Halloween
Celebrating a spooktacular Halloween all month on My Say What Blog, so today is the final haunting article about Halloween. What’s not to love about Halloween? One day out of the year you can dress up and pretend to be anything you want and people don’t think you’re crazy. Okay, well, not as crazy as if it wasn’t Halloween!
One of the highest haunts in Colorado is the Stanley Hotel at an altitude of over 7,500 feet. Bawawawa! You know the one that claims to be the 
inspiration for Stephen’s King’s The Shining (REDRUM – MURDER) . The Hotel was built in 1909 by Freelan and Flora Stanley of Stanley Steamer fortune. Originally, they came to Colorado in an attempt to alleviate the symptoms of Freelan’s tuberculosis. They fell in love with Colorado and purchased property and built a home. The Stanley was built as a summer resort for guests Freelan and Flora entertained during their extended vacations in Colorado.
It’s believed Flora haunts the hotel to this day, enjoying one of her favorite pastimes of playing the piano late at night when no one is around. Tales abound of visitors claiming sounds of revelry occurring in the empty ballroom. Room 217 is purported to be haunted by the ghost of a long-term housekeeper. If you gain her favor, she’ll help you unpack. If not…. Well…. It is the room allegedly occupied by Stephen King at one time. Inspiring The Shining?
I don’t know about that, but the hair on the back of my neck stood up as I took photos of The Stanley Hotel outside in broad daylight.
Want to know more about haunted places in Colorado? Click on the link.
Speaking of Hauntings!
Did you know, most present day Halloween traditions are traceable to the ancient Celtic day of the dead? Halloween consists of mysterious customs, but
each has a history, or at least a story behind it.
Take wearing costumes, and roaming from door to door demanding treats. This behavior can be traced to the Celtic period and the first few centuries of the Christian era, when it was thought that the souls of the dead were out and about, along with fairies, witches, and demons. Offerings of food and drink were left out to placate them. As the centuries wore on, people began dressing like these creatures, performing antics in exchange for food and drink. This is where the practice of trick-or-treating began. To this day, vampires, witches, ghosts, and skeletons are among the favorite costumes.
Our Halloween also retains activities from the original harvest holiday of Samhain, such as bobbing for apples and carving vegetables, (pumpkins) as well as the fruits, nuts, and spices for cider associated with the day. Although at my house, hot chocolate is pretty popular, since Halloween almost guarantees the first snow of the year.
Looking for a fun Halloween Read? A Witch’s Journey is full of meddling ghosts, shapeshifters, sexy witch, a ruggedly-handsome Navy SEAL. An exciting story of redemption, wildlife rescue and Halloween festivals. Available at Amazon.com, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. And I let you in on a little secret. A Witch’s Journey is available in audiobook, so grab yours! After you’ve read A Witch’s Journey, you’ll want the sequel, A Witch’s Holiday Wedding, also available in audiobook Amazon.com, 
Well, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to don my vampire costume, custom fitted fangs and pull up a stool in the shadows. With a candy bowl beside me, I sneakily turn on the fog machine. Out of the mist, I’ll greet the little trick or treaters or scare the bejeebers out of the older ones with bats hanging over head and screeching on my command. Won’t you join me? Happy Halloween!
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Posted in For Fun, Holidays, My Say What Blog and tagged All Hallows Eve, Colorado, ghosts, Halloween, Haunting, Lobster Cove, shifters, Stanley Hotel, wildlife, Witches by Tena Stetler with 35 comments.
