Hello All,
Halloween is here, so it's time once again to report your encounters with the supernatural in Tucson. Can you add to our list? Can you personally confirm any of the listings?
Thanks to everyone who posted last year! I¡¯ve added your postings to the list.
Every year, VanishingTucson reserves a walking Ghost Tour before Halloween. It¡¯s a chance to experience Tucson¡¯s historic buildings from a different perspective. Over the years we¡¯ve attended every tour offered by three different operators. One tour has gone out of business, and the other is doing the same tour that we¡¯ve seen before. In my opinion, Rebecca Hayes¡¯ tour was superior to the others, combining accurate historical data, paranormal sensitivity, and the ordinary childhood memories of a Tucson native. Rebecca also changes her tour route every year. Unfortunately, she won¡¯t be doing her tour again this year. This year, feel free to create your own self-guided tour from the list below.
Our alphabetical list below was compiled from books, newspapers, T.V., online sources, and of course, our first hand accounts.
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American Home Furnishngs building on north Oracle
see: Oracle View Cinemas 4690 N Oracle Rd
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Arizona Desert School, Christie Drive, north end of 1st Ave
Operated circa 1930¡¯s to 1950¡¯s. Abandoned for years, considered haunted, then demolished.
From VanishingTucson.com¡
Fred wrote ¡°I asked my Dad this one and even he didn't know. At the end of 1st avenue, called Christie Drive, there used to be an abandoned complex of buildings (late 60s) that could have been a rest home or something like it. There were 3 or 4 wings with enclosed courtyards, and one 2-story section that overlooked a pool and had a great view of the city. Now, this is a bunch of condos or apartments¡¡±
Ted replied: ¡°[Arizona Desert School] was a private school offering top notch education and services to young men with health problems. There was a stable, corrals, polo field, sports courts and many other benefits.
Each student had his own horse, courtesy of the School, chores to do each day, and a full schedule of classes. Many of the kids came from the East, and included the Firestone (tires) brothers, the Haggin brothers (horse racing),
movie actor Butch Jenkins, actor Robert Montgomery's son, and others.¡±
Thanks to ¡°dr13us¡± for clarification
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Arizona Historical Society, 949 E. Second Street
Many of the employees of the Arizona Historical Society have experienced unexplained phenomena over the years. AHS has had it¡¯s budget slashed, including staff, so it¡¯s not hard to be alone in a cavernous wing of the huge, silent, building. If you believe in spirits, it should be easy to find them in a building stuffed with centuries-old artifacts, but remember that AHS employees are highly educated, un-superstitious historians and archivists. Most of their stories involve the usual weird sounds and voices. The most specific account seems to involve a painting from the Spanish Colonial period, which just so happens to be stored in the oldest part of the building, in the deepest basement archive.
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Avalon Estate on N. Oracle/Wetmore just north of McDonalds
Old house, abandoned for years, considered haunted, then demolished. Rudy at VanishingTucson.com:
¡°Eucalyptus trees still there by ¡®Toys Are Us¡¯ parking lot. Guy by name of ¡®Titanic Thomas¡¯ was busted there dealing in some sort of underage indecent stuff.¡±
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Blenman House 204 South Scott Avenue
A San Franciso-Victorian style home built in 1878 out of adobe.
excerpt from news report by KOLD TV channel 13
Jeff Digregorio, Co-Owner, Royal Elizabeth Bed & Breakfast, "This is the Royal Elizabeth Bed & Breakfast Inn. It's found in the historic Blenman House and those who've been in Tucson a while know the name Blenman. We certainly don't advertise ourselves as a haunted bed & breakfast, but when people come to an historic inn, I think they come expecting to have encounters with spirits."
And this old house, complete with vintage furniture and old-world style craftsmanship doesn't disappoint.
"Judge Blenman is said to be hanging around in this place way after his passing way back in the early part of the last century." The Blenman family owned this home for more than 100 years and the Cindy Marie suite used to be Judge Charles Blenman's old law office. One he's not ready to leave.
"We've seen writings of previous owners and records from people who've been here in the past, who have claimed to see Judge Blenman walking around up and down the parlor and down the garden path."
The new owners of the Royal Elizabeth have some stories of their own.
"This back door would open by itself all the time. Really strange. We'd go and we'd close it and we'd leave and it would open again."
And people aren't the only ones noticing strange occurrences.
"Also our dog Lucy who is walking around here at the moment would all of a sudden run to this door and sit there and bark when no one was clearly in the house."
Judge Blenman's office isn't the only requested suite.
"They also request the Rose Room, which is another room in the house. There are websites written about activity from the Blenman family as well."
But don't let the ghost stories scare you off, the owners say it's harmless and part of the experience of staying at an old inn.
"If Judge Blenman or anyone else is living in the house with the rest of us here. They clearly are having a good time and appreciate what we've done with the place and the energy that's here in the house."
For more information on the Royal Elizabeth Bed & Breakfast go to:
www.royalelizabeth.com 520-670-9022
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Bloom Elementary - 8310 E. Pima Street - Since the principle passed away, they have had many weird experiences, like a brick falling out of a wall in the bathroom, doors unlocking them self's, and some people have even seen her in the halls. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Campbell Ave, north end
Old house on a hill, abandoned for years, considered haunted, then demolished.
Thanks to Rudy at VanishingTucson.com
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Catalina High School - Students have reported that during school events that all bathroom stalls were locked, and many times bathrooms were closed off because of unexplainable floods. Rumor has it that a man had died from a heart attack in the school, and that it might be him that is creating this havoc. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
Catalina High School - Another spirit is that of a school custodian named Martin Valencia, who died in the 1970¡¯s. He was a beloved member of the staff and the stories say that he was especially careful about fellow workers who attempted to pilfer food items from the kitchen or the home economics classrooms. He was so conscientious that the cooks would always leave out treats and snacks for him, which Martin then shared with his co-workers. One day, he suffered a heart attack and passed away while on the job. However, it is said that he has never left the school. According to reports, his ghost still lingers behind and helps with the cleaning. In June 1980, a custodian swore that he saw someone cleaning the restrooms before graduation ceremonies took place. He was in the hallway, a few minutes past midnight, when he heard the metal casters of a garbage container rolling down the hall. He looked and in the dim light, could just make out the figure of a man moving the container along. He saw him turn into the restroom and he thought nothing of it. He assumed that it was one of the other custodians until about one minute later... when he found all of them in the gymnasium setting up chairs! Is Martin Valenica still at his former school? If he is, then many have joked that he seems to have his own methods of cleaning... as trash containers and cleaning supplies often disappear and then turn up in other places, doors slam shut, lights turn off on startled employees and more. Many custodians feel they have been the victims of pranks until they realize that the only explanations for the strange events are ghostly ones. Perhaps someone should check and see if these fellows have been raiding the cafeteria and have incurred Martin¡¯s good-natured wrath? Thanks to Prairieghosts.com
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Centennial Hall - 1020 E. University Blvd. - Two spirits are known to haunt this theater. One is a woman wearing a long white dress from an earlier time. The man is a more recent specter, thought to be a patron who died of a heart attack within the last 50 years. The woman has been seen to frequent the upper balcony seats in an area that was once a balcony but is now sealed off, as well as the green room. She is very protective over her space and has been known to push employees down the halls and stairs. The man seems to be the counter balance and helps anyone who has been injured by the woman.
Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Collier Elementary School - There has said to been seen kids hanging in the middle of the halls by ropes. And mysterious things happen like doors closing immediately when it is not windy at all. And Mrs. Collier (the founder of collier)walking around transparently. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Colossal Cave - Reports of feeling a hot breath on your neck & your batteries get drained, the figure of a man, that charges at you with a pick ax, singing/moaning by the miner's shaft. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Congress Street (see also Hotel Congress)
137 / 145 E. Congress ¡°Hydra¡± building, northwest corner of Congress and 6th Ave.
The basement of this early 1900s building is shared by the two storefronts above. The basement is all that remains of an even earlier adobe structure, the Ochoa School for Boys. The basement is apparently highly haunted, and the ghosts are children. Confirmed by current tenants, previous tenants, and neighboring businesses. Thanks to Rebecca Hayes for historical details.
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Cortaro Road
Old house, approx. 2 miles east of I-10, abandoned for years, considered haunted, then demolished.
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Davis Bilingual School - 500 West Saint Mary's Road - A female figure has appeared repeatedly in a classroom. She has appeared at dawn only. Various adults have reported feeling someone touching them on their shoulder. Doors that were checked to make sure they were locked have opened and closed on their own Student reported hearing weird and eerie music. The most recent one, students saw a water faucet turn on slowly then full blast. Next they saw the actual water faucet handle turn itself off. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Desert View High School - A young boy was killed by an unknown thing is now haunting all over the school. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Desert Views Ranch - there is a young girl dressed in prairie clothes wearing a white apron that wanders in the area of the old chicken coop and horse corral. She is said to have died from a fever. She will sometimes laugh and be seen standing by an old tree. Younger children will talk of her and have said her name is Lillian. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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District St., west
There is a house on West District St. I don't recall the address, but it is on the second block west 6th Ave, second house on the south-side of the street. When I was a kid in the late '70's my parents owned this property, which was
comprised of 2 apartments. Various members of my family, as well as tenants who were not family, occupied these apartments at some point. Almost all of them complained of some kind of occurrences inside the apartments. The complaints varied from the amusing (made beds being undone, refrigerator door opening at
night), to the utmost frightening (the feeling of being attacked while asleep). A very deep hole was discovered on the south-west corner of the back yard. Its possible that is was a well. I was told that something could be seen on the bottom. What it was they would not tell me, but nobody was happy about it. But, I did hear that it could have been the explanations for what was happening inside the house. I know no one was ever contacted about the hole - they just filled it back up.
I don't know who owns or lives there now. My parents sold the property back in the early '80's. Sure would like to know if the people who have lived there and live there now have had any experiences.
Posted at VanishingTucson.com
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Downtown Baptist Educational Building (now leased off) - When the building was still a church educational building, there was a large set of stairways in the back from the top floor(#3), down to the basement. In the back of the building, there is a playground. A little girl was running down the steps to get to the playground, when she tripped, fell down one flight and broke her neck. You get a very eerie feeling going down the back stairs and you feel like someone is watching you. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Evergreen Cemetery - Voices of young children when no one is around. Negative presences also at certain times. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Fort Lowell - suggested by Lannie
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Fox Theater - 17 West Congress Street - A strange man dressed up from the 1920's has been seen around this theater. He will ask for money to feed his family that is suffering from The Great Depression. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Fred G. Acosta Job Corps Center - 901 S. Campbell Ave.
1. Students report seeing a girl playing with a ball in the female side second floor dormitory: the 2nd floor 2nd bathroom has also reports that around 12:00 at night showers turn on and off by themselves, rumors have it a girl who used to go there slit her wrists and drowned herself in the tub in the 2nd floor, people sometimes have dreams about this particular girl.
2. First floor female dormitory - at around 5 am the toilets sometimes flash by itself.
3. Room 509 - at a strange light seems to come in but all of a sudden it disappears.
Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Hollaway Elementary - 3500 N. Cherry Ave - Sightings have been reported to have seen, Mr. Holaway him self, checking rooms, sightings were reported to have been around 11 or 12 at night by janitor! Its said that the janitor waking the school corridor, on his way to clean a room, and he saw a figure of a man trying to unlock a door, so he called out to him, but there was no answer, so he attempted to walk towards him, but as he reached the door the man disappeared! Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Hooters Restaurant, Gotham and The New West nightclub (now closed) - Strange presences and energies felt.(Gotham and the New West are both closed down now due to a gang-related shooting last summer that led to someone's death.)Reports of cold chills and the strong presence of a spirit who would follow you throughout the back part of the club. A former worker at the club for a long time, says he was working the closing shift. He and a few other employees were finishing up for the night. It was around three or four in the morning. He had his back facing the front door when all of a sudden he felt the sensation of a human being coming right toward him! He turned around and immediately swung out his fist instinctively. He says that nobody was there and that "something" went right through him. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Hotel Congress - One of the rooms in the hotel is haunted by a man who had a heart attack and died. He has been seen looking out of the window. Thanks to theshadowlands.net, etc.
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Old Tucson Studios - Paranormal phenomena has been reported in several areas of the studios by security guards. The first is the Grand palace saloon. Several ghosts, including one of a little girl, have been spotted throughout the building. The little girl is often spotted on the stairs leading to the second floor. Adjoining the saloon is Rosa's Cafe. The apparition of a young woman has been seen here and reports of unusual noises and moving objects are common place.
The most active location within the studios is the Arizona Theater, also called "The Story teller's. This is a small underground theater that many believe is haunted by a malevolent spirit. Although there are a few exceptions, the ghost mainly makes it presence known to women. When women enter the theater alone and sit in the back row of the theater in the dark, they began to hear noises on the stage which resemble footsteps. The footsteps then "jump" down off the stage and move towards the women at the rear of the theater.
Suddenly, the subtle light coming from the theater's exit lights are blocked as if someone is standing before them. This is following by either a tapping sound or heavy breathing. Usually the women turn on a flash light at this point, revealing that no one is there.
On occasion, the ghost makes its presence known to men. This has only happened to male security guards that the "ghost" doesn't like. They often end up quitting their jobs and the few that have not refuse to enter the theater alone.
The school house is another studio building that has unusual phenomena associated with it. Security guards hear the sound of children and the lights go on and off by themselves. The door also seems to unlock itself, much to the display of the security guards.
The hauntings are not limited to specific buildings however. The ghost of a cowboy has been seen and heard walking about the town's streets. Security guards have heard the sound of footsteps and spurs moving down the streets surrounding the saloon and town hall. One security guard actually saw the "cowboy" walk right past her and through the locked door of one of the studio's shops.
Another phenomena that occurs through the studios is called "Shadow man" by employees. Basically it appears like a dark human figure that seems to follow (or stalk) security guards and visitors.
Other unusual activities that occur are the random turning on of building lights around the studios.
Thanks to Southwest Ghost Hunters Association
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Orphanage on S. 12th Avenue, north of Pueblo High School, near I-10
Abandoned for years, considered haunted, then demolished.
Thanks to Rudy at VanishingTucson.com
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Oracle Road ¨C also see Avalon Estate
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Oracle View Cinemas 4690 N Oracle Rd
Priscilla C. commenting on unrelated Arizona Daily Star article:
One time, me and my friend went to a movie at the American Home Furnishings building near the Tucson Mall. It was a Thursday night, we settled into our chairs, the rest of the theater was empty and we thought that was awesome. We had the whole theater to ourselves. When the lights went off, I was trying to watch the movie, but I couldn't shake this feeling that there was someone watching me, like a strong presence was there, but I couldn't see the person. I kept this to myself, when I finally told my friend (10 minutes later) that I felt kinda scared because I felt that someone was in there with us, but I didn't know where they were at. She looked me straight in the eye and said she had the same feeling! We both looked around and decided to leave. It was very creepy, and I couldn't enjoy the movie! Anyhow, I heard that movie theater is haunted, came home and told my brother what happened, he said he heard "other" stories about that place too.
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Oracle Road (north) "Two times, I've been out cycling on North Oracle Road and heard a man yell exactly where a car was approaching me from behind. BOTH times, the car was exactly where he said it was, but when I looked for him to thank him, (and try to figure out on which side he was going to pass me), there was NO ONE in sight. Later, I found out a male cyclist was killed while bicycling along that stretch." Thanks to Helen at VanishingTucson.com
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Marana, Arizona:
1. Mona Wong's husband's ghost on their farm where Trico Road ends at Avra Valley Road.
2. The ruins of the Roland Huff farmhouse west of the HS on Emeigh Road, on the west side of the easternmost 'channel' of Brawley Wash. Huff and his wife were murdered there by a business partner in the 1950's and their bodies were placed in a cross under the bridge over the Santa Cruz on Trico Road many miles away.
3. The Phantom Pima Indian guy on the Bing K. Wong farm (different Wong). You could hear him plowing in a field just south of the Santa Cruz River on the west side of Sanders Road. The unmistakeable sound of a D8 Cat creaking along with a 5 bottom plow could be heard at times on winter nights. I have experienced that myself years ago.
4. La LLarona, the Crying Lady. In the late 1960's some friends on mine were camping out in the Santa Cruz River bed (before it flowed all year from the Tucson effluent) south of the area we then called "Honeaville", now known as Honea Heights. I have heard that awful crying sound drawing closer myself. Yikes!
5. The area that used to be known as the "King Ranch", northwest of John and Mamie Kai's original farm. That area where the Santa Cruz and Brawley Wash come together is 'dark'... period ... in the daytime or night.
Thanks to Michael at VanishingTucson.com
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Pioneer Hotel - Rebuilt after a fire killed trapped occupants on the top floor. It is said top be haunted by the spirits of those who died in the fire. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Radisson Hotel - 181 West Broadway Blvd.
currently operated as The Hotel Arizona
Believed to be haunted by a woman that was murdered by her boyfriend when he found out she was seeing another man in the hotel. Witnesses report seeing and hearing a ghost of a girl in the basement / kitchen, and around the ballroom area. She seems to be crying or moaning for help. Thanks to theshadowlands.net, and confimed by several other witnesses
other rumors reported to VanishingTucson.com:
A man died of a heart attack while staying in a room previously rumored to be haunted.
A guest was pushed down the main staircase by an unseen hand. A security guard sent to investigate the accident was found huddling in a corner of the main ballroom, babbling incoherently. He quit his job and never returned.
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Railroad Coaling Tower - The Southern Pacific Railroad Coaling Tower stood along Aviation Highway in Tucson for almost a hundred years. For many years it was abandoned but still accessable to trespassers. It is reported that over the years many people had jumped, fell, or were pushed to their deaths from the high tower. The structure was certifiable for preservation as a National Historic Landmark. Many people believe that it was torn down for no other reason than "it was so creepy". Thanks to Bruce at VanishingTucson.com
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Round Up Steakhouse and Saloon 1527 Old Benson Highway
restaurant built in 1957; motel built earlier
Margaret R. commenting on unrelated Arizona Daily Star article:
I have witnessed paranormal activity several times and I don`t care what all you non believers say. It is true. I worked at the old Round Up Steakhouse and Saloon for several years and a couple of bartenders quit working there because they said there was a ghost in the back bars and I know this is true because I witnessed it myself several times. To this very day Dave Webb is still there and I have seen proof of this on more than one occasion.
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Sabino Canyon - 5900 Sabino Canyon Rd. - Reports of at night there is a ghost of an angry mountain lion or 'wildcat' that will follow you until you reach the main paved road. It is a very heavy, negative presence, often angry.
Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Safford Middle School - It is said that a little girl died in the auditorium of the school. She fell off of the balcony. If you walk into the auditorium in the dark and look up, you can see the girl for a brief moment. At night, the janitors will hear footsteps roaming the halls and people talking inside the locked classrooms. The teachers would find their things missing or moved around in the classroom. If you stay late at the school, when no one is around, you can feel cold spots. There are rumors that the school was built in 1904, over an Indian graveyard. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Saint Mary's Hospital - There are a number of different experiences, such as people seeing someone walking into an elevator and then disappearing, elevators opening into strange places, strange people riding on the elevators with staff, and a host of other things, but the majority of the stories revolve around a nun on the fourth floor. One night, one of the nursing staff was looking down the 4 north hallway and saw a nun standing in the middle of the hall, pointing into a room. The staff member went to see what was going on, but when she got there, the nun had disappeared. In the room that she was pointing at, there was a female patient who was suicidal and was attempting to take her life. The nun was warning the staff. It is, presumably, the same nun that walks with staff along the hallway going from the North halls to the West halls. Staff has seen her reflection in the glass windows at night, she follows them as they walk in the halls. Thanks to theshadowlands.net, etc.
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Sam Levitz Furniture Store on 3430 E. 36th St.
Ghost sightings have taken place for the past six years in the area of the warehouse where furniture is stacked on racks towering 70 feet high. Tommy Guerrero, the store's lead security supervisor, has known about the ghost for a few years.
According to Guerrero, about six years ago an employee was on the top rack and fell backwards trying to pull out a mirror. He died instantly because he was not wearing the mandatory safety lanyard. "Supposedly this guy was a real jerk, and was warned many times about wearing his safety lanyard," said Guerrero. "He fell onto his back pretty hard and died here on site."
Employees that work the early morning shifts around 4 or 5 a.m. have witnessed the spirit of the man who tragically died. One security guard, who recently started working at Sam Levitz, has had a few problems with this ghost. "I've come in the mornings and seen furniture off the racks and on the ground, like somebody pushed it off the top rack in the middle of the night," said Michael Gregg. "It's a real hassle to have to pick up, and sometimes the furniture breaks." Guerrero opens the store early and for the first hour is completely alone. One morning he was in the office and heard loud footsteps down below in the warehouse. "I knew that I was the only one here, so it had to be him," Guerrero said. "It doesn't bother me, but I guess he still thinks he is at work." In the warehouse are 15 gigantic racks where multiple couches, chairs and tables are precisely stacked. This is a colossal warehouse and overwhelming in height. Thanks to Arizona Daily Wildcat
another source: "Witnesses have seen the man. He wears a black shirt and a black hat and still thinks he is working. They've also have had a psychic come into the building and try to make him go away but the man will not leave." Thanks to theshadowlands.net
from VanishingTucson.com:
My Husband used to work there and yes it is haunted. He said if you go to a certain spot where the man fell there will be tugging on clothes or a draft. That spot is extremely cold all the time even in summer. Also when the first person comes in for the day there usually is furniture that has fallen off the racks in that same spot.
Have a scary day! Smiley emoticon Leann Go Rangers
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San Manuel - Magma copper mine - Several mine workers have reported seeing lights and workers not having been assigned to their level. One worker reported having another mine worker come into his line and help him work for over 30 minutes only to find out later that there wasn't another worker on that level all day. A mineworker died in a cave in when this mine was first being built and it is said that the body could not be recovered due to the size of the cave in. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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San Xavier Mission - 1950 W. San Xavier Road - It is said that on the outside of the mission in the artwork on either side of the main doors there is a snake and on the other side a mouse. If the snake catches the mouse the end of time is near. Several people in the area have heard whispers of his story come from a shadowy figure of a man outside the church. He has been seen pointing to each sector as the story is told. Also there has been sighting of an old Padre wondering throughout the church, usually dusk or dawn, the time when candles needed to be lit, or extinguished. Also a specter of a nun is seen leading five children to the chapel from an out building that was once used a schoolhouse. The schoolhouse burnt to the ground killing all inside. It is believed the nun was trying to get the children to safety. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Santa Rita Hotel 109 N. Scott Avenue
built in 1907; additions in 1917
Bruce comments from VanishingTucson.com: "parts of the Santa Rita were built over an 1800's cemetary. The land also shows archeological evidence of Hohokam Indian village / burial ground from centuries earlier."
Arizona Daily Star article:
Teresa Ortiz, owner of Lost Souls Ghost Tour of Downtown Tucson, which stops by the Santa Rita every Saturday and hits other paranormal hot spots, including the Fox Tucson Theatre and Hotel Congress, isn't surprised by the reports because she says she's met the ghost she believes is responsible for some of the mischief.
His name is Ferguson, he hangs out in Room 822 and he's partial to turning the lights on.
Ortiz said sometimes you can see Ferguson's silhouette from the street at night.
Ortiz, who says she's sensitive to supernatural activity but can't communicate with spirits, said she's seen Ferguson in her mind's eye.
"He's very tall and slim, with white hair that's short, almost balding, and big teeth," Ortiz said. "He just likes to sit there and hang out."
Ortiz, who said the Santa Rita is one of Tucson's most supernaturally active hotels, conducted a paranormal investigation of the hotel before it closed in 2005. She said Ferguson ¡ª who was not necessarily a Tucson resident ¡ª was part of a torrid 1920s love triangle.
Ferguson was married to a younger woman who started an affair with his business partner.
When Ferguson discovered his wife was pregnant with the other man's baby, Ortiz said, he killed them both.
He then hanged himself in a hotel elevator shaft.
Allan said it's natural ¡ª well, supernatural ¡ª for ghosts to be able to turn lights on.
"When we think about deceased people, what they consist of is energy," Allan said. "If they're able, if they have enough power ¡ª which let me tell you, that place does ¡ª they can affect light sources or anything with energy or that creates electricity. I'm not surprised (about the lights)."
The mischievous Ferguson and the malevolent, controlling spirit aren't the only ghosts haunting the Santa Rita, according to Ortiz.
"There's a little boy at the swimming pool and his footprints show up around the pool. When the hotel was open, people would say there were kids talking in the hallway on the third floor and would send for the security guard, but they wouldn't find any kids there."
Arlo P. commenting on Arizona Daily Star article:
My Aunt and Uncle stayed many nights at the hotel. They were farmers in and around Arizona and when in Tucson they always stayed there while they did their shopping,banking, etc.
They are two of the ghost presently rooming the halls of the once great hotel. I am sure they do not want their second home torn down and will haunt any that take part in the effort to do so. Last time I was in the area at the next door cafe having lunch I could feel them near. Leave the hotel and the present guesses alone if you know what is good for you and they spirt world that lives downtown these days.
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Speedway Boulevard
Speedway Ghost - "The Laughing Lady" - "Speedway Boulevard is one of Tucson's busiest thoroughfares. Restaurants, shopping centers, and a few homes share the long avenue with various other small businesses and incessant daily traffic. Until 1970 there was a house at 1017 East Speedway Boulevard that sheltered an ethereal young lady with a raucous laugh and a propensity for harmless pranks. No one knows who it might have been, or what became of her after the house was razed nearly three decades ago. Her story, however, is a reminder that even in the midst of urban development there can be places of deep puzzlement. A former television news director and publicist for the Tucson Chamber of Commerce, Chris Helms, was the first to reveal the presence of the "Speedway Ghost". Helms was a University of Arizona student in 1963, living with another university student, Dave Sonenschien, when a mysterious lady first came around. It had been a mild early summer in 1963 and the young men were accustomed to sleeping with the windows open. Early one morning, Helms later said, the clear and unmistakable laugh of a young woman drifted in through the window. It seemed to come from just outside and below a bedroom window. Helms and later Sonenschien both searched the yard but came up empty-handed. They said the voice was absolutely that of a woman, yet it had a hollow, almost unnatural quality about it. Another roommate who had also heard the voice, later asked if someone had had his girlfriend over the night before.
The young men's pet German Shepherd, Beaumont, had a difficult time sleeping through the night. He always slept in a front room, but would sit up suddenly, alert to something in a distant room at the other end of a long hallway. His neck hair stood up and he growled, yet nothing discernible seemed to cause his anxiety.
Soon after Chris Helms married and moved out of the Speedway address in 1964, the lilting laughter took on a maniacal character. Whether "she" was upset at Helm's departure, or annoyed at the light-hearted way the young men treated her occasional appearances, the ghost soon changed her behavior.
Sonenschien was awakened one night by the plinking of what sounded like coins being dropped on the wood floor and then rolling around. He turned on the light to find his military medals scattered about the floor, apparently having fallen from atop his dresser. He told a newspaper reporter at the time that he couldn't figure out how all of his medals could have wound up on the floor. Sonenschien attributed the mischeif to their distaff specter.
An especially disturbing incident led Sonenschien to think that the young ghost was becoming a bit too brazen. He lay in bed late at night with the sensation of being caressed by invisible human hands. He was so terror stricken that he couldn't scream, although he very much wanted to. It was a "cold fear" that he had never experienced before, he said.
A University of Arizona professor of folklore, to whom Sonenschien had detailed the peculiar events, helped exorcise the spirit. The professor told Sonenschien that according to folklore, a ghost could be removed by placing a single candle in a darkened room. Sonenschien did so and waited. Nothing happened for about an hour, and then the candle flickered. A black, elbow-length woman's glove with pearl buttons suddenly appeared, skimming a few inches above the flame. It vanished, and with it the last [reported] trace of the ghost on Speedway Boulevard."
Excerpt from "Historic Haunted America" by Michael Norman and Beth Scott, 1996
vanishing tucson note: to visit the spot where the haunted house stood, go into the U of A parking garage on the northeast corner of Speedway and Park. The back of the house would have stood within the current southern section of the parking structure, just west of the midway point between the east and west walls. The front of the house would have stood outside the parking garage, in the landscaped area between the sidewalk and the garage. The house was just west of the light-pole.
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Speedway Boulevard (far east)
From VanishingTucson.com¡
"jakespeed46" wrote, re: haunted house on Speedway west of Harrison¡
¡°Now that I think about it, it may have been west of Houghton Rd. I recall parking at that Circle K and walking over to the house. On Google maps it looks like a large commercial bldg is there now. There was a dirt drive, and some tall palms on the property. Vandals had of course destroyed a beautiful home. They would skate in the dry pool. The guest house bathtub had LOTS of dried blood in it...¡± circa 1990
Diana replied¡
¡°That commercial building is currently TAG Elementary School (charter school). There is a house on the property still, behind TAG. I am not sure if there were two houses, and one was torn down to make room for TAG. I do not know if the house that remains is used, or maybe torn down now. Perhaps it was the guest house you refer to.
I went to school with the girl from the family that lived in the house. I know how to get a hold of her. I could find out when they moved out. It was some time after we completed 6th Grade, I think. I think we graduated 6th grade in about 1979.¡±
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Starr Pass, between west end of 22nd Street and Anklam Road
Old house, abandoned for years, considered haunted, then demolished before redevelopment. Thanks to Rudy at VanishingTucson.com
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Sweetwater Road, west end
Old house at the end of the road, abandoned for years, considered haunted, then demolished.
Thanks to Rudy at VanishingTucson.com
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Tucson Electric Power Headquarters (former) on West St. Mary's Road
Lila S. commenting on unrelated Arizona Daily Star article:
... I have heard stories of suicide in our building I work at the old TEP building downtown off of 6th and Main. I have even seen a person walking the halls. A person leaving late at night knew he was the last person on our floor and he walked outside and looked up at our floor window and saw a person standing in the window. I think its really cool!
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Tucson High Magnet School - 400 N. 2nd Avenue - One of the many classrooms in the vocational building has been condemned because of rumors of a student killing himself there. The student now haunts the room. Students and teachers have reported hearing loud taps on the door, cold spots, and eerie footsteps when no one is around. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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Tucson Medical Center - A former worker at Tucson Medical Center for a year experienced strange and unsettling occurrences. This old hospital that dates back to the 1940's holds many secrets. They saw an apparition of an older woman dressed all in black roaming the hall near unit 450. She would walk through the walls and doors of that hall. Also in the same hallway a child would also run through the doors and walls. Also seen a black cat running through the wall of is dept. at various work shifts. There were also many COLD spots in various locations of the hospital. The female co-workers experienced hair and whisper in their ear strange sounds. The office chair with wheels would roll by itself. Thanks to theshadowlands.net
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University of Arizona - English Building - Where the building stands now used to be a running track years ago. The body of a woman raped and murdered was found in a well at the edge of the track. The apparition of a woman is often seen through the windows of the locked building late at night, running and panicked, perhaps still trying to escape her attac
