Welcome back to Weird Wednesday, where we love to wander on the wild side. Today, we roam Washington State, home of Hotel De Haro on San Juan Island, one of the state’s most haunted hotels.
Hotel de Haro, located on San Juan Island, in Washington state is the longest running hotel on the island and was built in 1886 by John McMillan. The hotel contains 19 guest rooms, all of which have been kept up to date and are still available for use today. Interestingly, when Mr. McMillan built the hotel, he also built a mausoleum in the woods nearby. The site holds a massive but odd dining display where each place setting holds the ashes for that family member. McMillan was also a mason so the hotel and mausoleum both contain many Masonic details and symbolism.
It is rumored that a governess named Ada Beeny roams the grounds, even though her ashes are interred in the family mausoleum, her unrest is speculated to be due to the fact that her ashes do not bear her name. It is also rumored that she is often seen haunting the halls of the hotel, playing pranks on the owners and guests. Other happenings include store room doors opening on their own, appliances turning on by themselves, items being moved of their own accord, and the rustling of skirts.
In 1956, the whole place was sold to a Rueben J. Tarte, who set about restoring the hotel and turned the surrounding area into a world class resort. It is still operating today under a new partnership. Pictures of the current resort can be seen at the links below. While the website does not mention ghost tours, the hotel and the resort are brimming with history and are well-worth a visit. Perhaps you will see Ms. Beeny roaming the hallways late at night or seated at her place at the table in the mausoleum.
As always, if you decide to roam away from home, please remember the three rules: Respect the owners. Respect the Property. Respect the Residents. Happy Hunting.
Stitched Smile Publications 