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LOCATION:
The Meade Hotel is located
in the Bannack State Park.
Bannack State Park is in
the Bitterroot Range in the southwestern tip of Montana, about 25.54 miles
southwest of Dillon, about 23.8 miles off main I-15 highway. The town
itself is near the Grasshopper creek.
Address: Bannack State Park,
4200 Bannack Road, Dillon, Montana 59725. Phone: 406-834-3413
Mailing Address: The Bannack
Association, P.O. Box 1426, Dillon, Montana 59725.
The Hotel Meade Description
/ History: This fine, solid, impressive 2 story brick building was well
constructed in 1875, to be used as the first Beaverhead County Courthouse,
because the town of Beaverhead at that time was chosen to be the County
Seat. Unfortunately for the town of Bannack, the county seat was moved
to Dillon in 1881, because Dillon was a growing city, becoming a "flourishing
freight center." This building stood vacant until 1890, when the enterprising
Dr. John Singleton Mead bought the building, did some remodeling and turned
the place into a plush hotel.
The Meade Hotel became the
center of the town's social activity, bringing a sense of civility to
the community, as well as providing a place to stay for visiting people
who needed a temporary home.
The hotel was host
to major social events, and receptions. To accommodate the growing clientele,
a large kitchen, a dining room and living quarters were added on to the
back of the building. The large, main dining room was filled with tables,
which seated 4 to 6 people, which could be moved and rearranged for larger
parties. Beautiful, finely made white linens and lovely china were the
norm, always used for the customer's dining experience. The hotel was
open and busy in the years the mines were open, and closed the years when
the mines weren't in operation. The Hotel Meade closed for good in the
1940's when people left the town for good.
Sometime during its long
history, the building was also used as a makeshift hospital at times when
needed.
Manifestations Observed.....
a) A young girl in her
teens, Dorthy Dunn drowned in the dredge pond along Grasshopper creek
on August 4, 1916.
1) She first appeared
to her best friend, who was with her on that fateful day when they
decided to go swimming, and witnessed the drowning of Dorthy.
2) Today, Dorthy Dunn
is seen mostly by children, wearing a blue dress, and has tried to
talk to them. She has also been seen looking out one of the 2nd story
windows, in one of the guest rooms or perhaps the large front Room
with the balcony, which overlooks the street. She was the daughter
of the hotel manager at the time, and probably had access to this
large suite.
Psychic Research: Greg
Burchfield, Hotel Meade, Bannack, Montana, February 2005.
In the evening, brave Greg
Burchfield went to the second floor alone with his recording equipment,
via the front staircase. On the 2nd floor, near the staircase and in
front of the large front room which is locked, he felt a presence and
a cold spot. With his EVP equipment running, He asked, "Are you a little
chicken?" One can hear the accented voice of the teenage entity answer
him. Check
it out!
b) One older woman also
haunts the second floor as well. She has been seen looking out a 2nd
floor windows by visitors.
c) Sounds of crying children
have been heard.
1) These could be impressions,
perhaps left over from the days when this building was used as a hospital.
Or maybe the entities of children who died here in the hospital are
still in residence.
2) If they are psychic
impressions, perhaps they are left over from the days of the Indian
attack scare, when some children were put in the hotel safes.
d) Unexplained cold spots
are felt inside. Perhaps Dorthy has spiritual company, other entities
who can't quite leave the place because they loved it so when they were
alive. Is Dr. John Singleton Meade still around to keep an eye on the
living who visit his hotel? Or perhaps a frequent guest or another owner
of this hotel?
e) Personal Experience:
Time: 10:00 AM - Arrived at Bannack Ghost Town
Tom and I visited Bannack
and the Hotel Meade last summer on a crisp August morning. I was wearing
a heavy coat and hat with gloves, because it was nippy outside.. The
Park Ranger told us that the Hotel Mead was haunted, so I went on alone
because Tom said he wanted to get some other photos and would catch
up with me.
The heavy front wooden
door opens inward. Upon entering the front door, one finds the lobby
/reception area, with a curving, once elegant staircase which winds
up to the second floor where the guest rooms were located. Looking straight
ahead is the large dining room, with a side room off the wide hallway.
Other rooms where food was prepared and the kitchen also are found off
this main hallway.
I walked alone around the
spooky downstairs, trying to imagine how grand it once was, waiting
for husband Tom to join me. No one else who was living was in the building
with me. I thought I'd be polite and quietly talk to whomever unseen
entity was there, as I verbally admired the various rooms, as if I was
visiting as a guest, talking to the host.
While studying the various
dining rooms, kitchen area, etc., here and there one sees glimpses of
fine flooring, wallpaper and other evidence of how beautiful this hotel
was in its heyday. The main staircase in the front lobby area has lovely
wood carving on the rails and had at one time fancy steps, which must
of been inviting for tired travelers.
During this tour of the
downstairs, I didn't feel a presence, but then again I usually don't.
While the downstairs was cold, so was the outside and I was warmly dressed.
So if there were cold spots, I didn't notice them. After taking a look
around the very quiet, still, chilly downstairs, I decided to see where
my better half went, as there was something too spooky about going up
to the second floor alone. There was something about the shadowy staircase
leading up to the 2nd floor from the kitchen that made me decide not
to go there just yet. I turned into the main hallway and walked through
the lobby toward the large front door of the building which I had left
open.
When I was about 50 yards
from the door in the main lobby, the heavy wooden door suddenly was
pushed hard from the inside with a hard slam. I jumped and let out a
yelp of surprise! There was no wind outside, and the only explanation
was that an unseen presence wanted to let me know that I wasn't as alone
as I thought on the first floor, and wanted to see me jump for chuckles!
As I have limited psychic ability, entities who had wanted to say hi
to me in past adventures, got my attention through physical means. (Goldhil
Hotel * Horton Grand Hotel)
Or perhaps this entity
wasn't pleased that I didn't come up to the second floor for a visit,
or maybe upset that I left the door open in the first place! I apologized
verbally for leaving the door open, and made a hasty exit. I did go
back to this hotel with husband Tom to have a living escort this time
as we explored the hotel together, the second floor as well, about 30
minutes later. Tom took some pictures with his digital camera which
capture the atmosphere of this building on both floors.
Musings about The Second
Floor
YIKES! I'm glad I waited
for Tom. And this was 10:45 in the morning! Though we didn't see anything
physical in the guest rooms, the atmosphere in the upstairs rooms and
hallway was definitely different and a bit unnerving, especially near
the large front room. On the second floor, the largest room, probably
used for important people, is located in the very front of the building,
and has a large balcony, giving an excellent view. This room was locked.
Paranormal investigator, Greg Burchfield, reports on his web-site that
the doors are locked because of "supernatural events" which have happened
in this room.
An entity or two are still
calling the hotel home and don't appreciate visits from the living!
STILL HAUNTED?
Definitely yes!
Other sources include:
BANNACK, compiled by Linda E. Anderson, for Bannack State Park
Haunted Places - by William Dennis Hauk * ghostvillage.com * haunted18.tripod.com
legendsofamerica.com/MT-BannackGhost * legendsofamerica.com |
