  |
Location
Crescent Hotel
Eureka Springs Arkansas
Date
October 2009
History
The Crescent Hotel was built in
1886 as a year-round opulent resort for the accommodation of the
Victorian elite to take advantage of the "healing waters" of Eureka
Springs. As the belief of in the healing powers of the springs dried up
so did the interest in the hotel. In 1908 the hotel turned into the
Crescent College and Conservatory for Young Women. This school for
wealthy young ladies lasted until 1924. It was again used as a hotel
until it was purchased in 1937 by Norman Baker. Norman Baker, an
uneducated self proclaimed Doctor, used the hotel as a hospital and
"health resort", with claims of curing cancer. However, his methods of
practice created the darkest moments in the history of the Crescent
Hotel. He created a torture chamber, full of secret passage ways, gun
totting guards and horrific "medical cures" inflicted on his cancer
patients. The result of his medical practice was the mysterious
disappearance of patients and Baker's 1940 conviction for mail fraud.
Baker was not convicted of his crimes against unknowing persons
afflicted with cancer, he was actually sentenced to four years for
signing his name Dr. Norman Baker to correspondence posted through the
mail. Ironically he died in 1958 of Cancer. The Crescent was finally
restored to its hotel status in 1946.
Paranormal Accounts
Paranormal accounts of this hotel
are to numerous to name, as it has been called one of the most haunted
hotels in America. Every employee we encountered at the Crescent Hotel
had a story to tell about their personal ghostly encounter. Many
haunted encounters surround Room 218. Said to be haunted by an Irish
workman who, during the construction of the hotel, fell to his death in
the area now identified as Room 218. This mischievous ghost,
nicknamed Michael, is known to make frequent appearances. Accounts of
his haunts seem to indicate a practical joker. He has been known to
wait for a young woman to take a shower before he opens the door
leading to the hallway, leaving a distraught woman to find a curious
onlooker snapping pictures of one of the most haunted rooms in the
Crescent Hotel.
The spirit "Theodora" is said to like her room 419 kept nice a tidy. She's known to pack bags of guests she finds offensive or messy. She then leaves their bags in front of the door as a sign its time to leave. Our Room 202 is also said to be haunted and is the room a legendary ghost photo was capture. We were informed not to be surprised if a child climbed into the big old bed in the room, as it was a common occurrence. The rooms on the side of the building of Room 202 is where the children during Norman Baker's time were believed to have stayed. Is was also the destination of one of Baker's secret passageways. Apparently at 10:00 p.m. the spirit of a young girl, from the time when the hotel was used as a womens college is seen plunging over the 3rd floor balcony at the back of the hotel. Her name Abigail, her claim is she was pushed. And there is of course the morgue where TAPS found an apparition with their thermal imaging camera.
Personal Experiences
We were not lucky enough to have
any personal experiences or find evidence of a haunting at the Crescent
Hotel. However, there are still more rooms to investigate.
|
Evidence
If you have any problems with the website, find broken links or pictures/media that will not load please contact us with the details. We appreciate any help with keeping up the quality of our website.
Copyright © 2009