Ghost Hotel
Posted on: August 4, 2014
- In: History | Travel
- 40 Comments
During my recent trip to New Mexico, my travelling companion and I visited the St. James Hotel in Cimarron on the Santa Fe Trail. The hotel was built in 1872 by a trained French chef, Henri Lambert. Many famous guests stayed in this elegant but often violent hotel. Cimarron is Spanish for wild or unruly, which was a fitting name for this lawless town in the nineteenth century when arguments were often settled with bullets. Twenty-six people lost their lives at the St. James Hotel.
The lobby of the St. James Hotel
We had a delicious burrito lunch in the restaurant sitting under a huge Texas longhorn. We then wandered into the bar where bullet holes from days gone by, pepper the ceiling.
Famous lawmen, outlaws and wild west characters stayed in this hotel. Colourful individuals such as Wyatt Earp and his brothers, Doc Holliday, Jesse James, Buffalo Bill Cody, the author Zane Grey and Annie Oakley.We wanted to look inside the rooms that are still decorated in the manner Mr. Lambert had established. With luck a friendly maintenance man agreed to show us around. The St. James is still an operating hotel but since many of the rooms were vacant we could check them out.
The Annie Oakley Room
The very room Wyatt Earp slept in
We had heard the hotel was haunted and were eager to learn more. Our guide told us that many guests have felt the presence of the spirits of those who have met their demise in this hotel. The staff tell stories of cutlery being moved around, a cowboy suddenly appearing and then disappearing and the sudden scent of rose perfume. Room #18 is never rented out as the ghost of a cowboy, T.J. Wright, killed during a game of cards, resides there. The St. James Hotel has been featured on a number of television shows.
The card room where the guest of #18 was shot
A peaceful sitting area outside with murals, a waterfall and a bear about to steal a freshly baked pie is a good place to escape from the eerie feeling inside.
Peaceful outdoor seating
This was a great place to visit, full of wild west history and ambiance. I’m sure there are many stories contained in those walls. But I’m not sure I would want to spend a night.
More great pictures of the hotel and the rooms here
40 Responses to "Ghost Hotel"
August 4, 2014 at 9:21 pm
I was thinking it looked like a movie/TV set, then you mentioned it has been in several shows. Great pictures, and I probably would stay there because I don’t believe in ghosts … yet:)
August 5, 2014 at 2:48 am
I like to think I don’t believe in them either but I sure felt strange while I was there. I’d rather not find out. Good story ideas though!
August 4, 2014 at 10:15 pm
Wow—-that is a really neat place and I love the Texas Longhorn, of course. What an amazing history this place has and how wonderful that they have kept it alive after all these years.
August 5, 2014 at 2:50 am
It is cool that they have kept it as it was. I could almost see Wyatt Earp striding along the hallways or Zane grey scribbling away in his room. It made these people seem more real to me.
August 4, 2014 at 10:22 pm
This is a wonderful history lesson, Darlene. Your photos tell the story in glorious detail.
blessings ~ maxi
August 5, 2014 at 12:35 am
Gorgeous, gorgeous pictures, but nothing like being there I suppose. This is my favorite post. Love the charm of the old days, so well-maintained and preserved. I’d love to STAY there. 🙂 Ghosts or otherwise.
August 5, 2014 at 2:53 am
It was very charming and many people do stay there. You never know who you may meet in the middle of the night! Glad you enjoyed this post.
August 5, 2014 at 3:31 am
I love going visiting with you! I was only in New Mexico once (Albuquerque), so clearly I missed some local sites! Thanks for the pictures and seeing your smiling face.
Nancy
August 5, 2014 at 4:02 am
New Mexico is an amazing state with so much to see and do and a very colourful history. Glad you enjoyed the pictures. Come visiting with me any time!
August 5, 2014 at 3:35 am
Putting it on my bucket list! 😉
August 5, 2014 at 4:03 am
You would love this place; so full of history and interesting characters.
August 5, 2014 at 6:09 am
Jasmine, Caleb and Adwin love nothing better than a good ghost story. The death of T.j.Wright prompted quite a discussion.
August 5, 2014 at 8:13 am
They would love to visit this hotel. Perhaps Grandma and Grandpa will take them one day!
August 5, 2014 at 6:47 am
What a fascinating place to visit (or stay – though I’m not sure I’d sleep very well there either!).
August 6, 2014 at 6:05 am
Bullet holes in the ceiling? Now that is authentic! What an interesting history whether there be ghosts or not.
August 6, 2014 at 11:35 am
Those were real bullet holes from cowboys shooting their guns off in the saloon. Great history!
August 6, 2014 at 3:32 pm
Thank you for sharing the photos, Darlene. I do believe in ghosts, and I’m too susceptible to stories about them, so if I had to stay there, it would be torture.
August 6, 2014 at 3:42 pm
My imagination would go wild I’m sure. It was OK during the day time but at night I would have a problem.
August 10, 2014 at 6:11 am
This sounds such a fascinating place Darlene! I would love to visit….in daylight hours!
August 11, 2014 at 2:03 pm
We’ve been here, Darlene! But I didn’t get the wonderful pictures, so I appreciate you sharing yours. Especially the Wyatt Earp room; we didn’t even see that one.
We saw the hotel in daylight, too. I would not want to spend the night there.
August 11, 2014 at 4:10 pm
My aunt had been there before but she said it was definitely worth visiting again. We got to see a lot because of the maintenance man so generously showing us around. He had worked there for many years and had been involved in the restoration. He had many stories to share as well.
August 8, 2017 at 10:19 pm
Very eerie – love that bear painting.
August 8, 2017 at 10:37 pm
It was very spooky. I loved the bear painting too. It looked so real!!
[…] Head over to Darlene’s blog and finish reading the post and seeing the great photographs of the hotel’s famous guests, such as Annie Oakely: https://darlenefoster.wordpress.com/2014/08/04/ghost-hotel/ […]
November 9, 2017 at 10:00 am
What a great experience, Darlene. I love the Southwest. Lived in Aztec, NM for a year and didn’t want to leave. If I ever stay at the St. James, it will be in the Annie Oakley room. I named one of my cats after her ~ Phoebe Ann Moses 🙂 ♥
November 9, 2017 at 6:22 pm
New Mexico is an amazing state. You were fortunate to live there for a year. What a cool name for your cat! Thanks for dropping in.
November 10, 2017 at 5:52 am
We lived just minutes away from the Aztec Ruins. What a pleasure to be able to visit at the drop of a hat 🙂
November 13, 2017 at 7:51 am
Reblogged this on Site Title and commented:
Hello Darlene,
I’m a wild west nut and love ghosts so just had to share this! Thank you so much for sharing this yourself.
Jo UK
http://www.jo-b-creative.blogspot.co.uk
Darlene Foster's Blog 
August 4, 2014 at 8:49 pm
I’m a big chicken ~ I wouldn’t want to spend the night either. 😉
August 5, 2014 at 2:47 am
It was great to visit (in the daytime) though. I’m a bit of a chicken myself.