JEROME GRAND HOTEL
WORKSHOP
JEROME, AZ
JULY 23, 2005
The workshop group headed north to the old mining camp of Jerome. The 25 ghost hunters met on the steps of the Jerome Grand Hotel for the group picture at 12:30. Earlier that day a local film crew contacted Debe about using the Jerome workshop crew as part of their “Spirits of Jerome” Video/DVD. We all signed film releases and became extras in their ghost documentary.
Click Here To Purchase The Spirits of Jerome Video/DVD
Debe always believes in knowing the history of your surroundings. It was the old Girl Scout in her. A drive up to the Douglas Mansion at Jerome State Park was in order. The mansion is indeed haunted. Rocks appear in the displays that were not there before. Lights go on and off on, and wispy ghostly figures have appeared in pictures.
We were able to check into the Jerome Grand Hotel at 3pm. This hotel was built as the United Verde Hospital—opening in 1927. It was one of the most modern and best-equipped hospitals in Arizona. After the mines closed, the building laid dormant for years. In 1994 the building was sold and restoration began. With extensive renovation, the building towering over the city became the Jerome Grand Hotel.
The most famous ghost at the Jerome Grand is its former maintenance man—Claude Harvey. Mr. Harvey was found dead—crushed under the elevator in the basement. His death was filed as an accident, but there has always been a question of mystery surrounding his death. His shadowy figure has been seen wandering the halls and in the boiler room.
Other guests have witnessed doctors and nurses in starched white uniforms making their rounds on the floors. Folks have witnessed walking into a vortex and seeing a busy emergency room in action.
We dined at the famous Haunted Hamburger. The ghost burger is fantastic—and yes, the building is haunted.
We met up with the film crew near the Apartments and Jennie’s Pizzeria where we did walk through investigations and interviews with the owners. Some of these scenes were used in the Spirits of Jerome DVD.
Jerome police chief Allen Muma—who is also the owner of the Ghost City Inn—took us on a historical ghost walk of Jerome. He showed us many of Jerome’s notorious haunted locations and told us tales of the ghosts still wandering the city’s streets. He also showed us places where men of law and order created some lost spirits as well.
The film crew took us down in the basement of the Connor hotel where they filmed us searching for the ghost of David Connor who has been seen wandering in the tunnels below the building. We also stopped at the old Liberty Theatre that was hidden from view for years by a false ceiling. This is the theatre where the Spirits of Jerome would make its debut!
A trip to the cemetery was cut short do to a light rain shower. We did not want to ruin our cameras or equipment so we packed everything up and headed back to the hotel. Some chose to retrace their steps and visit some of the haunted locations we learned about on the ghost walk.
Back at the hotel, we explored the corridors of the old hospital searching for the night nurse or some of the patients still lingering in the rooms long after visiting hours were over. In the morning, we shared photos and a few minor occurrences of paranormal activity.
