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HISTORY
The Jerome Grand hotel, Arizona was built as “United Verde hospital” in 1926. It was built by “united Verde copper company” which was a mining company when they started their business in the area and felt the need for a hospital which although would be the 4th hospital in the state but with the best of facilities. Many modern equipment were available at the hospital and it was considered one of the most modern hospitals not only in the state but all over the Country. The Otis elevator in the building was first of its kind and it still functions to this day.
The hospital operated till 1950 when residents had already moved to different cities due to non availability of work and hazardous living conditions. After 1950 the hospital would lay abandoned for 44 years and the equipment, furniture and everything else inside stayed in the hospital like something frozen in time.
RENOVATIONS AND REOPENING
The hospital was acquired in 1994 by Larry Altherr from Phelps Dodge Mining Corporation who started the renovations and the Jerome Grand hotel opened for business in 1996.
Even though the hospital was one of the most modern hospitals of that era, many people died when the hospital was in Operation. The figure is assumed to be close to 9000. The hospital was cursed with many unfortunate accidents the first of which was the mining disaster that blew a part of the hospital when it was first opened. Seeing that so many people had died in the hospital one can guess that it is difficult to name all of the diseased people but one of the few suspicious deaths that happened and is still talked about is that of the maintenance man Claude Harvey. He was pinned down by the elevator and everybody thought of it as an accident but it was later revealed during an autopsy that he had already died before being crushed by the elevator. Another death was that of a caretaker hired during the 1970s to protect the building from vandals. He committed suicide and was found hanging inside the hotel.
PARANORMAL ACTIVITIES
When the hotel had just opened and only a few rooms were available, guests staying there would report off all kinds of mysterious activity and they still do to this day. So many spirits are said to haunt the hotel that it is believed that sometimes more ghosts roam the hotel than there are humans present at the hotel.
Ghost children
Guests would hear strange sounds and voices coming from closed rooms. Guests also reported smells coming from rooms, such as flowers, dust, cigar smoke, and whiskey. The most common apparition is of a child who is seen running up and down the hallways of the third floor which is said to be the most active floor. Guests would also hear children playing, giggling and even seeing the ghostly apparition of a child at the foot of their beds during nights just looking at them before disappearing in thin air. A lot of guests would hear a baby crying and would report it to the front desk only to find that the sound was coming from an empty room.
Poltergeist activity
Poltergeist activity like the television and bedside lamps being unplugged and things sent flying in the room. Things missing only to be found later under the beds are some of the most common things that guests experience on a daily basis in their hotel rooms.
The maintenance man
The spirit of Claude Harvey, the maintenance man who died in the hotel is seen many times in the laundry or the boiler room doing his chores as though still at work. People believe that he doesn’t realise that he is dead.
Ghost Pet
Another famous apparition is that of a ghostly cat. The cat has been heard meowing, hissing and scratching at doors and walls. Both staff and guests have heard and felt the cat brushing against their legs and snuggling against them while on the bed. People could see the imprint of a cat on their bed. A guest even provided a photo evidence of the ghost cat spirit sitting on the table. This is only a small amount of paranormal activity that occurs at the hotel.
PRESENT DAY
The Asylum Ann Larie Valentine
The hotel has such an abundance of paranormal activity that many paranormal explorers visit the hotel and they easily get in touch with the paranormal. The hotel does not provide any guided tours but those who want to experience any sort of paranormal activity have to book a room like other guests and only then they can get access to the hallways of the hotel and that is without bothering any other guests. The lobby and the hotel restaurant called “Asylum” are open to the public.
