Overview
Haunted Hotels: Royal Hotel
When hearing news of the Royal Hotel in Yampa, CO, burning down and considering its haunted history, it causes one to wonder whether or not the fire had anything to do with any of the spirits that allegedly haunt the hotel. According to ABC News who obtained word from the lieutenant of the Yampa Fire Department, a coal stoker malfunctioned. Although everyone was evacuated from the building, the structure was completely lost. What many wonder after the hotel burned down in January 2015 is what happened to the hotel’s well-known ghost, Rufus.
Rufus
“Rufus” was the named given by patrons of the Royal Hotel to the ghost who was reportedly responsible for turning lights on and off, moving furniture around and flushing toilets throughout the facility. Much of his phenomena as well as other ghostly occurrences were reported to have occurred in Rooms 6 and 7.
Rufus’s story is unclear. Although some say that he is the spirit of one of the hospital residents who died in the building from the flu back in 1919, others argue that he was a gambler who was murdered after cheating at a poker game. Regardless, the ghost, fondly dubbed “Rufus” haunted the establishment for more than a century.
Other Paranormal Activity
Another spirit who supposedly haunts the hotel is that of a young woman who is seen rushing through the hallways of the hotel. In addition to seeing her running apparition, people report hearing her disembodied footsteps throughout the hotel as well. Also, some people have mentioned hearing a dog barking and running through the hotel hallways.
