Photo Essay: Denver's Haunted Oxford Hotel

Of all the hotels in Denver, the Oxford is the oldest and the most haunted. Reports of spectral visitations have mediums, ghost hunters, and hoards of the curious flocking to this historic structure in search of evidence and experiences from the wild beyond. Some may find what they seek, (or at least believe they do), and others may not, but the truth is ghosts of the past fill this anachronistic wonder and they are all around. No special skills or equipment are ever necessary to visit with the spirits, just a pair of eyes and an open mind.

Built in 1891 by partners Adolph Zang, Philip Feldhauser, and William MyGatt, the Frank E. Edbrooke, (also designer of the Brown Palace), design withstood the test of time. When the hotel first opened, rooms cost only $1.00, ($2.00 with a bath), and guests easily made the short walk from Union Station just one-half block away. Later, an annex was added, the interior was remodeled and the Cruise Room Bar was built. After 1945 and the end of World War II, train travel declined and so did the fortunes of the Oxford. The entire neighborhood also declined and did not resurge until the early 1980's. Today, the Oxford stands as not only a living museum of Western Art, but also a portal into the past.

As visitors walk through the archway entrance, a transformation takes place. It becomes almost impossible not to feel the movement of days gone by and the passage of 117 years of guests coming and going. Just as beautiful, antique clockwork marks the passage of time, 19 th century architecture makes the time stand still. It is easy to imagine when a fire maintained in the lobby fireplace warmed and welcomed guests. The ornate iron, the handcrafted wood and the precise tile still evoke the sense of luxury that was status in the days of Robber Barons, gilded cages and the Victorian ethic. A fine collection of oil paintings decorates the walls, antique furniture fills the halls and rooms, and various other forms of art from sculptures to artifacts are scattered just about everywhere one looks. Indeed, a stay at the Oxford is almost like staying in a museum as much as it is staying in a fine hotel. When it comes to décor, the Oxford has no equal. In fact, a few guests loved it so much, they refused to leave.

Reports of ghost visitations in Room 320 are the most prominent. I do not know what goes on in there. I tried to book the room, but there is a waiting list. If I were a ghost and every living soul wanted to sleep in my room, I would cause some ruckus too. There are also reports of ghost visits in the Ladies Room downstairs, but, if you ask me, that might well just be the ghosts of some 19 th century adolescents still working through teenage angst. During my entire visit, I did not encounter one, visible ghost, or at least I do not think so. Instead, the entire hotel is a ghost from the past and maintains the spirit of everyone who ever stayed there. You feel it in the lobby, you feel it in the rooms, and you feel it as you wander the halls. There is no escaping the lure of the Oxford.

Are there ghosts at the Oxford? The mediums believe so, especially after a visit to the Cruise Room, and, after all, what self respecting ghost would not want to stay in a hotel so nice? If I were a ghost, that's where I'd book my eternal stay. Yet, if you are still of this world and still seeking contact with the past, the Oxford is a good place to start. Maybe that's why so many people keep finding excuses to keep on haunting the place and making it Denver's Oldest and Most Haunted Hotel.

The Oxford Hotel

1600 17 th Street

Denver, Colorado 80202

303-628-5400