Haunted Tombstone, Arizona -- One of the most haunted cities in Arizona

Haunted Tombstone - Page 3

Nellie Cashman’s Restaurant is another haunted location with spirits allegedly visiting this old building since frontier days. Located in Nellie Cashman’s old restaurant and boarding house, once called the Russ House, this quaint little restaurant of today is said to continue to host a spirit or two.

Its original owner, Nellie Cashman, was one of the Old West’s original female entrepreneurs, as well as a prospector and an "angel of mercy,” known throughout the west for her charity, courage, and determination.

After having traveled to mining camps in Nevada and Canada, Cashman made her way to Tombstone in 1880, where she opened the Russ House. Soon, she moved on to other mining camps, but not until she had made her mark on Tombstone.

Nellie Cashman's house in 1937, photo by Frederick D. Nichols.

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Though most do not believe that it is the building’s original owner who continues to lurk within its walls, they do believe there is "someone.” Both staff and customers have made several reports of playful spirits who continue to make their presence known.

Often, staff will arrive in the morning to find that objects have been moved during the night. Strange noises, crashing sounds, and even muted voices have been heard in the building. Lights mysteriously turn on and off of their own accord, and sudden changes in temperature are felt in various areas. Though these spirits are seemingly harmless, they do seem to be sensitive to criticism, making themselves known when people express their non-belief. In fact, on one occasion when a customer was making fun of the ghosts, a mustard bottle suddenly jumped from the table, leaving her clothing spattered with the yellow gook.

Yet others have actually professed to having seen an apparition of a woman, most presuming it is Nellie herself. However, ghost investigators doubt this, as Nellie actually died in Canada many years after leaving Tombstone. Later, after Nellie had moved on, the building was used as a boarding house, and allegedly a woman who lived there was murdered by a man who was also living there. The investigators believe that it is this woman who continues to lurk within the building.

The restaurant is located at 117 South 5th Street.

Buford House

At the historic Buford House, an 1880’s adobe home, which now serves as a Bed & Breakfast, the ghost of a man named George Buford apparently refuses to leave. In the late nineteenth century, George, a gold prospector, lived in the house with his father when he fell in love with the girl across the street, Cleopatra, more familiarly called Petra.

After returning from a long prospecting trip, George accompanied Petra and some other friends on an outing. For some reason, the girl decided to accompany another man on the walk home. George, sure that he had lost his promised girl, became angry, despondent and reclusive. Soon, when Petra visited him, he shot her twice, then turned the gun on himself. Despite her wounds, Petra recovered, but George died of his self-inflicted gunshot.

Like others who died tragic deaths, George continues to walk the earth, apparently lost in space and time. Both the owners and guests have seen him walking inside the home, as well as along the street in front of the old adobe structure. Often, the doorbell rings in the middle of the night, seemingly, of its own accord. Others have reported hearing knocking on walls, faucets turning themselves on and off, and strange lights appearing. Once in a while, women report that that they have felt someone touch their hair or stroke the back of their necks when no one is around.

The Buford House is at 113 E. Stafford Street.

Vintage Schieffelin Hall.

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Schieffelin Hall

At Schieffelin Hall, a building constructed in 1881 to bring "culture” to Tombstone, yet more ghosts are thought to remain here. Built by Al Schieffelin, brother to Tombstone's founder, Ed Schieffelin, the hall was envisioned as a first class opera house, offering culture to the citizens of Tombstone for the first time. And that it did for the next several decades, offering a theatre alternative to the decadent Bird Cage Theatre, where the "proper” people of Tombstone wouldn’t be seen.

The hall opened in June, 1881 to grand applause as the largest and most imposing building in Tombstone, as well as the largest adobe building anywhere in the Southwest.

Attracting theatre troupes from as far away as New York, Tombstone's finest enjoyed the productions, as well as balls, boxing matches, lectures, and more. According to news accounts of the time, it soon gained the reputation as the most noted theatre between San Antonio and San Francisco.

However, when Tombstone suffered, so did Schieffelin Hall. By the early 1900’s the hall was showing the new "moving” pictures, as well as a few scattered productions. But Tombstone’s heydays were over and for the next half century, the hall would be used only by the Masonic Lodge as it gradually fell into disrepair with the rest of the once booming town.

Fully restored today, it is said to continue to host a number of spirits; in fact, some say it is one of the most haunted but overlooked buildings in Tombstone. On several occasions people have heard what sounds like chains or spurs rattling inside the building. In fact, during one ghost tour, an entire group heard the sounds. A number of other strange sounds have also been heard in the building, especially during Tombstone City Council meetings that regularly occur in the building. One does wonder if perhaps they protest because seemingly, those meetings are so heated, that one might wonder if they have reverted to the 19^th century.

Continued Next Page

Schieffelin Hall today, David Alexander, April, 2007.

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From the Rocky Mountain General Store

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