Mary's Ghost of the Golden North Hotel - Skagway, Alaska

Around the end of the 19th century, one of the first hotels known in the Alaskan wilderness was built in Skagway, Alaska.  A young gold prospector and his fiancé Mary came to the area looking for fortune.  He got Mary a room at the Golden North Hotel until he could find enough gold to establish a homestead of their very own.  That unfortunately, would never happen.

The ghost of Mary, a bride to be, haunts the Golden North Hotel where she died waiting for her fiancé to return from a prospecting trip.

After Mary's fiancé headed back out to collect his fortune in gold, she became very ill with pneumonia.  She languished in room 23, waiting for her love to return, but tragically she passed away before he did.  The two lovers would be forever parted.

From that point on, many guests in the hotel that stayed in room 23 have awakened with the sensation of being choked as if by some unseen hands.  Others have actually seen the apparition of a young woman dressed in turn of the century attire, standing in the room with them.  The ghostly figure would then disappear.

Below in room 14, there are other unworldly experiences reported by guests.  Most refer to a bizarre light they have seen floating around the room which seems to be shimmering.  Many witnesses describe it to be in the shape of a ball.  Whether it is related to Mary's ghost, it is unknown.

The Golden North Hotel building still stands to this day, however it is no longer operating as a hotel.  The hotel sign still remains, but the building contains shops and the upper floors remain unoccupied.  Except for Mary that is...


Location:
3rd & Broadway
Skagway, Alaska

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Lydia's Ghost -The Red Onion Saloon - Skagway, Alaska

In the late 1890s, the Alaskan wilderness had havens such as Skagway where the gold miners would come in from their claims and unwind.  The Red Onion Saloon was one of the most renown casino and most notably, bordellos around the area.  As more settlement were established closer to the gold fields, business began to slow and the Red Onion moved to a location closer to the rail depot in hopes of luring in more customers.
 

The haunted Red Onion Saloon in Skagway, Alaska is home to a ghost named Lydia

Over time, the building that used to host The Red Onion served a number of purposes including a U.S. Army barracks during World War II, a bakery, TV station, and a gift shop.  In 1980, it was re-opened as The Red Onion, only this time as a restaurant-bar and in its own unique way, a museum of prostitution.

The years may have passed, but one of the former prostitutes apparently did not.  There have been reports of footsteps heard on the 2nd floor where the brothel used to be.  Upon investigation, no one would be around.  However, the strong smell of perfume would be lingering in the air and there would be extremely cold spots where the smell would be coming from.  On one occasion when a disturbance was heard upstairs, the police were called and as they approached the top of the stairs, they claimed they saw what was a shadow figure running down the hall and into a room.  The room turned out to be the former madame's room. The resident ghost would also make herself known by watering the plants upstairs.  The hostess of the house would go to water the plants and the soil would be damp as if someone had just done so.  

Modern day interior of the Red Onion Saloon in Skagway, Alaska

It is unknown if this female spirit died in the building, but it is believed that she is one of the former madams named Lydia.  She has made personal appearances on  several occasions when the form of a female apparition was observed walking around the madame's room going through the motions as if watering plants.  However, there were no plants in that room!