Dorn Homes Blog

Exploring Haunted Prescott

Posted by Dornhomes on Oct 22, 2019 9:29:50 AM

Whether you believe in haunted places and are looking for a ghostly encounter or you just enjoy the occasional scare, Prescott is a great place to embrace the spooky fall season. With the evenings getting brisk and the days still warm, Fall is the perfect time of year to explore the area. There are several locations in downtown Prescott that are home to the ghosts of jilted lovers, unlucky gamblers, and even a feline companion. If ghost hunting isn’t your thing, there are also a variety of Halloween-themed activities to celebrate the season.

The Palace Saloon

First on our list of haunted locations is The Palace Saloon on Historic Courthouse Square. While supposedly home to several ghosts, the most well-known is that of a man by the name of Nevins. A poker-playing mortician, Nevins was deep in debt in a game of high-stakes poker. He put his funeral parlor up as collateral and lost it all. Now it’s said that Nevins appears whenever groups gather to play cards in the Saloon. Visitors have reported unexplained footsteps, glasses being knocked from the bar for no reason, and even appearances of ghostly figures. The ghostly activity here is so well-known that the Saloon has been featured on the Ghost Adventures television show. With The Palace Saloon’s fraught history of fires and murder, it’s no surprise that it could be home to restless spirits.

The Hotel Vendome

The Hotel Vendome has had many owners throughout the years, but one of note is still there to this day. Abby, a woman that had come to Prescott as a teen to treat her illness, bought and ran the hotel with her husband beginning in 1921. After losing the hotel to unpaid taxes, the new owners kindly allowed the couple to stay in room 16. After Abby’s husband left one night, never to return, she refused to eat and passed away in the room along with her cat Noble, who was locked in the closet. Now it’s said that guests in room 16 will hear the sound of a cat playing in the closet, smell Abby’s perfume, and even hear her speak to them in their sleep. Hotel guests have even reported hearing Abby wandering the halls late at night, checking on her guests.

The Hassayampa Inn

Home to perhaps the most famous ghost in Prescott is the Hassayampa Inn. According to legend, a young bride by the name of Faith Summers checked into the Hassayampa with her much older husband in 1927, the first year the hotel had opened. Her husband abandoned her on their wedding night, leaving her in their bridal suite. Faith waited for three days for him to return before hanging herself from the suite balcony. Now it’s said that guests will see Faith crying at the end of the bed, smell her bridal flowers, or see her wandering the halls in a pink gown. Faith is never said to be threatening, just a heartbroken spirit unable to move on.

Prescott’s Ghost Talk Experience

If you’d like to enjoy a spooky evening without running into any spirits, Prescott’s Ghost Talk Experience offers a unique and immersive experience that benefits the local arts. Patrons will visit several ghosts in and around the MainStage theater on a walking tour to listen to bone-chilling tales of the dead. Ghost Talk is a compilation of frightening stories from around Yavapai County and beyond. The accounts vary from a fictional writing out of the imagination of a budding creative playwright, to a factual interpretation based-on authentic events and people from historians. There will be spooky surprises, interactive encounters, and a new understanding of the legends that shape the horror, science fiction, and thriller genres we have today. This event may be too frightening for youngsters, so they recommend attendees be 13 or older. For more information, dates, and to purchase tickets, visit the Prescott Center for the Arts website.

Spooky Speakeasy Halloween Party

For those of you with little interest in the supernatural that are looking for a fun way to celebrate Halloween, the Spooky Speakeasy Party is for you. This swanky event takes place on October 31st in the Top of the Elks Performing Arts Center’s 3rd-floor Crystal Hall and benefits Prescott Meals on Wheels. Attendees will enjoy frightening bites and dessert provided by El Gato Azul and tickets include 2 drink tickets for beer, wine, or bubbly. The event will offer casino games, a costume party, and bewitching beats courtesy of The Goodwin Street Jazz band. Tickets are limited and costumes are highly encouraged. To learn more about the event or to purchase tickets visit their website.


If you’re new to Prescott, or are hosting visitors, October is a great time of year to learn about and celebrate the town’s paranormal legends, its history, or just do some good attending a fun charity gala. You can find more information about the haunted places and upcoming events by visiting the websites above. For more information about our communities and the homes Dorn Homes builds, reach out to an Online Home Advisor today.

Topics: Prescott, Community