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Given its long history, it’s no surprise that New Mexico is a pretty haunted state. You can encounter ghosts in locations as diverse as restaurants and battlefields. Many of these restless spirits date back to the days of the Wild West; during that period, one of the wildest places in the state was the Northern New Mexico town of Cimarron. It is in this town that you’ll find a haunted hotel in New Mexico that has a truly terrifying past.

The St. James Hotel and Restaurant, located in Cimarron, was built in 1872.
Yelp/Judy R.
Past guests include the likes of Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Black Jack Ketchum, and the Earp brothers.
Tripadvisor/Kathy R.
At least 26 people have died in this hotel – many of them violently. In fact, there are still 20 plus bullet holes in the ceiling!
Tripadvisor/Cindi K.
It’s so haunted, that you can’t even stay in one of the rooms because it is permanently occupied… by the ghost of a man named Thomas James Wright!
Yelp/Rachel P.
According to legend, Wright was shot in the back after winning the deed to the hotel in a bet. He dragged himself into his room where he died. His spirit is decidedly hostile and bad things are believed to happen whenever anyone enters room 18.
Don’t even think about trying to sneak in, because the door is now padlocked shut!
Tripadvisor/whatatripNewMexicoTripadvisor/whatatripNewMexico
Fortunately, not all the ghosts at the St. James Hotel are so volatile.
Yelp/R M.
A Frenchman named Henri Lambert built the hotel. Lambert had served as President Lincoln’s chef until the latter’s assassination. After the tragedy, Lambert headed west, accompanied by his wife Mary. They settled in Cimarron and Lambert’s Saloon and Billiard Hall was born. In 1880, Lambert added on to his establishment, forming the St. James Hotel.
The spirit of Mary Lambert is believed to linger in room 17, (the Mary Lambert room) which you can actually stay in.
Tripadvisor/Shaiansmommy
Guests and staff report smelling a strong rose perfume here, even when no one is around.

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To request a particular room, call the hotel directly.
Tripadvisor/Clint B.
The hotel has additional rooms in a modern annex, but it’s more fun to stay on the historic side, in the rooms named after previous guests.
This is the Bill Cody room.
Tripadvisor/B H
The historical décor and dark wood paneling make it easy to imagine what this place was like back in the day.
Flickr/Cyborglibrarian
It certainly sets the stage for a possible paranormal encounter.
Yelp/Rachel P.
After all, your average hotel doesn’t decorate with images of guests who’ve met their maker on site!
The 1870s were a violent decade in Cimarron. An ongoing dispute about the Maxwell Land Grant led to corruption, angry mobs, and murder.

Meet Francisco “Pancho” Griego.
Flickr/Cyborglibrarian
Griego was upset that his relative, an allegedly crooked constable, was killed by one such angry mob. Griego entered the St. James Saloon and picked a fight with Clay Allison, accusing him of being involved with the crime. Griego fanned his hat as a way to distract his quarry while he pulled his weapon. Allison was no fool and fired first, killing Griego.
Over the years, staff and guests alike have reported strange happenings at the St. James...
Yelp/Rachel P.
...from lights that turn back on by themselves to mysterious tapping on the windows. The hotel has also been featured on several paranormal-themed television shows.
If the idea of staying overnight at a haunted hotel in New Mexico is a bit much, you can stop by the hotel during daylight hours and dine in the restaurant.
Historic St. James Hotel & Saloon
Be sure to pause at the old mirrored bar. Some guests claim to have seen a cowboy looking back out at them!
Facebook/Historic St. James Hotel & Saloon

The St. James Hotel has a webpage you can visit for more information on these paranormal experiences. Click here to visit it.

Note: Ouija boards are banned at this establishment.

Have you ever stayed here or at any other haunted New Mexico hotels?

 

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More to Explore

Haunted Hotel In New Mexico

Leah | April 24, 2020

What are the most haunted places in New Mexico?

New Mexico has its fair share of spooky places known for their paranormal activity. If you're daring to explore more haunted spots in the Land of Enchantment, here are a few more. The KiMo Theater in Albuquerque has been around for nearly a century, but a tragic occurrence in 1951 left a lingering spirit of a young boy. Supposedly, the ghost of the boy plays mischievous tricks on performers and can be occasionally seen hanging out in the lobby. The town of Cuervo is another paranormal hotspot according to many, where restless spirits and terrifying stories are known.

What are the most popular ghost stories in New Mexico?

These ghost stories from New Mexico might keep you up at night. In Mesilla, NM, a restaurant called Double Eagle has a gruesome story within its walls. The ghosts of two lovers from the 1840s - Inez and Armando - were supposedly stabbed to death by one of their mothers in a room there. The ghost of Inez is said to linger and many unusual photographs have been taken at the restaurant that may be evidence of the beyond. At La Luz Canyon, there is an urban legend that if you stop on the bridge and put baby powder on your car, small children's handprints will appear in it and you might hear laughing. This is based on the story of a mother and her two children who were run off the bridge in their car by a truck and perished.

What are the creepiest places in New Mexico?

If you're daring to visit a creepy place in New Mexico for the thrills and chills, the town of Dawson is a worthy stop. The town is abandoned and empty today, but around a century ago it had 9000 residents. It was a mining town with a thriving population, but a tragic mine explosion would kill 261 miners and leave only 23 surviving. 10 years later, it happened again with 121 more miners lost. The cemetery in Dawson is expansive, full of all the graves of the killed workers, and supposedly these restless spirits still haunt it. Though the original townsite of Dawson, including the cemetery, is now on private property, you can drive by it on the road and get close enough to feel the eeriness of it all.

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St. James Hotel, 617 S Collison Ave, Cimarron, NM 87714, USA