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| True Arizona Ghost Stories
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Fort Huachuca
Fort Huachuca, Arizona
Fort Huachuca is a product of the Indian Wars of the 1870s and 1880s. In February 1877, Colonel August B. Kautz, commander of the Department of Arizona, ordered that a camp be established in the Huachuca Mountains. This camp would offer protection to settlers and travel routes in southeastern Arizona while simultaneously blocking the traditional Apache escape routes through the San Pedro and Santa Cruz valleys to sanctuary in Mexico. A temporary camp was established at the post’s current location on March 3, 1877. The site was selected because it had fresh running water, an abundance of trees, excellent observation in three directions, and protective high ground for security against Apache tactical methods. Camp Huachuca was re-designated a fort in 1882.In 1886, General Nelson A. Miles designated Fort Huachuca as his advance headquarters and forward supply base for the Geronimo campaign. Geronimo’s surrender in August 1886 practically ended the Apache danger in southern Arizona. The Army closed more than 50 camps and forts in the territory, but Fort Huachuca was retained because of continuing border troubles involving renegade Indians, Mexican bandits, and American outlaws. At war’s end, the fort was declared surplus and transferred to the State of Arizona. It was reactivated during the Korean War by the Army Engineers. A new era began in 1954 when control passed to the Chief Signal Officer, who found the area and climate ideal for testing electronic and communications equipment. The importance of the fort in the national defense picture grew steadily from that moment. In 1967, Fort Huachuca became the headquarters of the U.S. Army Strategic Communications Command. In 1971, the post became the home of the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School, bringing with it the School Brigade. The Strategic Communications Command became the U.S. Army Communications Command in 1973, subsequently changing to the U.S. Army Information Systems Command in 1984.In October 1990, the post changed hands with the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command became the new host command; the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca now operates the post. Today, Fort Huachuca is a major military installation in Arizona, and one of prominence throughout the Southwest.One of the most frequently changed buildings in Fort Huachuca is the Carleton House. Built in 1850 and named after Brig. General James H. Carleton the building has been home to an army post hospital, officer's quarters, officer command center, a mess hall, a school house, a governor's office, a vacation home and a residential home. There have been many strange happenings in the building. Many years ago, when the building was a post hospital, a woman named Charlotte gave birth to a stillborn son and then died herself a few days later. It is believed she is the one behind all of the strange and unexplainable occurrences in the house. One of the rooms downstairs was the morgue when the building was used as a post hospital. Boxes were stacked neatly in this room only to be found opened and the contents strewn about the room when someone returned. The family could not figure out who was making the mess. The pictures that the family hung on the walls, along with the nail they hung them with would smash to the floor. The doorbell at the front door, which was actually located at the side of the house, would ring incessantly and when a family member would open the door, nobody would be there. The doorbell was eventually disabled. In the one of the rooms, which was a ward when the building was a post hospital, there was a chandelier that would operate perfectly during the day, but a night it would not. In that same room a child of the residence saw a light colored, old fashioned dress, floating in the corner, where the temperature is always much colder than the rest of the house. Residents and neighbours alike have seen a white, hazy mist floating around the inside of the house and near the front door.
Navajo County Courthouse
Holbrook, Arizona
The Navajo County Courthouse, located in Holbrook, was built in 1898 and in use until 1976. The basement of the courthouse housed jail cells from which nobody ever escaped. The courthouse became the scene of numerous notorious trials including the trial of murderer George Smiley. Smiley was convicted of having killed a railroad section foreman named McSweeney, and was scheduled to hang on December 8, 1899. After a thirty day stay of execution issued by Governor Nathan Oakes Murphy he was executed on January 8th, 1900. He would become the first and only man hanged at the courthouse. Since his execution in 1900, George Smiley’s ghost has been seen lurking around the building. According to Historical Society staff, he paces up and down the stairs, slamming doors, moving objects and making eerie noises. George Smiley isn’t the only entity that haunts the courthouse. It is believed that a person the staff identifies as “Mary” is also haunting the building. Mary was a prisoner in one of the jail cells and died while looking out the window longing for her freedom. She is seen still looking out that very same window.
Clawson House Inn
Bisbee, Arizona
Bisbee, originally called "The Queen of the Copper Camps," is nestled in the foothills of the Mule Mountains of southeast Arizona. In the 1880’s it became a boom town for miners. In 1900, it was the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco. Bisbee was rebuilt in 1908 after being destroyed by fire. The town is also haunted by many ghosts. One of the many haunted spots in Bisbee is the Clawson House Inn. The mansion was built by Spencer Clawson, a mine manager, in 1895 and has since become a guest inn. It is believed that the spirit of his wife haunts the building. Also, haunting the inn are the ghosts of three dead miners. In the 1890’s there was a labour dispute between the miners and the Queen Mine. Outside workers were brought in to cross picket lines and fill the jobs of the strikers. Three of these men, who were staying at the Clawson House Inn, were brutally murdered and are believed to still be wandering around the inn.
The Oliver House
Bisbee, Arizona
The Oliver House is another haunted location in Bisbee. The house was built in 1909 by Edith Ann Oliver, the wife of a local mine official. Originally, the building was used as offices for mining executives and later became a boarding house for miners. The house is now a twelve room bed and breakfast. It is reported that twenty seven people have died in the house over the years. The Oliver house is believed to be haunted by five different entities. According to guests who have stayed there, footsteps can be heard wandering the hallways at night, doors and shutters open and close on their own, the sound of water running through pipes that don’t exist can be heard and revolving cold spots throughout the house are experienced. In one of the rooms a rocking chair moves to the window and rocks with no human contact. It is believed that the spirit of an old lady who used to love to rock in the window is causing this phenomenon. Most of the strange activity occurs around room thirteen. A man named Nat Anderson was shot and killed in the hallway outside of this room.
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