Annandale Minnesota
Thayers B&B
This building has a boatload of friendly spirits
including the original owners to keep the living company.
Psychic Lori at the BRUMDER on March 17th & 18th
DESCRIPTION
This well- built 1895 historic old West Victorian railroad hotel is a large, rectangular, 3 story turn-of-the-century building, complete with 3 porches for each floor. It has been painted yellow, with green and purple trim around the beautiful Victorian windows, doors and railings.
Tom and I stopped by to visit Thayer’s Historic Bed and Breakfast on our August Road trip, in 2012. It appeared from the outside to be in fine shape, as it has been well taken care of, throughout its long history, especially under the ownership of Sharon Gammel, a well-known psychic medium who worked hard for 19 years to offer a lot for her guests.
On the website, Plains Paranormal, pictures of what was there; the lovely, authentic, period decor and furnishings within the bed and breakfast can still be seen. Just by looking at the pictures, some can feel the peaceful, restful atmosphere that was so relaxing for guests.
On the first floor, the common rooms that the guest would find were a game room, a long parlor, a lounge and restaurant in the large dining room, where wonderful meals were prepared in an updated kitchen. The second and third floor offered 11 rooms for the bed and breakfast guests who could look forward to a delicious breakfast in the morning.
Besides the restaurant business, and the bed and breakfast establishment, Sharon hosted murder/mystery dinners, where everyone had a good time.
Unfortunately, in 2011, Sharon Gammel was finding running her honored businesses at this grand historic building becoming too much to handle, so she closed her doors on March 15th, 2011, and passed it on to another aspiring Innkeeper, who never opened for business, and defaulted. The building has been on the real estate market for awhile, and is stuck in a legal mess, that hopefully will be resolved soon. An informed citizen of Annandale was our source on this bit of information.
This explains the neglected outside spaces, that show the results of the turmoil swirling around it. Being a person who loves to work in the yard, I had to restrain myself from pulling up the weeds growing everywhere. However, one can still see how lovely it was for the years that Sharon owned this place, by walking around this property. There is a jacuzzi, places for flower beds that are adorned with little statues, to complement several fountains. When two of the fountains were turned on, water flowed in a stream, that ran under a little garden bridge; from the rock fountain to the other fountain.
Grounds and outside yards can be easily cleaned up with some TLC, and I look forward to the day when legal troubles are sorted out. Hopefully, a new owner, who likes spirits, buys this classic structure, and opens up the hotel and restaurant once again, letting people experience this historic building and its spirits.
HISTORY
Thayer’s Historic Bed and Breakfast has been some sort of hotel/perhaps a boarding house and restaurant throughout its long history; 1895-2011, never allowed to sink into disrepair. Thayer’s Historic Bed and Breakfast was built in 1895, by Gus and Caroline Thayer, funded by the Soo Line Railroad Company, that needed a building to house both travelers and railroad employees.
The third floor was used by railroad workers/boarders, second floor by travelers, and the first floor had the common rooms typically found in hotels of the era: Gentleman’s Parlor, dining room, kitchen, etc.
Needless to say, a lot of folks have stayed as guests, boarders, have been hired here as cooks, employees, handymen and have owned this lovely building with pride and dedication, in the spirit of Gus and Caroline.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS
Owners of homes and businesses who loved their places, and their good times they experienced there while alive, sometimes like to visit the living, remember, and help the people who own it in the present, perhaps doing some of the tasks they performed while living/working in the structure.
Gus and Caroline Thayer loved what they did for a living; offering hospitality to their guests, and running their business in a building they adored.
Employees who truly loved their jobs in life, sometimes aren’t willing to give their work up, even though they are in spirit form!
Entity of the handyman – still on the staff, not letting the fact that he is in spirit form stand in the way!
Guests or boarders of a hotel often choose to spend their after-life visiting a place that they loved when alive.
The Male entity of the old Sea Captain -Sociable sort
Entities of 3 female prostitutes who would come and visit travelers for a session of pleasure up in the rooms
Unknown entities dressed in attire of an earlier era have been seen going about their business.
Animal spirits have been known to stay around familiar surroundings.
Spirits are more apt to make themselves known around places that have people in this world that have the 6th sense gifts that allow connections to develop between the worlds, and appreciation for opportunity for communication.
Sharon Gammell, a working psychic medium who had given readings and communicated with spirits for 45 years had known the regular spirit visitors, and they felt comfortable with her, glad that someone could understand them.
MANIFESTATIONS
General Paranormal Activity:
In the rooms, lights turn on and off on request from the guests, when spirits are visiting.
Lights can flicker, to say hello.
People can hear footsteps travel down a hallway toward them.
Many strange sounds and knocks are noticed by people that can’t be explained away with logical explanations.
Disembodied voices are heard.
Entities of Gus and Caroline Thayer
Both are friendly presences, and like to visit guests who want to meet them.
Purple Mist Room – Guests of the Thayer’s Historic Bed and Breakfast have found apports; pennies that Gus leaves them to find, letting them know that he has been in their rooms.
Both Gus and Caroline have appeared in front of guests to welcome them. Gus’s see-through apparition once appeared at the foot of a couple’s bed, raising his hat in welcome.
Entity of man in work clothes of a carpenter/handy man.
His see-through form has been seen walking around the floors, going about his business, going through his bucket list of things to fix.
The Male entity of the old Sea Captain
Sociable sort, invites contact by making his presence known through the aroma of the sea- fish smell/tackle box.
Responds to questions asked by the living.
Entities of 3 female prostitutes:
These hard working ladies of love who were located somewhere else in town, made house calls, to visit travelers/locals for a session of pleasure. It was considered a high class joint during their time, as it was today. They love to visit what was their favorite place to ply their trade while they were still working and alive.
Have been seen all over the Thayer Bed and Breakfast building, especially on each floor’s outside porch in the front of the structure.
Liked to rifle through makeup bags, purses and suit cases of female guests.
Enjoyed Moving things around the rooms – Keys were a favorite item, and would temporarily disappear, or be moved to different locations.
3 ghost kitties:
Two unknown felines, and entity of Cocoa the kitty, past owner Sharon’s cat
Guests have seen the apparitions of cats going about their business, wandering across halls.
Some have experienced the company of these ghost kitties in the guest rooms, who don’t seem to know that they are in spirit form.
STILL HAUNTED?
Most Definitely so. While published reports from paranormal groups are low key, personal experiences/sightings began soon after Gus and Caroline passed over, and have just increased over the years. Many guests/staff have seen and experienced friendly paranormal activity, converting many skeptics into believers of the paranormal
For many years, personal experiences were reported. Guests have received pennies from Gus, and experienced both Gus and Caroline, as well as a host of other friendly spirits.
Ghost hunting events have been a lot of fun for participants, and were a very popular feature for the bed and breakfast. Being a medium/psychic, Sharon was along on the seek and meet the spirits events, and many participants had experiences.
Some low key paranormal investigations were allowed in Thayer’s Bed and Breakfast.
Plains Paranormal (check out their report for full details. Listed below is just two of their experiences.)
Experienced the cigar smoke, indicating the presence of Gus.
Found and communicated with the entity of the friendly Sea Captain who was identified by investigators by his customary calling card; the smell of dead fish/tackle box, indicating that he was willing to communicate. Interacted with investigator, complying to 3 requests to knock on things.
LOCATION
60 Elm Street
Annandale, Minnesota 55302
Thayers Historic Bed and Breakfast can be found in the heart of historic downtown Annandale.
SOURCES INCLUDE
- The Minnesota Guide to Haunted Locations
by Chad Lewis & Terry Fisk
UNEXPLAINED Research Publishing Company, 2005 - http://www.ghostvillage.com/resources/2009/ May 21, 2009-Paradigm Symposium.com
- About.com Bed And Breakfasts
- hauntspot.com
- haunted-places-to-go.com
- sharongammell.com
tripadvisor.com
Our Haunted Paranormal Stories are Written by Julie Carr
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