Rapid City South Dakota
Hotel Alex Johnson
Foul play due to greed, and heart-breaking abandonment caused paranormal activity.
The spirits of past guests stay for long visits.
The first owner still loves to visit; keeping close tabs.
DESCRIPTION
During July of 2008, Tom and I visited the Hotel Alex Johnson, and were greatly impressed with the expansive, gloriously decorated lobby, whose web site pictures don’t do it justice. You have to see it in person. For Alex Johnson beautifully expresses his love of both South Dakota and Sioux Indian Nation, through the wonderful artistic design and decor, which is blended with German architecture. The hand-made artistry made by Indian artists, is truly beautiful, which include “an original chandelier of warrior spears, hand-painted ceramic tiles in traditional Sioux designs, and ceiling patterns taken from Sioux beadwork. Floor tiles bear the signs of the “Sacred Four Directions” in a hand-painted motif.”
The ceilings are high, with wooden beams across the ceiling. Indian designs were painted here too.
There are 143 guest rooms and suites, wonderfully decorated in a western decor and furnishings, with a healthy list of high class amenities offered to their guests, attracting some famous people, such as 6 United States presidents: Calvin Coolidge, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan.
Alex Johnson, who made his fortune with the railroad, built this glorious high-end hotel in the 1920s, to offer Rapid City an upscale, beautiful hotel to spend the night. He made sure that his hotel served its visitors well, treating them like valued guests.
Throughout the years, the Hotel Alex Johnson was owned by dedicated owners, like John T. Vucurevich, who kept the traditions started by Alex Johnson, running the hotel as a high class hotel which takes care of its guests, and was also willing to spend the money on building upkeep as well.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS
As with many old hotels, entities who enjoyed the hotel while alive have decided to make this glorious hotel their after-life home.
A heart-broken bride jumped out the window on her wedding night.
A murder – Many years ago, a regular guest, who was described as a very friendly, stable woman met an unfortunate end.
Her death was staged to make others believe that she committed suicide by jumping out of the window of room 812. However, the people who knew her well doubted this story, and strongly suspected that someone in her family had her pushed out the window to get her rather soon to be monetary inheritance.
MANIFESTATIONS
Spirit of Suicidal Bride
Crying from a heart-broken woman is heard coming from a room, where a bride did kill herself by jumping out a window.
Spirit of Murder Victim
This female entity, called “The Lady in White, stays on the 8th Floor and Room 812.
Dressed in white, she floats around the halls on the 8th floor, looking for her killers.
Sometimes the window in room 812 is mysteriously opened during the night.
The dress drawers of the bureau found in Room 812 are turned upside down before being put back into the bureau.
Weird and unexplainable sounds are heard in Room 812 and in the hallways.
Spirit of a Little Girl, Spirit of a Football Player and Other Unknown Presence
2 apparitions have been seen by the living; a little girl and a football player.
A poltergeist has been known to throw chairs at the staff.
Pianos throughout the hotels have been known to play by themselves.
Staff have reported unexplained mischief, caused by unseen presences.
Spirit of Alex Johnson
Has been spotted walking around the hotel.
STILL HAUNTED?
Yes indeed!
A heart-broken bride still cries and relives her suicide, not being able to let go of this world.
The Lady in White still haunts the Hotel Alex Johnson. There is an unsolved murder, leaving a restless spirit wanting to bring the guilty killer to justice and clear her name as a person who didn’t kill herself.
The entity of Alex Johnson is still keeping a fatherly eye on the living and his hotel, his labor of love.
Other entities still love the hotel, and stay on as guests, getting some chuckles at the expense of the staff on occasion.
LOCATION
523 Sixth Street
Rapid City, South Dakota 57701
The 8 storied Alex Johnson Hotel can be found in the heart of Rapid City, on the corner of Sixth Street and Main Street.
SOURCES INCLUDE
- alexjohnson.com
- theshadowlands.net
- historic-hotels.com
- unexplainedresearch.com
Our Haunted Paranormal Stories are Written by Julie Carr
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