Dillon Montana
The Historic Hotel Metlen
A young, upbeat female spirit makes the best of her after-life here.
Several spectral human bar flies hang out in their favorite place!
Other spirits with ties to the building are also here.
DESCRIPTION
“It’s always Happy Hour at the Metlen Bar!”(Historic Metlen and Bar’s Website)
The Historic Hotel Metlen is an impressive three story, 32,000 sq ft., brick structure, complete with dormer windows on the third floor, topped with a Victorian tower. Built in 1897, it sits on a granite stone foundation. It has two historic saloons, a dance floor, a restaurant, eight restored rooms on the second floor, and a gaming casino bar area; everything needed for a great time of entertainment!
The Metlen is in great shape, inside and out, as three generations of a family-owned establishment have worked hard to stabilize and restore/renovate this beloved hotel. Phylly Saxon, long-time family friend and hotel manager has also invested money for needed repairs and improvements, like the new carpet on the second floor.
Interesting features inside include eye-popping woodwork throughout the building. It has been noted that the original woodwork on the impressive bars in the two oldest saloons came from Bannack, Montana, the early county seat in Montana Territory, before it became a state.
Original furnishings or replicas of original furnishings and many other fascinating relics are part of the decor, adding an interesting aura of the past. Some are displayed throughout the building. On the third floor, one of the rooms is set up like a display of what one of the guest rooms would have looked like, when the hotel first opened.
Currently, some of the eight restored rooms are rented to staff, family friends and special visitors.
The new owner, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan, continues to make improvements to the building, and offers activities to draw in the people of the community, which make up the hotel’s bread and butter income. The Historic Metlen Hotel and Bar are making good use of their new sound and lighting system to drum up business.
“Come dance with us at the only dance floor for miles around! Our state of the art sound and lighting system is perfect to get down to everything from country western to hip-hop hits.”
Pool and Karaoke are other crowd pleasers. “Thursdays are free pool and open Karaoke night, with new sound and video system.”
The kitchen is still fully functional. Their website shares that the restaurant will open again in 2025, which will greatly increase the hotel’s revenue.
HISTORY
THE HISTORIC HOTEL METLEN AND BAR, originally named “The Metlen Hotel and Saloon,” was built by J.C. Metlen, an enterprising businessman, to be a first-class, railroad hotel. It specialized in offering luxury accommodations for travelers, traveling out in the wilds of Montana, to attend to business in the bustling city of Dillon. It was located just a convenient walk from Dillon’s railroad stop.
For many years, it enjoyed a high occupancy rate from railroad travelers. As the ridership on the railroad decreased because people were finding more convenient ways to travel, their business slowly dried up. The two bars were still a hot spot with the local populace and events were still being held there.
The rooms located on the second and third floor became low-cost rentals. The hotel itself slowly became a fixer-upper opportunity, in need of a boatload of money to renovate the rooms, and give the exterior a facelift.
The Metlen Hotel and Saloon was fortunate though, to have owners that were dedicated in keeping up her appearance as best they could throughout the years. By the early 1980s, the owners successfully got their property listed on the National Register of Historic Places, protecting the future of their building, on December 13th, 1983.
Soon after, they passed the torch to a new owner, Dorothy Alley and her family. They loved the building as much as the former owners did.
For a time, just the first floor was bringing in any revenue, which was what happened to The Rex, a railroad hotel in Billings, Montana. However, the family enhanced the money-making areas of the hotel, while putting a lot of effort in marketing their establishment for a variety of purposes. Soon, they had more money flowing into their business, and were able to make repairs and eventually restart the restoration process.
The Metlen Hotel and Saloon continued to be a place of good memories, as the people of Dillon and students of the universities would come and enjoy themselves, eating at the then active restaurant, and dancing, drinking and /or gaming.
The Metlen Hotel was closed for a time, in 2011, during a more intense renovation/restoration period that included the first floor areas, and the outside of the structure. Special attention was paid to renovate some of the rooms. Later in 2011, The hotel reopened as “The Historic Hotel Metlen.”
It is a well-cared for historic hotel, with new paint and shingles, a new front bar and dance floor, with great l.e.d. lighting and a sound system was added as well. A third bar for gaming and cards was created out of the first floor apartment.
In 2013, the last member of the Alley family wished to retire, and so, The Historic Hotel Metlen, once again was for sale, offering “The rare opportunity to own a piece of history!” Looking at the pictures on the real estate site it is a wonderful historic building, inside and out, and was restored and renovated beautifully.
In 2020, Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan bought the property from the Alley family, and continues to be a hands-on owner, who keeps the building in fine shape.
The spirit people who visit and remember all their good times apparently also approve all the work done on their most favorite place, sometimes coming forward to help the living, or even protect the building from annoying paranormal investigators.
HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS
People who have enjoyed their earthly jobs, sometimes want to continue working in this world as spirits, not letting the fact that they have passed on get in the way.
Brumder Mansion, WI (The spirits of one former house manager, a housekeeper and employees of the speakeasy have found new jobs to do for the living owners).
Landers Theater, MO (The spirit of a former janitor stays to enjoy the actors performing on stage).
St Louis Cathedral, LA (The spirits of Pere Dagobert and Pere Antoine still serve here).
The Historic Metlen Hotel and Bar, MT (The Spirit of a male keeps an eye on the living, and may have worked here while alive).
People who die suddenly by accident, illness or murder, sometimes choose to stay in this world to continue to try to enjoy themselves, and are not ready to accept their quick deaths.
Astor’s Beechwood Mansion, RI (A spirit who died in a famous accident finds comfort and amusement here).
T’freres House, LA (Sudden death by drowning in a well was the cause of the hauntings here).
The Wabasha Caves, MN (Three mobsters were shot to death while playing cards in a side room. Their spirits chose to stay and enjoy all the social events).
The Historic Metlen Hotel and Bar, MT (In at least one case, the paranormal activity associated with a young female spirit doesn’t suggest a suicide. People who commit suicide often are melancholy in spirit form, (Plains Hotel), and /or relive their self-inflicted death over and over again, (Skirvin Hotel). A more likely scenario is that she was murdered, or died from accident or illness, and had an attachment to this building.
Bars and taverns are favorites with spirits who had fond memories there while they were alive.
Middleton Tavern, MD (This long favored watering hole still has spirited, fun-loving spectral clientele!).
Jean Bonnet Inn, PA (When the bar is full of living people, spirits of men appear, solid and see-through, and are dressed in frontier clothes. The spirits amuse themselves by enjoying a drink at the bar, or stand near the piano, and watch the piano player perform.
General Wayne Inn, PA (Spirits of Hessian soldiers loved to hang out and amuse themselves, as well as drink the tea).
The Historic Metlen Hotel, MT ( Several spirits have been discovered who like to hang out in the back bar area. A young woman spirit enjoyed dancing on the dance floor in life).
People who have fond memories in their dwelling, like to stay in this world after they pass, wanting to continue to remember all their good times. Past owners of establishments like to see how the living are keeping the place up!
Wolf Creek Inn, OR (The spirit of an older man is thought to be a former owner, who loved his inn, and keeps an eye on the living).
Thayer Hotel , MN (The spirits of Gus and Caroline Thayer still love to be the hosts, and do their best to welcome the living).
Lucas Tavern Museum, AL (The spirit of former owner Eliza Lucas is a strong, cordial spirit, who sets the tone and behavior standards of the living inside her tavern.
The Historic Metlen Hotel, MT (Perhaps the spectral young woman was a daughter of an owner. A male spirit on the third floor, could’ve been one of the past renters, an employee, or a former guest. The stern male spirit in the bar who told off the Dillon’s Only Paranormal Group (D.O.P.) investigators could be a past owner).
MANIFESTATIONS
The Female Spirit
She is described as a young woman, dressed in a long white dress, and is always in a positive, happy mood.
She enjoys and appreciates the bar, stage and dance floor.
Her Personal Appearances
Both patrons and staff have seen her happily floating around these areas.
In the restroom of the bar with the dance floor, her image was seen once in the mirror by a female bartender.
Considerate yet Fun
This female spirit sometimes tries to be considerate, while also getting some personal chuckles at the same time.
A group of high school girls were taking a tour of this historical hotel.
When they went into the tower room, the windows were closed.
When they left, they noticed that the windows were now all open, done very quietly so no one noticed when this occurred.
Perhaps it was hot and stuffy in the tower room.
Hostess Duties?
She sometimes likes to visit the living guests in Room 19, which is located just above the dance floor.
One female guest who was in Room 19 briefly saw an apparition of this pleasant young woman.
Second Female Spirit
A photo of a woman in a bonnet was taken in the back bar.
She may be the owner’s wife, and supervises the staff, while taking care of the hotel’s guests.
Male or Female Spirit EVP voice was also recorded, “They don’t know that we are dead.”
The Third Floor Male Spirit
The smell of cigar smoke has been noticed in this area.
He has probably let the living know that he is present, and still resides in his room.
More Male Spirits
Several male spirits have been seen or heard in the bar areas.
One spirit could be a former bartender or a former patron in spirit form.
On one occasion, a photo of a male spirit, wearing a cowboy hat, was taken in the back bar.
The Stern Male Spirit
He could be a former owner or manager, or a sheriff.
One male spirit defends the bar area from people he deems to be undesirable, like nosy ghost investigators.
Intrusive paranormal investigators who collect too much evidence of the spirits can be verbally thrown out.
An EVP was recorded, telling Dillon’s Only Paranormal Group (D.O.P.) to “Get Out,” in an unfriendly manner.
PARANORMAL FINDINGS
People have been reporting personal experiences for years. Patrons, guests and staff have had experiences with the female spirit, both hearing and seeing her, and the other spirits featured above.
Dillon’s Only Paranormal Group did several investigations, and caught a lot of hard evidence through EVPs and photos of the spirits themselves, annoying one male spirit who reacted, giving them a clear EVP.
Others have caught the photos as well of other spirits. The INTERNATIONAL PARANORMAL REPORTING GROUP possibly caught a photo of a spirit in the second bar, though they never published their analysis.
While filming a show in Bannack Ghost Town (Season 8, Episode 2), The cast and crew of GHOST ADVENTURES hung out at the Historic Metlen Hotel during their off hours, though they stayed at another hotel due to a lack of rooms. On several occasions, they noticed the feel of spirits around them.
STILL HAUNTED?
Yes Indeed! Hard evidence has been caught that supports the many personal experiences that have been reported through the years. The spirits are comfortable here, especially since the living have restored and renovated the dining areas and the bars, as well as the guest rooms.
LOCATION
5 South Railroad Avenue
Dillon, Montana 59725
www.metlenhotel.com & http://metlenhotel.com/slideshow/slideshow_pg.htm
THE HISTORIC HOTEL METLEN can be found on the north side of downtown, not far from the interstate, and was within walking distance of the old railroad station, that was recently torn down. As you come into the town of Dillon, you can see the hotel front and center!
SOURCES INCLUDE
- Ghost Adventures Bannack Ghost Town,(Season 8, Episode 2), Discovery Plus, https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/ghost-adventures/episodes/bannack-ghost-town
- More Haunted Montana, By Karen Stevens, Riverbend Publishing, 2010.
- http://www.hauntedmontana.com/index.php?p=1_41_May-2012
- http://www.iprgc.com/metlin-hotel-7-14-07.html
- http://www.flickr.com/photos/22866559@N00/5778766244/
- Metlen Hotel Dillon Montana 7-14-07 – International Paranormal …
http://www.iprgc.com - http://www.bigskyfishing.com/scenic-drives/photographs/dillon/dillon-1.php
- http://metlenhotel.com/slideshow/slideshow_pg.htm
Our Haunted Paranormal Stories are Written by Julie Carr
Our Photos are copyrighted by Tom Carr
