Portland Ghosts

15. University of Portland

Portland, OR

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The University of Portland was opened as a small, Catholic, male-only university in 1901. Since, it has grown to nearly four thousand students of both genders and is listed as one of the top ten universities in the western United States, particularly in the engineering department. There are many praises to be sung about the university, but most (if not all) of them refrain from mentioning the haunted occurrences associated with the university. Waldschmidt Hall (called West Hall until 1922) is the oldest campus building, constructed in 1891. The original use was for almost every campus function: residence halls, the chapel, and classrooms. The Hall is now mostly administrative offices, though there are a few classrooms. In 1911, a student accidentally drowned in the nearby Willamette River. His lonely ghost is believed to haunt his former school building, complete with random puddles of water and phantom noises when the Hall should be quiet. Even the winding Willamette River, seen at the bottom of the University's high bluff, is known for paranormal sightings. On nights when the river is calm and quiet, a small rowboat can be seen floating along the water. Students and other people have gone so far as to call the Coast Guard, only for the boat to disappear when anyone draws near enough. Whether these sightings are related to the unfortunate man who drowned is unknown. The Mago Hunt Arts Center is an integral part of campus life at the University of Portland. It isn't just Fine Arts majors spending long hours in the center, however: there are reports of the presence of a young woman in Victorian or Edwardian garb, complete with big hat with lace trim, throughout the building. She has been seen in the basement, in the draft room, and even on stage. Electronics have malfunctioned in the theater with no explanation. She has never spoken, but students do sometimes feel like she is peacefully "hanging out" with them and they don't feel threatened by her. Since the university wasn't co-educational until 1951, the woman's presence and clothing are rather curious; was she perhaps visiting a boyfriend or brother and is now visiting campus forevermore? The land on which the University Commons sits was once owned by a man called Frank Houston. He wasn't very fond of the Holy Cross priests than ran the University, and refused to sell his land for a reasonable price. After he died in the 1930s, his wife sold off the property to the grateful Church members for their university. Houston, however, is one of the ghosts reportedly seen on campus. He shakes his fist and can even be heard yelling at the priests when there is no one (living) around. The dining room on the land often has dishes thrown and broken, and at least one person claims to have been chased by a pushcart moving on its own. It seems Houston hasn't taken too lightly to the sale of his land. The University of Portland is a popular and excellent institution of higher learning. The students get an excellent education—the experiences with the paranormal are just a free bonus. [Photo: Svyatoslav at en.wikipedia]