San Francisco Ghosts

12. Palace Hotel

San Francisco, CA

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The next stop on the tour is the Palace Hotel. The Palace Hotel is sometimes referred to as The New Palace Hotel because it was built to replace the original hotel that was destroyed from a fire after the 1906 earthquake. The new hotel was built on the site of the old hotel and reopened for business in 1909. The Palace Hotel is known for many ghosts and it is said that there may even be a previous president of the United States to be haunting the rooms. In 1923, President Warren G. Harding was in San Francisco to deliver a speech. He fell sick before giving the speech and he was brought to the hotel where he later died. There was no official cause of death for the president and the four doctors who looked after him could not agree on a cause of death. The first lady, for some reason, did not allow an autopsy. Although the ghost of the president may be the most well-known story surrounding the hotel, there are several other stories involving mischievous ghosts as well as ones that are not so friendly. The long history of the hotel, actually dating back to 1875, allows for many ghosts to wander the halls of the new hotel, unaware that they are not only in a different time, but they may be in a completely different building. One of the well-known ghosts takes pleasure in tapping unsuspecting visitors to the Pied Piper Bar on the shoulder, when they turn around nobody is there. The ghost is known for a joking manner, tapping and then disappearing. There are other reports of a ghost who appears in the kitchen, a French girl, and asks for soup. These ghosts are not so terrible; however there is a report of a troubled spirit who goes into the dining rooms, making loud noises and locks themselves in the rooms. Then, there is the Lady in Red. She is an unfriendly spirit who walks through walls, triggered by businessmen traveling alone. When she appears in their rooms, the men freeze with fear and are unable to move. The Palace Hotel carries a long rich history, and a visit there may even allow you to have a conversation with a former president.