News – Sheridan Media
Since it is almost Halloween, this history piece will look at some haunted tales from old Wyoming.
Several places in Wyoming are reputed to be haunted. Among them is Sheridan’s very own Sheridan Inn. In 1901, a young girl Catherine B. Arnold, later known as ‘Miss Kate’ came West with her parents and took a job at the Sheridan Inn, where she worked for 64 years. When she passed away in 1968, she requested her ashes be buried in her beloved Sheridan Inn. As far as anyone knows, her ashes are still there in the wall on the third floor. Some guests and staff say that her spirit still walks in the old inn.
The Irma, Buffalo Bill’s hotel in Cody was named for his daughter. It is said that Cody and Irma are friendly ghosts, people have heard footsteps in the halls and lights turn on and off at random.
Although not in Wyoming, this haunted house was fairly close, in Denver.
Cheyenne State Leader, September 7, 1910 – Haunted House Now Disappears Was a Place of Mystery, Where Ghosts Held Sway for Many Years Denver, Missing- One haunted house.
The structure, a two-story brick house on 1658 Walnut street, has been torn down. Not a brick or a lath remains to remind neighbors of the haunted house, the house of mystery. Twenty years ago, a woman was murdered in the place, and, it is said, and verified by scores of people, that at 2 o’clock every morning strange sounds were heard in the building.
Half a dozen families moved out of the house because of the nocturnal disturbances. About two years ago the last family left the place. Policeman William Baker discovered that the house was a sure cure for a “jag.”
Every time the officer found a drunken man on his beat he would conduct him to the haunted house. In less than fifteen minutes the Intoxicated person would run out of the building yelling murder. It never failed, says Baker, in sobering a souse.”
The owner, falling to rent the property, has had it demolished. He couldn’t rent it, says Baker for love or money. It being a useless piece of furniture on his hands he decided to remove it.
By this fact, the owner has made a big hit with the people of the neighborhood. Policeman Baker Is especially well pleased. While he frequently conducted curiosity seekers to the premises he never entered the place himself. He entertains a wholesome dread of ghosts.
Whenever he dragged a “drunk” to the haunted house he never went farther than the front door. The house was to have been the subject of an investigation by a society of psychic research, but it seems that the owner, although a believer in ghosts himself, made no answer to the inquiries he received through the mail.
Maybe a good use for a haunted house. Might work.
This story is a little closer to home and appeared in The Sheridan Enterprise, April 2, 1920
The ghostly light of Corral Creek in Montana, some 50 miles from Sheridan, has for more than 20 years remained one of the unsolved mysteries of this region. The light first appeared in 1890 shortly after the tragic death of a young rancher who was killed by the Cheyenne Indians when he rode upon them while they were engaged in slaughtering a stolen beef. They shot him and his horse. The body of the man was taken and buried on the side of a sandstone cliff. When he failed to return after a prolonged absence, the roundup crew organized n search.
The carcass of the horse was found and starting from that point a systematic search of the surrounding terrain was made. One of the cowboys in going up a deep coulee in the vicinity saw the end of a rope protruding from the ground and there the body was uncovered.
Several Indians were arrested on a murder charge, but it was never possible to prove them guilty. Therefore, no one was punished for the crime. It was shortly after the trial that the mysterious light began to appear in the ranch house of the unfortunate man. The old-timer who related the story lived in the vicinity and he swears that he has seen the light on several occasions. It had the appearance of a man carrying a lighted lantern, but no one was ever able to get close to it, as it always disappeared when an attempt was made to approach. Later the house was moved to another location about a mile distance. After which stories begun to be circulated about the house being haunted. Several people who lived in it, and stated that not infrequently they were called to the door by distinct raps but when it was opened there was never anyone there. Whether or not the ghost was ever successfully laid is not known.
Cheyenne Indians have since occupied the house for many years, and if it continues to be haunted, they have not related the fact to their white friends.
Of course, there is always some fun to be had with ‘ghosts.’ Bill Barlow’s Budget, November 27, 1907 – A Ghostly Cat. If rats and mice are as much afraid of ghosts as boys and girls are the chances are that. They will not trouble us much longer. They have multiplied and increased in spite of cats, terriers, ferrets and traps, but they must flee before the latest device for their extermination. This device Is the apparition of a cat with such ghostly qualities as will make It suitably terrifying. The animal Is made of metal, but Is covered with luminous paint, and when placed in a dark room It glows with a mysterious radiance that cannot fail to strike terror to the hearts of all rodents. It is likely that the children of the family will stay out of that room too.
Not all ghosts are human. This from The Peoples Voice, Buffalo, Wyoming. September 4, 1897
Ghost of a Mountain Lion – There is a story to the effect that a certain old and abandoned stable situated some miles up the river, is haunted by the ghost of a mountain lion.
It appears in the daytime, within the door, looking out, but diligent search within aud around the building has always failed to discover the animal
Various people claim to have seen it at a distance of a hundred yards, and to have made every effort to fathom the mystery, but in vain. We have heard of ghosts, galore, of the genus homo, but never one of an animal before. —Saratoga Sun
Anything can be reputed to be haunted. One very early story is about a haunted train car in Nevada.
The Daily Boomerang, Laramie, June 13, 1885– Ghosts on Wheels, A Freight Car in Which Three Murders were Committed said to be Haunted.
“It’s the strangest thing I ever heard of it often starts off on a perfectly level track and we have to keep the brake on all the while in order to keep it quiet.” The above remarks were uttered by Jack Martin, a brakeman on the San Pedro road. “What’s the matter with the car?” asked the person addressed. “I think it is haunted. At least all the boys say it is. It may and it may not be; but it is certain that the car often moves when no one is near it.” The car in question was an old one and stood on a side track.
Supposedly, their spirits still walked.
Wyoming is also home to many spirits that haunt the old forts, hotels, prisons and other old buildings. As well as the Irma and the Sheridan Inn, the Occidental in Buffalo has ghosts; the old frontier prison in Laramie is said to have many restless spirits, the Greybull Hotel, which used to be a ‘speak-easy’ is also haunted.
Old Bedlam at Fort Laramie, which is reputed to be haunted.
Even though Wyoming is landlocked, it even has its own ‘ghost ship’ which has been ‘seen?’ three times on the Platte River. Considered to be a ‘ship of doom’, supposedly all those who see it suffer some misfortune.
So, this Halloween season, check out the haunted places in our great state of Wyoming.
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Last modified: October 27, 2025