Mount Washington Hotel - A haunted resort in the Bretton Woods

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By lbtrader

Haunted Resort

Mount Washington Hotel is situated in the Bretton Woods Ski Area of New Hampshire. To get to the Mount Washington Hotel one drives East on 302E if coming from the I91. If the visitor is coming in from the Atlantic Ocean side on I95 then it's a drive west on 302E towards the town of Carroll.

Here's a little information that could have you packing your bags for a vacation with a twist of the bizarre and a whole lot of enjoyment on ski hills or on a world class golf course.

Mount Washington Hotel in the Bretton Woods of New Hampshire creative commons wikipedia photo
Mount Washington Hotel in the Bretton Woods of New Hampshire creative commons wikipedia photo

Where it all begins...or maybe just another point in time in a longer story.

The construction of the Hotel was a project underwritten by the railroad tycoon Joseph Stickney. This was no small undertaking. Mr Stickney put up 1.7 million dollars in 1900 and brought 250 of the finest Italian craftsman who assisted other construction workers who put up the monumental wooden frame structure. The Mount Washington Hotel was open for business in 1902 and remains standing today and still in business while being an heritage site.

The term Bretton Woods is familiar to anyone who follows currency exchanges and economics. The Bretton Woods Accord was signed in 1944 by a select group of countries who agreed to peg their currencies to the US dollar in order to stabilize the economy. In the same year the World Bank also known as the IMF, or International Monetary Fund was established. Pegging major world currencies to the US dollar was no small matter. It meant the end of an era where the UK pound sterling had been the dominating currency of the world. All of this was happening in the rooms of the Mount Washington Hotel. The Bretton Woods Accord also stipulated that the US dollar would be pegged to a 35 dollar gold price. This was a new Gold Standard.

If your grandparents had bought 100 ounces of gold at 35 dollars an ounce in 1944 with 3500 US dollars and had passed those down to you as an inheritance those 35 ounces of gold would be worth 100 thousand dollars today.

Doesn't that thought haunt you somehow.

The Prince and the Widow

If it does then you might consider another aspect of the Mount Washington Hotel that has some scare factor in it.

The railway tycoon, Mr Joseph Stickney was married to a lady named Carolyn. After the Mount Washington Hotel was completed in 1902 the time came to break up a champagne toast for the grand opening. The tycoon is reported to have toasted his grand project, which was deemed foolhardy by many critics, with the expression Here's to the "damn fool who built this white elephant". Unfortunately the tycoon wouldn't live long enough to see his creation prosper. In 1903 he passed away and the widow Carolyn Stickney inherited the 10000 acre estate and the Hotel and the 18 hole golf course and the Italian furniture and decor and the whole nine yard.

Prince Lucinge of France (Aymon de Faucigny-Lucinge) became her new husband and she remained the owner of the estate until her death in 1934. The Hotel remained in the family for another ten years and was transferred over to a Boston Syndicate in 1944. Ironically this is the same year that the Bretton Woods Accord was being negotiated.


Paranormal is not normal

Now I always say that wherever there is money being exchanged or there is even mention of money then there is likely to be a thief within earshot.

This may or may not be the case here but the plot thickens as we learn more about the post mortem faith of the widow Stickney.

Now I know that paranormal is not normal but this is where this goes.

The Mount  Washington Hotel is haunted by the ghost of Carolyn Stickney. 

I will let the following video tell the story of the Prince and of the Black Widow of Bretton Woods who occupied Room 314 at Mount Washington Hotel. It is a story told by a few plumbers turned Ghost Hunters and the founders of TAPS or The Atlantic Paranormal Society. 


A seance-tific truth might do it

What others are saying the Widow Princess of room 314 is capable of.

In an article on msnbc.com called Haunted Ski Resorts we are told that the Widow Stickney has been reported by guests to have written on walls and to turn the lights on and off sporadically.

The article may be all hype but the Ghost Hunter video does have some possibility.

Why do people buy into this paranormal stuff anyways. The Ghost Hunter plumbers are Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson and they have been attracting audiences for 5 years now with all types of ghost stories. Maybe they are just out to cash in on the pandemonium phenomenon that sees people herd towards a certain piece of information. Perhaps there is more to it.

It nevertheless makes one wonder what types of evils the diplomat dignitaries who met at the Mount Washington Hotel in 1944 to decide your economic faith were up to.

Perhaps a seance with Carolyn Stickney could bring some reasonable answer to that. 

Meanwhile however we are at the mercy of the new dignitaries with old agendas maybe.


Brandy, poets, and luxuries unknown

A vacation to the Bretton Woods wouldn't be much if it didn't contain a bit of fairy tale lore to go along with the luxuries that people look for while trying to get away from it all.

By having visited and stayed at the Mount Washington Resort you will have joined a club that has been the domain of presidents, poets, and other dignitaries who have enjoyed themselves in health spas, who have sipped brandy by grand fireplaces designed by some of the finest Italian craftsmen available.

Who knows you may even be able to hear the footsteps of the lady of the house while you are there. 

Comments

Phillis 13 months ago

I have stayed at the Mt. Washington numerous times and love being there. I was introduced to the place by my dear friend, who has since passed. Its relaxed, and laid back, good food, 'elegant' decor, the staff is fabulous, and the place was tons of fun when they did Gatsby weekend. Over the years we became friends with many of the staff, and many guests actually thought we were staff because we knew so much about the hotel.

There were definately times, we did experience paranormal activity -- sounds, items moving, etc., the coffee pot being turned on -- and we just figured it was the Princess. We actually spent a week in Suite/room 314 one year. But if you want real stories and validation as to activity in the hotel, talk with Fred, head of security, or Kathy or David who grew up in the hotel when his grandparents were the Inn Keepers. In the past the hotel would be closed during the winter months, but security still did their 'rounds'. People and shadows have been seen, presence felt, and noises heard. One x-cook has a picture of the Princess standing in the window of one of the turrets.

My friend, Anne loved the hotel and felt she was a kindred spirit. When she passed her memorial was held in the Conservatory and her ashes spread around the grounds. Now, if you should happen to see a tall, thin, red-headed lady dressed to the nines, Its probably my friend. Just say 'hi'.

tom 6 weeks ago

I worked at the hotel in the summer of 1958 as front desk manager before going on to finish college. Being on the staff was great fun, and the front desk was always the center of the action. What is now called the "cave" was an employees club run by the caddimasteer, Johnny Elsworth. It was called the Owl's Roost and featured a stuffed owl with illuminated eyes high on the ceiling. In the early years of the property the room was the original wine cellar. It still had the stone walls and was very cool in the hotest time of summer. Off duty staff could gather there and have a drink (it was BYO, but Johnny provided set ups and soft drinks for a nominal price, plus snacks); dance to the latest Sinatra records, et al, in a cozy atmosphere. In fact, it was so cozy and so much fun that the guests of the hote started to join us in some of the evenings. When Mrs. Fleisher, wife of the owner at that time Morris Fleisher found oout how popular it was she closed it down, complaining that we were taking business away from the public rooms of the hotel! The front desk, as i've said, was the real center of information and actioin. Physically it was a magnificent Mahogany (I believe ?0 structure featuring a wonderful carving of a vicious looking Eagle over the key rack. Some jokester, not a ghost, repeatedly placed an egg underneath the ferocious looking bird in plaing sight of all who passed in the lobby. he, or she, was never caught. I believe, from the latest pictures on the internet, that the key rack is all that remains of the original desk? No computers, everything was manual. Each night the old hotel procedure was the "clear the rack", which meant manual posting of the daily charges for each room. This was done by the night auditor, a nice gentleman at the time that I ran into at the Oak Bar in the Plaza some eleven years later. A tux was required dress when you wwere on the evening shift, 4PM to Midnight. There were occasions when I was invited to join a young lady after my midnight shift in the ballroom/nightclub. The hotel lhad a full orchestra and a smaller college group which played during the day and at particular functions. Once a year thehote staged a "Charity Casino Night" to lthebenefit of the nearby catholic church. I remember seeing uniformed state police attending. The news stand and gift shop was run by a ver suspicious looking gang of gamblers. Soemwhere in the hotel, and I never saw it there was a minit casino where any guest looking for "action" could be accomodated. It was also rumored that the same "gang" ran a wire service for betting? As said, I was only there for the one season, but I could go on, and on, and on abouot the famous Mt. Washington !!

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