Welcome To Cody Ghosts
In Cody, it can be difficult to tell the difference between the living trying to keep Buffalo Bill’s image alive and the ghostly figures and entities who may have known him personally. From a teacher eternally devoted to her craft to a grisly cold case that haunts the county courthouse, Cody’s past tragedies still have a firm grip on the quaint town.
The Family That Haunts Together
Misfortune was commonplace for Buffalo Bill. Not even the Irma Hotel, named for Bill’s youngest daughter, was safe from the icy grip death seemed to have on the family. From a turbulent marriage to the arrival of the Spanish Flu, curses and bodies accumulated over the years. Among the deceased, someone who was very dear to Bill.
Prepare for a plunge into the sorrowful history of the Irma Hotel with Cody Ghosts. Hear about the property’s past, as told by a mysterious Confederate soldier and the generational specters that still roam the property.
It’s said that something moves about the halls of the historic structure. Guests have sensed a presence in several rooms, including the large suite where Buffalo Bill would crash when passing through. He’s still said to come back to the hotel today, along with his beloved Irma.
What Will I See?
Visit Cody’s Most Haunted Locations, Including:
- Irma Hotel – The legacy of Buffalo Bill is heavily tied to the hotel named for his daughter. The star’s specter is said to return often, alongside Irma. Bill’s presence is most antagonistic, particularly to people who look similar to someone he disliked while alive.
- Cody High School – Some ghosts want to return to something that gave them joy in life. Wynona Thompson may have died in 1999, but she still returns to watch the theater department she once loved directing.
- JH Vogel Building – Blocks from the JH Vogel building, a ghastly discovery of a young boy’s severed foot was discovered, a gruesome find that local mortician JH Vogel displayed in his shop, hoping to find answers.
The Mortician and the Foot
In the early 20th century, it wasn’t uncommon for craftsmen to take on additional roles to serve the community. Furniture makers sometimes became a town’s mortician. For the people of Cody, JH Vogel filled both roles, a path he may have regretted come May 1922.
Explore the gruesome and the ghastly with Cody Ghosts and hear the horrors of the severed foot. Located blocks away from the JH Vogel Building, the foot was small enough to be a child’s. Completely skinned, foul play was the immediate assumption. Tried as he might, though, Vogel could never bring justice for the hapless victim.
Justice has yet to be served, which explains the presence of a young boy in the historic building. Of all the bodies that came through the doors, the unnamed boy is the only one to have returned. Many suspect he’s looking for something — perhaps the foot that was never matched to a body. But why haunt Vogel’s old shop? It may be because legend states the foot was buried on the property when the search for answers ended.
Why is Cody so Haunted?
The Lost Body of Buffalo Bill
Ages ago, the Crow people felt a malevolent presence atop Cedar Mountain, the majestic ridgeline casting shadows over Cody from the west. These impish demons spur stories of unsettled hikers who claim to hear footsteps behind them. Or is it something more human, an icon of Cody whose remains could be buried atop the mountain?
Gaze up 8,000 feet with Cody Ghosts to hear about the winding tale of Buffalo Bill’s remains and the imps of Cedar Mountain. After his passing in 1917, it grew increasingly difficult to determine where Buffalo Bill was finally interred. Some believe he’s resting peacefully in Denver. Others believe he’s comfortable in the highest peaks of Cedar Mountain.
Something haunts the grounds leading up to Cedar Mountain’s peak. Were the Crow Natives correct in their fear of the demons? Or did Buffalo Bill’s body wind up near his hometown thanks to the devotion of locals like JH Vogel? Only the haunts of Cedar Mountain know the truth, as Bill has been allegedly spotted at both burial sites.
Cody’s Most Haunted
Relics of Cody’s past can be found throughout town, such as the Old Trail Town outdoor museum. It’s not just artifacts that are on display, though. In The Coffin School, a memory trapped within the ether replays over and over. The residual haunt of Alfred Nower cycles through the gory accident that eventually cost him his life.
A Burten-esque structure, the unfinished Smith Mansion has a story similar to the tall tale told of Lady Winchester’s work in San Jose, CA. No one knows why engineer Lee Smith continued building when he initially finished the home for his wife and children. The mansion wound up being his demise, first robbing him of his marriage and then his life. His spirit remains behind, angered by the unfinished project and the life it stole from him.
The Chamberlain Inn’s legacy dates back to the early 1900s when part of the building included the city’s first courthouse. At one point, the building even housed a dentist’s office. It’s tough to say which manifested the most negative energy, though some may point to the murderous souls brought in to receive final judgment.
* This is a walking tour and we do not enter privately-owned buildings or private property *
