With many owners come many stories, none more so than the Croke-Patterson-Campbell house. Find out its haunted history on a ghost tour of Denver.
Widely considered one of Denver’s most haunted buildings, the Croke-Patterson-Campbell house is one stop you don’t want to miss. First built in 1891, the house has seen numerous notable owners—and just as many bizarre incidents.Â
It is one of the oldest buildings in the city, and its castle-like appearance only adds to the unsettling atmosphere. Since 2013, the Croke-Patterson-Campbell house has operated as an inn to all brave enough to spend the night there.
Discover what lurks in the walls of this majestic mansion with US Ghost Adventures. Our ghost tour of Denver uncovers the haunted side of history in the Mile High City.Â
The intriguing history behind this house is the result of its previous owners, beginning with its original owner, Thomas Croke.Â
Born in 1856, Croke moved to Denver in 1874 along with several younger siblings. After the success of his business, he started work on the mansion that would one day become this famous building.Â
He intended to design a mansion that mirrored the Château d’Azay-le-Rideau, a sixteenth-century French castle. He equipped it with turrets, spires, bay windows, and arched doorways.Â
This house is as close to a castle as you can get in Denver, and it looks every bit the backdrop of a Gothic novel. Ornate fireplaces, a library, and an expansive dining hall all contribute to the home’s eerie feeling.Â
Croke moved into the mansion shortly after his wife’s passing. Despite the enormous effort put into constructing the building, he sold the home not much later because he believed it was cursed. His mother had died soon after he moved in, and Croke began to suspect something was amiss…
The mansion subsequently fell into the hands of Thomas Patterson and his wife, Katharine Patterson. As a lawyer, journalist, and politician, he desired a home that reflected his social standing. The French-style castle lived up to his expectations.
However, the home became much more than a trophy. Patterson and his family resided there for more than thirty years. But not all was cheer and warmth in the hearth of Croke-Patterson house.
Patterson’s daughter, Margaret, went on to marry Richard Campbell. Following more success, Margaret’s father moved onto another mansion, and the Campbell’s assumed ownership of the house.Â
Margaret and Richard went on to have three children of their own, but it was not a happy ending. Both Margaret and Richard died within six months of each other, Margaret in June 1929 and Richard in February 1930.
Now the mansion operates as the Patterson Inn, but despite its shortened name, it would be hard to conceal its haunted history.
Guests at the inn have reported numerous terrifying happenings, from the ghost of the Irish caretaker lurking in the carriage house to the apparition of Katharine Patterson helping a pregnant woman who had checked into the hotel.
Other incidents include phantom voices—and not just humans, either. Phantom dog barks echo in the upstairs rooms, presumably the two Doberman guard dogs that suddenly jumped out of an upstairs window.Â
Guests who check in will meet a warm welcome, but they should be prepared for a night of terror.Â
From Croke’s speedy departure to the swift deaths of the Campbells, this house has a long and peculiar history marked by unanswered questions. Our Denver ghost tours take you beneath the surface to uncover some of its incredible history and show you the side of Denver relegated to its shadowy past.Â
Since 2013, US Ghost Adventures has offered entertaining, historic, and authentic ghost tours of America’s most haunted cities. We deliver fun yet honest accounts of hauntings across the nation for curious people of all ages. Our ghost stories are based on historical research, but that doesn’t mean they won’t send a chill down your spine.
This video gives you a small taste of what you might experience on your ghost tour — subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more.
US Ghost Adventures also offers virtual tours, a self-guided mobile app, and an Alexa voice app.
