Heathman Hotel
Staying true to its citizens’ unofficial yet famous slogan to “Keep Portland Weird,” the Rose City is known for beautiful scenery, quirky locals, & the otherworldly. One if its most well-known haunted hotspots is the upscale, infamous Heathman Hotel. Long before 50 Shades of Grey gave mass appeal to it, downtown Portland’s Heathman Hotel had a reputation as one of the most haunted hotels in Oregon.
Why is the Heathman Hotel haunted?
While not all of the identities of the specters are known, it’s believed that at least one is that of a man who committed suicide in the hotel. Read on to learn more about the ghosts of the Heathman Hotel, and to discover some of Portland’s most haunted locations in person, book a ghost tour with Portland Ghosts!
Entertainment Mecca of Portland
Preceding its reputation in the world of the paranormal and 50 Shades of Grey superfans, the Heathman Hotel was founded as a cosmopolitan hot spot for musicians, artists, travelers, & cultural connoisseurs. In 1926, at the intersection of Park and Salmon, contractor and hotelier George Heathman put the finishing touches on this popular landmark.
Heathman Hotel was a beacon for affluent travelers and residents who filled blossoming Portland’s bustling streets and sidewalks. The enterprising Heathman broke ground on a sister property to meet popularity and demand, and in 1927, a block from its predecessor, the ribbon was cut on The New Heathman Hotel.
Designed in the Italian Renaissance style, the architectural firm of DeYoung and Roald was recruited for the hotel’s ambitious construction. The 10-story structure was made with concrete and brick and garnished with Jacobean Revival architectural elements of symmetry, trimmed stone, and dark wood paneling. The new Heathman was met with much fanfare.
Acclaimed by guests & lauded in the newspapers, it was THE place to be in Portland for high-brow entertainment. Moreover, it was the cultural bedrock of the city, particularly for music. From the 1930s to the 50s, the mezzanine was home to award-winning Portland radio station KOIN.
Its roster featured more musicians and entertainers than the other local stations combined. The station was mostly employed by musicians & maintained its orchestra. The 1940s were particularly big at KOIN as they promoted the sale of War Bonds and collected donations for the war effort with record-breaking numbers.
It’s believed that during this time, while music was blasting within the glass walls for hours at a time, AND with a devastating war looming, that a distraught man jumped to his death from room 1003.
Ghostly Double Occupancy
With various incidents spanning decades, rooms 703, 803, & 1003 are reputed to be the most haunted rooms at the hotel. Unexplained events are regularly reported in all three rooms. Cold spots, inexplicable sounds, & poltergeist activity have been reported by guests. Guests who left the room to enjoy the city came back to find their towels soiled and furniture moved. The hotel’s front desk has also received several calls from guests saying they can feel a presence with them in bed.
Hazy visages in dark corners, apparitions, & the unsettling sense of a presence are almost commonplace, which is why these rooms have become such a hot spot for ghost hunters. Numerous guests have reported seeing male apparitions in their rooms, sometimes standing at the foot of their bed. One petrified guest saw what appeared to be a man running from the closet, but that man vanished and didn’t appear on security cameras.
There have also been numerous reports of a distraught woman crying in a chair in room 510, but her identity also remains a mystery. The new staff may have been baffled, but those who’d been around the halls long enough knew excatly what was happening inside the notoriously haunted hotel.
Out with the Old Ghosts
Over the decades, the Heathman Hotel has maintained its status within the community, undergoing renovations to help define the city’s evolution. In 1984, the original exterior and the eucalyptus-paneled Tea Court Lounge were fully restored, while the main entrance was moved to Broadway Street to help invite visitors through its doors. The hotel then shed its “new” appellation, simply referring to itself as the Heathman Hotel.
In 2018, with ghostly happenings casting a shadow in the already dark interiors of the hotel, the Heathman underwent a second restoration to spruce up the place. Described as “lighter, brighter, and more contemporary,” the new design remains rooted in the building’s history & pays homage to its role in the community.
Haunted Portland
The Heathman Hotel is a luxurious yet unique stay in the heart of downtown Portland that stays true to its pioneering & characteristically “weird” Portland history. With a fascinating past of orchestral music, art, culture, and unexplained activity, the haunted hotel continues to attract many visitors.
Check out our blog for more Portland haunts, and if you want to experience some of the city’s most haunted locations in person, book a ghost tour with Portland Ghosts!
Sources:
https://www.heathmanhotel.com/our-hotel/history/
https://www.hauntedrooms.com/oregon/portland/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/the-heathman
