The Fairweather Inn
One would be hard-pressed to top the charm of Virginia City, Montana. It’s quiet, nearly perfectly preserved, and is known to come alive in the summertime, acting as a getaway for tourists and locals alike. The Fairweather Inn was once known as the Anaconda Hotel and Saloon and offered visitors a glimpse into the city’s local history. Of course, there are rumors of a couple of ghosts that still reside at the inn, and guests brave enough to book a night’s stay there leave with more than a few strange experiences…
Why is the Fairweather Inn haunted?
There are a few theories surrounding the Fairweather Inn’s hauntings, one of which is that the ghosts of the gold rush haunt it. Keep reading to find out who or what is haunting this popular inn.
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History of the Fairweather Inn
Constructed in the 1880s, the Fairweather Inn was built to provide miners and other drifters with a place to rest after a long day in the mines or on the road. It also had a saloon attached, providing much-needed libations and relaxation. In the 1890s, husband and wife Frank and Amanda McKeen took over the property and added hotel rooms, a restaurant, and a bowling alley.
Things were going wonderfully for the couple with their new investment, and business was booming. That is until Prohibition hit in 1918. Just a year later, Frank passed away, leaving his widowed wife in a state of deep depression. She ended up committing suicide in her home.
The hotel changed hands a few times before Charles and Sue Bovey purchased it in the 1940s. They renamed it the Fairweather Inn after Bill Fairweather, who discovered gold in Alder Gulch – a respectful nod to the area’s history.
The hotel is in the middle of town and is open to guests from mid-May until September. Each room is furnished with period decor and furniture, allowing guests to step back into the 1900s and experience Fairweather as it was intended.
A Bit About Virginia City
To get to know the Fairweather Inn, one must also understand its home city. Virginia City was founded in 1863 when a group of prospectors headed toward the Yellowstone River and came upon a group of Crow native Americans. They were forced to return from where they came.
On May 26th of that same year, Bill Fairweather and Henry Edgar discovered gold near Alder Creek. Their find could not be kept secret and were followed on their return to the gold-bearing site. A mining district was set up shortly after, and individual gold claims were established.
On June 16th, 1863, a small town called Verina was formed. The name was intended to honor Verina Davis, the first and only First Lady of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. When the name was sent in for registration, it was objected to and recorded as ‘Virginia City’ instead.
Within just a few weeks, Virginia City was a boomtown, and thousands of prospectors arrived. In such a remote region, law enforcement and a justice system were the last thing on people’s minds. In late 1863, the area’s great wealth attracted severe criminal activity.
Robbery and murder were common along the trails and roads of the region, and soon, ‘road agents’ were ultimately responsible for over 100 deaths in the area. This resulted in the formation of the infamous Montana Vigilantes. The vigilantes were able to remove over fifteen of the road agents, allowing for safer travel in and out of the city.
In the 1940s, Charles and Sue Bovey began buying up the town, putting maintenance and T.L.C. into the remaining structures. In the 1950s, the ‘ghost town’ of Virginia City began to be restored for tourism. The Boveys operated the town as an open-air museum complete with artifacts and reenactments.
Of the town’s three hundred or so structures, nearly half were built before 1900. The National Park Service considered adding the town to the system, but ultimately, the State of Montana bought most of the buildings. Today, the Historic District of Virginia City and Nevada City is operated by the Montana Heritage Commission.
What would a ghost town be without an old Western cemetery? A ‘Boothill‘ cemetery is located within city limits and is the final resting place of hundreds of miners and workers who ‘died with their boots on.’ Visitors to the city report seeing strange lights coming from the graveyard.
Spirits of The Fairweather Inn
Rumors of hauntings have come out of the hotel since it was built. Perhaps the land surrounding the inn is haunted by the spirits of those killed during the gold rush. It’s said that there are a few spirits of young children haunting the inn, and if you’re traveling with kids, they may come and visit them in the midst of the evening.
Footsteps are commonly reported when no one is around, as is the sound of a woman’s long Western dress rustling as she walks back and forth down the hallway. The guest room doors also open and close on their own.
Visitors who stay in Room 10 report the most activity at the inn. Some of them have even left in the middle of the night, unable to weather whatever haunting the Fairweather is giving them. Unexplained whispers, grunts, and sighs are reported most often.
Haunted Montana
As is the case with many other ghost towns in America, the Fairweather Inn and Virginia City are but a frozen image, a glimpse of what happened over a century ago. What is it about ghost towns that attract so many, well… ghosts? Could it be the suggestive name? Could the emptiness beckon in forlorn spirits? Whatever the reason, The Fairweather Inn is stuck right in the middle of one of the West’s best.
Want to learn more about the most haunted places in America? Keep reading our blog, and be sure to check out our locations page to find a ghost tour near you!
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