Join host Kari Bovee, award-winning author of historical fiction as she shares stories of strong women of history combined with mysteries of the past.
>> Listen to Flash briefing HERE. <<
Welcome back to The Ghost Stories of New Mexico on Where History Meets Mystery. Today features the continuation of the ghosts who reportedly reside at the St. James Hotel in Cimarron, New Mexico.
As I mentioned in an earlier flash briefing, the hotel was built by a man named Henry Lambert. In 1926, Henri’s second wife, Mary Elizabeth died in Room 17, and according to some, her spirit still resides there. Staff and guests have reported the aroma of Mary’s rose scented perfume and an incessant tapping on the window occurs if the window is open. Once the window is closed, the tapping stops.
There are other strange happenings that occur in the hotel that cause people to believe yet another ghost resides at the St. James. Objects from many of the rooms and the common areas have turned up missing only to be found in an area where they don’t belong. This is supposedly the work of a little “dwarf-like” man who has also been seen at the hotel. The staff have nicknamed him the “Little Imp.” Once while two of the former owners stood in conversation in one of the rooms of the hotel, he was said to have tossed a knife, it’s blade point landing in the wooden floor between them.
Cold spots, lights turning on and off, electrical equipment behaving strangely and items falling from walls and shelves have also been reported at the hotel.
Many famous guests came to stay at the hotel including Wyatt Earp, Jesse James, Doc Holliday, Billy the Kid, Pat Garret, Lew Wallace, and famous author Zane Grey. Other distinguished guests included Buffalo Bill Cody and, one of my personal favorites, Annie Oakley. The books in my Annie Oakley mystery series do not feature Annie Oakley in New Mexico, but I suppose there is always room for another story in the series. Perhaps she could team up with Wyatt Earp to track down the notorious criminals and murderers that were said to have stayed at the famous hotel?
I have not yet been to the St. James, but now that I have potential plans for another installment in the Annie Oakley mystery series, I may have to investigate. I wonder if there is a Holiday Inn next door?
Come back next week to hear the continuation of The Ghosts of New Mexico on Where History Meets Mystery, where I will be talking about Julia Staab, the Gentle Ghost of Santa Fe.
In the meantime, head on over to my website at www.Karibovee.com, where you can receive a free copy of Shoot like a Girl, the prequel novella to my Annie Oakley Mystery Series. See you next week!
