The hotel building was built in 1875, and several spirits are believed to haunt it. The first is a hostile entity that haunts all floors of the building, and which has been known to attack guests and to slam doors. The second apparition is that of a lady in a white dress, who has been seen in the rooms of guests late at night. The third apparition is that of a workman in overalls, who is believed to have fallen to his death during the construction of the building. He has been seen by guests and staff sitting on the grand staircase, but when approached, he fades away. Various ghostly faces have been seen in the basement of the hotel, which stare at those present until they leave the lowest floor of the building. Cold spots, ghostly whispering voices and the sounds of babies crying when there is no one around have also been reported in the historic hotel.
(Submitted by Callum Swift)
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Geographic Information
- Address:
- 406 Main Street
Red Wing, MN
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 44.5658928, -92.53592100000003
- County:
- Goodhue County, Minnesota
- Nearest Towns:
- Red Wing, MN (0.3 mi.)
Hager City, WI (2.5 mi.)
Bay City, WI (4.4 mi.)
Diamond Bluff, WI (7.4 mi.)
Frontenac, MN (9.6 mi.)
Maiden Rock, WI (11.1 mi.)
Ellsworth, WI (11.7 mi.)
Goodhue, MN (12.2 mi.)
Bellechester, MN (13.7 mi.)
Miesville, MN (13.8 mi.)
Contact Information
- Web:
- http://www.st-james-hotel.com/
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Comments (21)
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Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends.
POSITIVE….EXPERIENCED IT FOR MYSELF….BUT FRIENDLY…KINDA….WOULD RETURN…
what was it like sleeping in the hotel(St. James)? (if u were sleeping there.)
I experienced the angry man roaming the halls around 2AM screaming but was not in English (was not able to make out any specific words). Was very scared as I was by myself!
was it REALLY scary OR creepy?
My fiancé and I were just there last week. I didn’t see anything but I got violently ill after breakfast, just once and then I was fine. He didn’t feel well all day either, but when I asked other people in the large group we were in, no one had problems (it was a buffet for the entire group). That night I had horrible stomach pains that kept me up and just a very uneasy feeling. On the final morning I had an uncontrollable urge to get away from the hotel and to the train station as soon as possible. Like total panic feeling! On the trip home on Amtrak I had a terrible feeling of loss and despair. I actually had a thought pop into my head to break off our engagement. We also had a couple of tense days when we got home, but that feeling slowly disippated. Were we attacked by the hostile spirit?
I should also mention that he went on the group trip last year and also got violently ill.
Mabey i will i am rave to get to that haunted hotel but im willing to bring friends to come to help to know what going to that house
My cousin and I stayed there a couple of nights about six months ago. Everything was okay,until my cousin started screaming in the middle of the night. I went to her room and she was hysterical. She said she saw a man standing at the foot of her bed,just staring at her. He was tall, dark complected and wearing a hat and heavy coat. He looked like he was very dirty and he had an evil grin. She said that he disappeared, when she started screaming. When I went in her room, it was very cold, too cold in fact to be normal.As I held her, we both saw a shadow glide into the closet. I went to the closet and opened the door and nothing was there.We got her things and went to my room. I told the front desk what happened, they apologized and didn’t charge us for the room, but they told us that this wasn’t the first time that guests/employees have seen something like this. We left and I am planning on coming back, but my cousin refuses to come back. We were on the second floor, second room from the back of the building, facing the side street. YES, there is something there.
What room?
Whaooo. I like reading this. You put in a lot of details and very specific. Very nice of them to not charge you because some go to St James to hope to experience the paranormal. ha ha. But its got to be a scary moment. I will have to pop in this place this weekend as my husband and I will be in town. I think Ill get the book thats on this sight and we can read it while were in our room.
I used to be a delivery driver for Hanisch and I would have to deliver here every day. Sometimes it was just to the first floor, basement or even the 5th floor. I used to frequently spot various ghosts standing in corners but would disappear when looked at closer.
One morning, I had to deliver donuts to the 5th floor kitchen, as I was walking out of the kitchen, I felt something pull the bottom of my hair (I have straight shoulder length hair). I turned around but nothing was there. I figured I imagined it but got out of there as fast as I could. I knew I had felt something staring at me, but the second it touched me I ran to the elevator as fast as I could.
My husband and I liked to spend Christmas Eve at the St. James, staying overnight. One time, on Christmas Eve, when I couldn’t sleep, I got out of bed, put on my robe and wandered the hallway. Saw coming towards me a man and wife. He was dressed like Santa and the wife had on a costume like Mrs. Claus would wear. It was about two in the morning. They were heading towards the stairs, and they just sort of glided past me, and disappeared. It gave me an eerie feeling and it seemed to me that they were somehow otherworldly. Has anyone else seen this pair of ghosts?
I worked there for a while as a housekeeper. I believe it was in 2010. I was assigned to the second floor when I was scheduled. I believe it was room 208. Several times while cleaning that room, the lights would flicker in the bathroom. When I’d go into the bathroom, it would stop. Only to start again once I left the bathroom. Also couldn’t get the radio to come in, just in that room. And always cold. Stories I’ve heard that the lady of the hotel (owner or owner’s wife) back in it’s beginning days, gave birth in this room.
Had a few other instances of strange feelings and being cold in many spots of this hotel, even in the “new” wing. Definitely worth the money to stay! If you’re looking for the supernatural, you can’t go wrong here. But I would definitely recommend the original side of the hotel over the newer side, which was added on in the 70’s. second floor holds the “fancier” rooms. Ask to see the Board Room, even if you don’t reserve it. Worth the time! Beautiful room!
Side note, as staff there, it was a lot of fun learning about all of the back hallways and stairways. Lots of fun!
I live in Red Wing so I am there a lot. Last week I was in the basement and the heavy oak door slammed and I couldn’t open it. When I asked one of the staff why they haven’t helped me when they heard the door slam, they said they didn’t hear it.
I just got married and had a wedding reception here Saturday.
I’ve been here numerous occasions and have both seen and felt things. I can hear kids I could hear walking and tapping almost everywhere.
We stayed in the president suite.
The curtain rod on the left side of the window was swinging. No big deal. Until 20 mins hobby and it’s still doing it so I walked up to it and stopped it. I walk back to the bed where my wife was staring at me and I looked back and the rod on the right side was now swing.
I seriously am not kidding I put it on my life that I felt like somebody was standing inside of me. We pulled the pictures off the walls and faced them down on the floor!
There is a creepy little spot behind the dresser. In the left side of the room.
Look at the bottom right if it. It’s the spot where you hang your dress and tuxedo. At the bottom right there appeared to be a spot where a crawl space was cut into the wall.
Along with the phone just ringing one time and stopping. And The radios in the rooms would always be turned back on. I assume because of the maid who ended up owning it later on.
One last thing I want to mention. We found a note while pulling the pictures down.
It read came to celebrate our one year.
We had an incredible experience 2014.
What room were you in
We love spending as many nights as we can throughout the year, but absolutely love the Fall. We just spent this past Saturday night in the newer part so we are able to watch the trains, the river, the carved pumpkins theme, etc. For about three+ hours, there was continuous tapping in our next room (we were in 125) – thinking at the time it was some construction/remodeling going on. Then it dawned on me that it was a Saturday evening – doubt it was construction workers. Tapping was continuous but not too aggravating so didn’t report. We welcome haunting visits if that’s the case. Anyone else?
i think this place is awesome
I woke up in the middle of the night to see a man sitting in the corner staring at me, he was in a trenchcoat and fedora. I stared at him, and he stared back. He tipped his hat to me, and then I blinked, and he was gone.
What room were you in???
I sent an email asking about checking the place out for an investigation. I get told it is not haunted and nothing happens. Ok you just a ton of people liars.
OMG. My wife and I stayed there the night of Jan. 25, 2019 in room 208. Beautiful room and hotel. I had taken my shower and was in bed looking at my tablet. She was in the bathroom and saw a figure in dark clothes walk past the open door to the bathroom. She came out and asked if I had walked past. I had not left the bed. We had heard about the ghost stories and kind of laughed it off but after reading the story above I wonder what she actually saw.