CITY SCENE Scary Scene
written by Lauren Adam
This time of year can bring out the bizarre inclination to seek out the eerie unknown . How far will you go to catch a glimpse of the elusive undead ? Whether you are a believer or a skeptic , these real Seattle ghost stories could give you the spooky feeling that we aren ’ t alone . From cold-blooded murders , demonic traditions , and forgotten souls , Seattle ’ s most sinister is never very far .
MALTBY CEMETERY
4303 Maltby Rd , Bothell , WA 98012
The living and the dead collide at this eastside haunt that known for the infamous 13 steps to hell . The long time legend is that the cemetery contains a tomb with 13 steps that lead to a makeshift entrance . Once you reach the bottom of the steps , turn around – the cemetery disappears , replaced by a vision of hell . There were so many reports that the story was true that the city bulldozed the steps to prevent trespassers . Even so , people continue to go to Maltby searching for the paranormal and , in some cases , have even disturbed the dead by trying to dig around looking for the 13 steps .
MERCHANT CAFÉ
109 Yesler Way , Seattle , WA 98104
Merchant Café was built in 1890 . As one of the oldest establishments in Seattle , it survived the gold rush , prohibition , and The Great Depression . When it first opened , the café sold five cent beers to miners waiting to visit the brothel upstairs . There have been several accounts of ghostly activity at Merchant but the most haunting is the children in the basement . In 1938 , a fire trapped the young brother and sister in the space that is now the basement bar at Merchant Café . They were burned alive . Today , the two playful siblings play tricks on the café guests , causing eternal mischief .
Northern State Mental Hospital in Wooley , WA ( Photo : Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation )
PANAMA HOTEL
605 ½ S Main St , Seattle , WA 98104
The Panama Hotel was built in 1910 . During World War II , many Japanese immigrants were sent to Camp Hope . There was a two bag requirement which forced them to leave almost everything they had behind . The owner of the Panama Hotel agreed to let those bound for Camp Hope store their belongings , trunks and boxes in the basement of the hotel . Many never returned . When the building was sold in the 70 ’ s , the hastily stowed luggage was still there . The ghosts of the immigrants frequent the hotel , hovering above their remembrances of a past life and the chilling events that changed history .
TED BUNDY ’ S APARTMENT
4123 12th Ave NE , Seattle , WA 98105
Before Bundy began his serial killing spree , he was a psychology major at UW working at Seattle ’ s Suicide Hotline Crisis Center . The nefarious “ co-ed killer ” began his murderous rampage in 1974 when he lived on the UW campus . Lore surrounding Bundy suggests that after he kidnapped his victims , he brought them to his home on campus . The victims were violently brutalized before getting dumped in several locations throughout Issaquah .
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NORTHERN STATE MENTAL HOSPITAL FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE
24909 Hub Dr , Sedro-Woolley , WA 98284
This vast , abandoned structure in Sedro Woolley opened in 1912 and housed the largest population of mentally insane in the state . Among the committed were excitable wives , over-active children or kids with learning disabilities . The main treatments included electroshock therapy and trans-orbital lobotomies , which caused a high number of deaths . In the 50 ’ s it became illegal for hospitals to dispose of the dead ; but before that , the hospital buried the deceased around the perimeter of the grounds . The grounds now hold the unmarked graves of thousands , leaving the empty building laden with unsettled spirits .