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Manresa Castle

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Availability:	Open to the Public
Filed Under:	Paranormal Hot Spots > Haunted Hotels Television Locations Television Locations > Real Scary Stories Television Locations > Scariest Places on Earth
Added By:	TheCabinet
Added On:	October 12, 2008 - 02:36 AM UTC
Last Modified:	October 12, 2008 - 02:50 AM UTC
Your Rating:	Sign in to add your rating
Average Rating:	4 (1 ratings)
Visited By:	1 Users

Address
651 Cleveland St, Port Townsend, WA 98368, USA (Port Townsend, Washington)

Information
The Location This hotel and restaurant has been a mainstay in Port Townsend, Washington since the late 19th Century. Aside from witnessing, and perhaps symbolizing, the various up and downs of the city, it has also gained a worldwide reputation for the reports of paranormal activity and resident ghosts - appearing on countless paranormal-themed television shows over the years. Eisenbeis Castle Prussian immigrant Charles Eisenbeis came to Port Townsend in the mid-1800s and set up shop as a local baker, eventually expanding to sell animal feed. At the time, Port Townsend was experiencing rapid growth and beliefs were that it would ultimately serve as a major shipping port, given its relative location at the connecting point between the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound. Eisenbeis saw the potential and expanded his operations into construction and real estate and quickly became one of the wealthiest citizens of the city. A widower at the time, Eisenbeis took a new wife named Kate around this time and on February 12, 1878 he was elected the first mayor of Port Townsend. With word that a railroad line would be coming to the city, Eisenbeis built the massive Hotel Eisenbeis next to the proposed railroad terminal, anticipating it would play host to the many travelers that ventured through the area. However, the railroad line ultimately bypassed Port Townsend altogether, which immediately started a decline in population as well as business. Eisenbeis was never able to open the grand hotel and it was later completely destroyed in a suspicious fire. Undeterred by this change in fortune, he continued to add on to the city he loved by building the local hospital in 1890 and began work on what was to be his dream home. Eisenbeis modeled the structure after castles in his family homeland on the Rhine River in Germany. The three-floor, 30-room structure was completed in 1892, built from the remaining bricks and stones from Eisenbeis's very own brickyard. The castle featured a slate roof, tiled fireplaces, and woodwork that had been specifically installed by German artisans. After Charles and Kate officially moved into the house, the local residents dubbed the building the "Eisenbeis Castle." On September 29, 1897, Eisenbeis suffered the loss of his son from the former marriage and business partner, Charles Eisenbeis Jr., who had taken his own life at the family-owned business Mount Baker Block (another structure built by Eisenbeis), which exists to this day. Charles Jr. was around 29 years old at the time of his death. Eisenbeis would follow him in death five years later on August 9, 1902 from Bright's disease. Kate would continue to live in the castle until 1905 when she would remarry. The castle was then left in the hands of a caretaker for almost 20 years when it was sold in 1925. A Seattle-based attorney took over ownership of the home, hoping to turn it into a vacationing residence for nuns that taught school in Seattle. The plan never seemed to take and only two years later, he sold the building in 1927 to Jesuit priests. Manresa Hall The Jesuit priests converted the castle into a training college for their sixteenth and final year of training in the studies of ascetic theology. The priests expanded the castle with the added wing that housed a chapel, more rooms, and an elevator a year after taking ownership. After a few more exterior alterations, they renamed the structure as "Manresa Hall" in honor of the Manresa, Catalonia in Spain, where Ignatius of Loyola founded their order. In 1968, the Jesuits sold the structure after struggling with the costs of maintenance and it was then converted into a hotel, which it remains to this day. Manresa Castle The new hotel combined the elements of the building's two former names of "Eisenbeis Castle" and "Manresa Hall" to establish its new identity - Manresa Castle. The building has passed through the hands of multiple owners in the years since and undergone a series of renovations and expansions, while maintaining the Victorian elegance. The Haunting Since 1968, the hotel has gradually grown the reputation for its strange activity and pair of resident ghosts. The staff have reported doors opening on their own accord, televisions and lights that turn themselves on and off, objects moving, and pictures suddenly falling off the wall. In addition, odd lights have been spotted moving down the hallways and glasses mysteriously shatter in the bar (sometimes in the patron's hands). While activity has been reported all the way down to the lobby, most of the reports seem to be focused around the third floor. Not so coincidentally, this is also the area associated with two very specific ghosts. The Jesuit Priest Probably the best-known ghost tale of Manresa Castle recalls the days when the Jesuit priests occupied the building. According to the legend, a severely depressed priest went to the tower/attic and hung himself from the ceiling. Guests that stay in Room 302, the room under the alleged tower, have reported hearing footsteps of someone moving around above them and even the sounds of strained rope moving. There is even an account of a guest awakening to see the distinct image of a man dressed in a black, hooded robe standing over his bed. Kate The Castle's other resident ghost concerns the story of a woman named Kate, though not Kate Eisenbeis, who stayed at the residence in the 1920s (sometimes even listed as the 60s or 70s). The tale states that the young woman jumped to her death from the Tower Suite, Room 306, to the ground below. There are different variations of why she took her own life. One suggests that she was overcome with emotion when told that the man she loved had been lost at sea. Sometimes the story is followed up with the tragic addition that the report had been false and the man was fine. The other version has her taking her own life after the man had cheated on her. Either way, the stories of "Kate" in Room 306 persist to this day. Some of have reported seeing the translucent image of a woman dressed in period garb sitting next to the window, looking out to the see. Others have reported waking up in the night to see the shape of a woman moving across the room or standing over their bed. Other reports include the lights or TV going on and off for no reason, the overwhelming sense of grief, and objects moving on their own accord. Various books reported that the staff used to keep a "ghost register" in the room for guests to pass along their own experiences, but ultimately removed it after other guests became upset after reading through it and wanted to change rooms. On Television Along side curious tourists, the accounts of ghostly activity have also attracted several paranormal-themed television shows over the years. Early incarnations like Sightings and Unsolved Mysteries have been joined recently by the likes of Scariest Places on Earth, Haunted History, and Real Scary Stories. Truth or Fiction? The stories of the two resident ghosts have faced criticism over the years for the lack of historical documentation to confirm it. While some suggest that the reported suicide of a Jesuit priest was kept quiet by the Society, descendants of the Eisenbeis family flat-out deny that the stories of a woman leaping to her death in the 1920s ever happened. Furthermore, the owners over the years after the building was turned into a hotel have expressed doubts at the claims. After three subsequent owners, the hotel was placed up for auction in 2004 so the owner could retire. At the time, the Seattle Times interviewed then-General Manager Roger O'Connor, who confessed that stories were the invention of bartender Nick Gale. According to him, Gale grew tired about being asked about the ghostly occurrences in the castle and took it upon himself to invent the two back-stories to help put names to the paranormal reports. O'Connor reportedly agreed to the stories, as long as they were placed in the two most expense rooms. However, O'Connor stated that the stories were due more to help explain the strange happenings rather than attract tourists and while initially skeptic himself, he told the reporter, "There is some energy here, I'm convinced." Manresa Castle Today Bill Massey picked up Manresa Castle in the 2004 auction for a cool two million and announced plans to return it to its full potential. Today the hotel has 40 guest rooms and a restaurant for anyone that wants to explore the ghostly legends for themselves. For more information, please visit their site below.

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Related Sites
Manresa Castle The official Web site of the reportedly haunted Manresa Castle hotel in Port Townsend, Washington.
Manresa Castle in Washington: An Historical Haunted Hotel Article from Associated Content that explores the history and reports of paranormal activity at the Manresa Castle hotel in Port Townsend, Washington.

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See Also on TheCabinet.com
There are no other pages on this site associated with this location.

Available from Amazon.com
Ghost Stories of Washington (Ghost Stories (Lone Pine))
Ghost Stories from the Pacific Northwest (American Storytelling)
Dinner and Spirits: A Guide to America's Most Haunted Restaurants, Taverns, and Inns
Ghostology 101: A Ghost Hunters Guide
Haunted Hotels

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Images

The sign out front of the reportedly haunted Manresa Castle in Port Townsend, WA - September 2008.
From: TheCabinet

The courtyard out front the reportedly haunted Tower room of Manresa Castle - September 2008.
From: TheCabinet

The front of the reportedly haunted Port Townsend, Washington hotel Manresa Castle - 09/2008.
From: TheCabinet

The reportedly haunted tower room of Manresa Castle in Port Townsend, Washington - September 2008.
From: TheCabinet

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The above content is for informational purposes only. Before making any travel arrangements, it is highly recommended that you contact those in charge of the property to check for updated availability and hours of operation. While we do our best to keep this information updated, we cannot guarantee that it is completely valid and up to date. Any destination marked "Closed to the Public" is marked that for a reason and we discourage any visits or attempts to gain access to that facility. Similarly, take note of any "Travel Advisory" that may be associated with a destination. Finally, treat any location and its local residents with respect. Any vandalism and/or unruly behavior is completely despicable and only ruins the experience for future visitors.

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