The Notoriously Haunted Overland Hotel

Posted: 06.22.2024 | Updated: 06.22.2024

The American Southwest has a haunting aura; the lonely tumbleweeds and forlorn coyotes tell tales of ghosts from years ago. The West is home to many ghost stories, including dozens of haunted hotels like the Mizpah Hotel and The Hotel Monte Vista. Hiding in the town of Pioche is one historic hotel that you may have never heard of -- the Overland Hotel and Saloon has been around for as long as the desert's been hot. Over a century old, the Overland has more than just a few stories to tell. 

History of the Overland Hotel and Saloon

 The Overland Hotel is a boutique hotel in the mile-high mountains of Pioche and has served as a brothel, gambling house, boarding house, bowling alley, grocery store, and restaurant. A building of many faces, the one you see today, was erected in 1946 after a fire completely destroyed a third of the town. At this time, the Overland started its legacy as a hotel, saloon, and dance hall.In the early 1900s, the property was owned by a Chinese-American family named the Peis. The Overland property also includes the land behind the building where an old miner's rock house still stands. A walk back there gives visitors information about life in the area 100 years ago. The remains of a few rock houses that existed on the property in the late 1880s can be seen, and they give us a good glimpse into how little the people of the past needed -- most of the homes were no larger than 100 square feet.In 1947, a horrible fire ripped through the town of Pioche. It started around the corner from the Overland Hotel on Meadow Valley Street, caused by a restaurant fire. About one-third of the town was lost in that fire, and three people were killed. The Overland Hotel burned to the ground. The hotel was rebuilt, stronger this time, and was covered with stucco. From the basement up to the ceiling are massive vertical beams supporting the structure's weight. There is an 8,000 sq. foot cement basement that, back in the 1950s, housed a bowling alley and a roller-skating rink. They were closed and removed many years ago.When the hotel was rebuilt, the entire side of the ground floor on the dance hall side was Pioche's grocery store -- countless residents and visitors spent their Saturday mornings there, shopping for necessities.During the reconstruction, the massive cherry wood back bar and front bar were brought in from Kimberly, Nevada. In 1976, Mr. Brown purchased the Overland. The grocery store closed, and he built a coffee shop where the present-day gift shop is.In 1996, Ron and Candice Mortenson purchased the property and have spent the past 22 years restoring it to its former glory. The solid oak flooring tells a story, one of the histories of the building and the tales of all those who have set foot upon it, some of which have never left. 

Hauntings at the Overland Hotel

 Although the hotel's owners have been tight-lipped about the hauntings of their hotel, plenty of employees have relayed their experiences with unexplained energies at the hotel.One staff member tells of a time when they were in the midst of the routine of opening up for the day when they saw a very filthy-looking man standing under the front awning. He was disheveled and looked confused. The employee thought perhaps this was a transient man and ignored him until she saw him cross the street in front of a passing car and disappear into thin air when the car hit him.On April 26th, 2014, the popular television show Ghost Adventures visited the Overland Hotel to try and see if they could gather evidence of the alleged hauntings.There is said to be a malevolent entity inside the hotel's walls, but why?In 1964, the former owner of the Overland was bludgeoned to death and robbed inside the hotel. The owner is said to have been helping out a transient couple, giving them a place to stay and assisting with meals. As he opened the safe one night, he was beaten in the head to death.The basement of the Overland Hotel is said to be haunted by the spirits of the couple who killed the former owner, the Carmodies. Their voices have been reported in the hotel, and the name Carmody has been heard, as well as the statement 'we're here.'Would you stay a night at the Overland Hotel? Not in it for the ghosts? Just ask the front desk staff for the 'non-haunted' room if you're so inclined -- just remember you can run, but you can't hide.For more haunted tales of Sin City, book a Las Vegas ghost tour with Vegas Ghosts tonight!Instagram: usghostadvTikTok: usghostadventuresFacebook: US Ghost Adventures Sources: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10153643784907413&ref=sharinghttps://overlandhotelnv.com/history/

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