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Perched high above the village of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, the 78-room Crescent Hotel and Spa was built in 1886 as a retreat for those wishing to bathe in the healing springs of the area.
Over the years, the hotel was repurposed as a women's college, a junior college, and a hospital before being turned into a hotel once again. Frequent reports of paranormal sightings—most often involving doctors, nurses, and patients of the former hospital—make this one of the most haunted hotels in the United States.
Purchased in 1937 by Norman Baker after it closed due to financial problems, the Crescent was turned into a hospital and health resort, where Baker, who had no medical training, sold cures for cancer and other ailments. After Baker was imprisoned for fraud—he told visitors that drinking the natural spring water would solve all of their medical problems—the Crescent sat ownerless until 1946.
Visitors over the years have reported witnessing strange goings-on in the halls and rooms of the Crescent. Room 218, where a workman fell from the roof during the hotel's construction and died instantly, is said to be the most haunted. Today, the hotel gives daily ghost tours and employs a full-time clairvoyant. On the tours, guests visit the hotel's basement, which was once used as the hospital's morgue and still contains an old autopsy table.
Recognized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations, the Crescent features 15 on-site acres of gardens and nature trails. Visitors can also enjoy the more than 100 restored Victorian restaurants, shops, and galleries in the nearby town.
