Nestled high in the Black Hills of central Arizona, the Jerome Grand Hotel stands as a testament to Jerome's storied past .
Built in 1926 as the United Verde Hospital, it opened in January 1927 with 52 beds and cutting-edge technology including a call system for nurses and battery backup to ensure continuous power. The hospital served the burgeoning mining community of Jerome, which at its peak had over 10,000 residents drawn by the lure of copper.
After the mine closed in 1953 and the need for the hospital diminished, the building fell into disrepair, standing vacant for decades. It wasn’t until 1994 that Larry Altherr, who had worked at Hotel Valley Ho in Scottsdale and the former Arizona Ambassador Hotel in Phoenix, saw potential in the dilapidated structure.
“A friend of mine asked me if I was interested in looking at it and I had seen it from a distance. I'd visited Jerome before, but you know, I wasn't excited yet,” said Altherr.
“I told him no, and about two or three weeks later, he brought over the original set of floor plans. I had had experience in hotels, and as I was going through the plans, I thought, this was it just was so similar to a hotel that I decided to come up here. That's how I was introduced to it.”
With a vision to restore the historic building to its former glory, Altherr acquired the former hospital and began transforming it into the Jerome Grand Hotel. He was initially unaware of the building's reputation for being haunted, but that soon changed.
Gas up and go: Best Jerome AZ day trip itinerary: Galleries, restaurants and ghosts
What did the Jerome Grand Hotel used to be?
Contrary to popular belief, the Jerome Grand Hotel building was never an asylum.
Some visitors believe it had been a place of confinement and despair. In reality, it provided essential medical care not only to the miners of Jerome but also to surrounding communities. Its imposing architecture, located on a steep slope, contributed to its eerie aura, making it a focal point for ghost stories and urban legends.
One particularly chilling story Altherr shared involves a nurse who worked at the hospital.
“When I came up here, there were still people alive that had worked here, and one of the nurses was up here, and her son worked for (mining company) Phelps Dodge. He said, ‘Well, my mother was a nurse up here, and she has some interesting stories of the hospital at the time,” said Altherr.
As the story goes, one night the nurse was monitoring a patient who was recovering from surgery. As he was being wheeled to the men's ward, which had no other patients, she experienced a bizarre occurrence: All the call lights in the ward suddenly illuminated. Curious, she went to check on her patient, who was still groggy from anesthesia.
“She said, 'It's impossible that the lights were going off. I went down to check on him to see what was going on. He's not capable of doing that since he's still asleep, basically,'” said Altherr.
When she asked him if he had turned on the lights, he replied, “No, that was Frank,” referring to a friend who had died a year earlier.
This unsettling encounter has since become one of the many ghostly tales that add to the hotel’s haunting legacy.
What is the story behind the Jerome Grand Hotel?
The Jerome Grand Hotel is famous not just for its history but for its reputation as one of the most haunted hotels in America.
Stories of ghostly encounters abound, with guests and staff reporting strange occurrences and unexplained phenomena. From flickering lights to the sensation of being watched, the hotel’s paranormal activity has drawn curious travelers and ghost hunters alike.
The most haunted room in the Jerome Grand Hotel is said to be Room 32. Guests have reported unusual occurrences and eerie sensations in this room. Stories of ghostly encounters and inexplicable phenomena have made Room 32 a focal point for those seeking a glimpse into the hotel's haunted past.
“Over time, you know, when it was a hospital, you had some tragedies up here,” said Altherr. “There was the smelter — he was the head of the smelter off down in Clarkdale, which is part of the United Verde Copper Company. And he was up here. He ended up committing suicide.
Arizona ghost town: Gold King Mine in Jerome is a hidden gem
"But you find out later, you know, he was dying of cancer, and you know he was under a lot of pain, even though they probably had him on morphine and stuff, but apparently a friend of his snuck him a gun in, and he committed suicide. But it was not in Room 32. I don't know why 32 became, you know, became the room.”
But the Jerome Grand Hotel is not defined solely by its ghostly residents. It has also played host to film crews, with scenes shot for movies such as "The Brothel," directed by Amy Waddell. The hotel’s distinctive ambiance and rich history make it a sought-after location for filmmakers and photographers.
And the hotel is popular with visitors seeking a distinctive stay. With 30 guest rooms ranging from standard to a luxurious 2000-square-foot Grand Suite, the hotel blends modern comforts with historical charm. Many rooms overlook stunning views of the surrounding mountains and the artistic quirks of Jerome, a town filled with galleries, shops and vibrant history.
Despite its fame, owner Larry Altherr remains humble about the Jerome Grand Hotel’s popularity.
"I don’t really understand how it became so talked about," he said. "I’m just focused on maintaining the building and providing a good experience for our guests."
Details: Jerome Grand Hotel, 200 Hill St. 888-817-6788, jeromegrandhotel.net .
Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Tiffany.Acosta@gannett.com . Follow @tiffsario on Instagram.
Support local journalism and subscribe to azcentral.com .
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Inside Arizona's most haunted hotel: The shocking truth behind its ghostly reputation
Local News
