My Favorite Haunted Places in Arizona

For years I have been fascinated with the state of Arizona and its seemingly endless supply of haunted places throughout the state. I can imagine the Old West and the many cowboys and gunfights that happened and yes the deaths that came from these bloody battles. Not to mention that some places in the state just have a different feel than others. Take Tombstone, Arizona as an example, when you arrive there it is like you can feel the vibrations seeping out of the ground and from the buildings. It is very cool but kind of creepy. If you have never been you need to go and give it a try, if you are extremely sensitive to such things you may want to be careful.

One of my all time favorite places is the Boot hill Cemetery in Tombstone, Arizona. It is said the cemetery got its name because so many of its “guests” died with their boots on which means they died a sudden violent death. Of course this being one of the most famous places in Arizona the graveyard itself attracts many visitors every year due to the fact that three of the fighters who died at the shoot-out at the O.K. Corral are buried there. For those of us who are there for a little “scare” the cemetery is said to have many shadows and figures have been seen gliding amongst the graves, if you are lucky enough you may hear the screams of the damned or in some cases the cries of anguish. If you are brave enough a visit to Boot Hill Cemetery should be on your list.

Next stop the Birdcage Theatre also in Tombstone this place is said to be a national tourist attraction and has indeed been visited by many since it opened to the public. It is said that 26 people were killed inside the Birdcage Theatre and that the original three inch thick ceiling has over 120 bullet holes in it. Even though the Birdcage only operated for a short eight years many devious deeds were done inside the building leading to what many claim are extensive haunting. If you are lucky enough to be able to make a stop at the Birdcage Theatre prepare yourself as there does not seem to be an inch of the place that has not had something happen and even the ladies of the night that were said to ply their wares in the “cages” above the main floor have not left and often make their presences known by touching the men visitors who enter the Theatre.

Another favorite, the Phoenix Theatre, this place is said to have five very distinct ghosts that inhabit it, the Tiny Dance, Mr., Electrics, Light Board Lenny, Freddy, and the Prop Master. I know it is hard to believe that these ghosts have apparently been named by not only theatre goers, but the employees of the theatre. To start, the Tiny Dancer, this little apparition has been seen dancing around the stage and even during performances of “A Chorus Line” she was spotted by patrons dancing in and around the dancers. Mr. Electrics is so named because he is only seen up in the lights. Apparently he likes to sit up on the piping that contains the lights and sometimes visits with the lighting technicians. Lenny is the theatres light board operator; he spends most of his time in the lighting booth and has been known to lock out the light techs if they leave the booth for any reason. Freddy is thought to be an actor that was killed on his way home from the theatre after his performance; he seems to be a bit pissy and likes to slam doors in the upstairs area. He has also been known to cause a great deal of noise when people get to close to what he considers his area. Last but not least, the Prop Master he hangs about the prop room making noise, rattling props and locking people either in or out of the prop room, it depends on his whims.

There are so many places that are said to be haunted in Arizona it would be impossible to see them all. If you have time on your trip I would of course recommend the Grand Canyon, everyone should see that, (it is said to have some haunted areas also,) but Boot Hill Cemetery, The Birdcage Theatre and the Phoenix Theatre are places you should definitely go if you want to experience something different and love a good ghost story.