Home » Travel » Washington State » Ghost Stories of Washington: A Book Review

Ghost Stories of Washington: A Book Review

© Jerri Brooker

"Hikers in the Cascades are warned not to take a route by a man killed on the same treacherous path. A phantom bank manager and other spirits are spotted in the Seattle underground. A musical phantom [is] in deserted buildings at Gonzaga University. Spirits ring the bells in the tower of Tacoma's Old City Hall - even after the bells have been made unusable."

So reads the back book cover of Ghost Stories of Washington by a Canadian writer, Barbara Smith - a book with pieces of Washington State ghost tales inside.

Do you believe in ghost stories?

If I did you might hear me singing this, "They're coming to take me away, ha, ha. They're coming to take me away, ho, ho..." Ghosts and I don't keep company. Not if I can help it. But I did take time to read the book.

Smith's book caught my eye on the shelf of a used book store I frequent when looking for books about Washington State. The title caught my eye and "Ghost Stories..." sprang out at me. I like unusual titles, so thought this would be a treat - at least a good read. Home I danced with it, caught up neatly in a stack of other books. (I'm hopeless when it comes to buying used books.)

From Smith's researched book, two men were hung at the intersection of 7th Avenue and Pine Street in Ellensberg, Washington, in 1895. For many years folks stayed away from the intersection and some said they could hear wailing cries from the men for years. I wrote about Ellensberg here, but don't remember reading anything about this tale in my research. Is that something you might believe?

There is a story of "Shorty," a well-loved ghost of the historic Capitol Theatre in Yakima that seems plausible. Bonnie Hughes, the theatre's Community Relations Director at the time the book was written, was glad to see "Shorty's" story finally told. Get the book and read it for yourself.

What about the well-known ghost at Rosario Resort on Orcas Island? According to the book, she's still there. Check out the stories of why that may be.

One especially "haunting" look into ghostly beings is the tale of Judy, the ghost of the Mt. Baker theatre in Bellingham. According to Smith, Judy's family lived in a house where the theatre stands. It burned down and Judy perished with the fire. Not only does she roam the halls, but a psychic saw lots of other ghosts on the stage when she visited. Former house manager, Margaret Mackay, said she walked through an incredibly cold blast that moved right through her body. The details are in the book.