Birchell - Haunted Hotels and Ghostly Getaways of New Mexico

Published by Haunted America

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC

www.historypress.com

Copyright 2018 by Donna Blake Birchell

All rights reserved

Front cover: courtesy of the author.

First published 2018

e-book edition 2018

ISBN 978.1.43966.516.9

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018942437

print edition ISBN 978.1.46713.889.5

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

For all those who believe there is life after death and are brave enough to seek it out.

For my beautiful mother, Dorothy Blake, who passed her sensitivities on to me, I thank you for this amazing gift.

Death is no more than passing from one room into another. Helen Keller

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Samantha Villayour friendship started this ride, and I am eternally grateful! For my family, Jerry, Michael, Sherrie, Justin and Amanda Birchell, without whose love and unending support I could not continue to follow my passion. Thank you all from the bottom of my humble heart. My cup overflows with much love and gratitude for each of you, since you all mean the entire world to me. Also, a huge thank-you to Robert and Missy Garriott for being such a great captive audience; so very glad were family.

Many thanks to Jhett and Callie Sioux Schiavone of the Ruidoso folk rock band Gleewood (www.gleewoodmusic.com), whose CDs sang me through the many miles of this beautiful New Mexico countryside. Thank you for sharing your immense talents; you are both New Mexico treasures.

To my dear longtime friends Richard and Carol Estes, who are genuinely enthusiastic about these books and give me tons of encouragement. Carol, our road trip adventures to the hotels are something we will talk about for many years to come. Not to mention the exceptional wine. Many, many thanks! Love you!

To my work family at Mosaic PotashAshley Casey, Andrea Stanley Coley, Stacy Delgado, Jordyn Eaton, Nick Flores, Ricardo Hernandez, Anthony Ingram, Jillian Jaure, Susie Manquero, Peter Pavlik, Sandy Boyd, Ame Shirley, Marylou Gutierrez and Bill Dunnwho were constantly barraged with ghost stories. Thank you for your patience and pretending to be interested!

A huge shout-out to the tremendous efforts of my commissioning editor, Candice Lawrence, who threw up some obstacles during the planning of this book but always gave me a solution as well. I appreciate your kindness and patience. Also, to my new editor, John Rodrigue, who came in on the project midstream. To all of the staff of The History Press, for your outstanding help and expertise. Thank you for seeing it through to the end. You are amazing!

This book would not have been possible without the kindness of all the hotel/bed-and-breakfast owners, managers and staff who were more than willing to take time out of their busy days to humor a pesky author. Thank you for your enthusiasm, which encouraged me to forge on through adversity.

And thank you to you, the reader, without whom I would be nowhere. Please accept my deepest gratitude for your continued support and kindness.

All images are courtesy of the author unless otherwise indicated.

INTRODUCTION

Anyone who has ever stepped foot onto New Mexico soil will attest to the sheer beauty that gives our forty-seventh state the moniker Land of Enchantment. You already know of the magnificent sunrises and sunsets that paint the azure skies, the snowcapped mountain ranges, vast caves, expansive deserts, rolling plains and lush waterways that make this piece of the United States such a unique landscape. I am proud to call New Mexico my home and want to share my little piece of heaven with you.

For those of you who are still unaware, you are cordially invited to tag along for the experience of a lifetime as we explore the many regions that comprise New Mexico, this time in pursuit of its historic yet haunted hotels. I challenge you to visit these outstanding hotels, not only to drink in the rich historical value of each but also to possibly meet some of the featured permanent residents for yourself by spending the night.

As a onetime skeptic, the idea of ghosts was something I scoffed at, stemming probably from being told all during my childhood, theres no such things as ghosts. It wasnt until my own brief encounters that my mind was opened to the idea that maybe that saying was a bit wrong. It was with this enlightened mind that this project was born and gave me the curiosity to discover the possibilities of other worlds and dimensions. Please use this book as a guide to the rich history surrounding each of the establishments and its hometown by patronizing these beautiful properties.

Each story of the past lives most of these spirits experienced is heartbreaking; this may be the reason they have decided to continue residing in this world. Disbelief and shock as to their circumstances has garnered a refusal in them not to leave familiar grounds. Although our current world is much different than the one they experienced, they are still, in some cases, searching for loved ones and protecting their former homes.

I cannot promise that you will have an encounter or experience with any of the ghosts mentioned, but I can promise that you will have a wonderful time visiting their abodes.

INFLUENCE OF CULTURES

Ghosts, spirits and apparitions have always played a significant role in the folklore and legends that tie together the four great cultures that now reside peacefully in New Mexico.

The Native Americans have passed down stories for generations about their inhabitants of the spirit world. The White Painted Woman is credited with creation of the Apache peoples; the Changing Woman is said to have created the Navajo. Native American culture is full of spirits and folklore that is interwoven through their tribes.

As the Spanish/Hispanic influence grew larger in the Southwest, Christianity became more prevalent in the New Mexico Territory, overtaking the native ways mainly through force at first. The Spaniards influence is seen throughout the state in the form of mission churches, chapels and cathedrals. The Spanish were also the driving force behind the beginning of the oldest wine industry in the United States. Mysteries and miracles relate to many of New Mexicos oldest churches.

Although insignificant compared to other cultures in the state, the African American community began to move west in large part to escape slavery. Many African Americans also migrated as part of the U.S. cavalry commonly known as the buffalo soldiersa name given to them by the natives because of the resemblance between the hair of the soldiers and the hide of a buffalo (bison). The main function of the formation of the buffalo soldiers was to rid the West of the native peoples who were rebelling against the U.S. government. It is said that some of these soldiers brought the beliefs of voodoo with them as they made their journey west.