One of the best parts of exploring a destination is discovering the history behind the places you visit. Sometimes those stories are well documented. Others have been passed from one generation to another until history, legend, and a little creative storytelling become almost impossible to separate. And every once in a while, that history comes with a story that is a little harder to explain.
Washington certainly has plenty of these stories.
From a grand Bellingham movie palace and a former Seattle mortuary to an old Snohomish saloon and a hotel beside Willapa Bay, these supposedly haunted places offer plenty to explore even if the ghosts don’t cooperate.
Just remember that paranormal stories are exactly that — stories. Many of the most dramatic details surrounding Washington’s famous hauntings are folklore rather than established historical fact. Visit for the architecture, local history, food, performances, and atmosphere, and consider any unexplained footsteps or mysteriously moving objects a bonus.
And if these haunted destinations aren’t enough, take the adventure outside. Washington’s forests, mountains, abandoned settlements, and old trails have supernatural tales of their own — perfect for anyone who prefers their ghost hunting with hiking boots on.
Tacoma Old City Hall
Built in the 1890s, Tacoma’s Old City Hall is one of downtown’s most recognizable historic buildings. The Italian Renaissance-style landmark served as Tacoma’s city hall for decades before the city government moved to the County-City Building in 1959. After narrowly escaping demolition, Old City Hall was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
As you might expect from a building that has been around for more than 130 years, it has also collected a few ghost stories.
People have reported lights flickering for no apparent reason, alarms going off unexpectedly, mysterious coughing in empty hallways, and shadowy figures appearing inside the building. One supposed resident even has a name: Gus. According to local lore, Gus has been blamed for unlocking doors and operating the elevator when nobody is inside.
Old City Hall itself is now getting a new chapter. Following a major restoration and redevelopment project, portions of the building are reopening in 2026 with offices, coworking areas, restaurants, and retail space. Additional residential and event spaces are planned as part of a later phase.
Maybe Gus will appreciate having company again.
Where to find it: 625 Commerce St, Tacoma
Website here
The Oxford Saloon
Historic downtown Snohomish already has the kind of atmosphere that lends itself to a good ghost story, and the Oxford Saloon may be its best-known haunted hangout.
The building dates to around 1890 and was originally used as a general store. During Prohibition, it became the Oxford Pool Room, and by the World War II era it had evolved into a popular local watering hole.
Its paranormal reputation is almost as colorful as its history.
Over the years, employees, customers, and paranormal investigators have reported unexplained noises, apparitions, and other strange activity. One of the Oxford’s best-known legends involves a man named Henry, often described as a police officer or bouncer who was supposedly killed near the basement stairs.
There are also stories involving women who occupied rooms upstairs during an earlier period in the building’s history. Paranormal investigators have visited the Oxford and reported recording alleged EVPs, or Electronic Voice Phenomena.
As with many old ghost stories, some of the details have changed with repeated retellings, making it difficult to separate documented history from local legend.
Fortunately, you don’t need to solve that mystery before visiting. The Oxford is still a restaurant, bar, and live entertainment venue today.
Where to find it: 913 1st St, Snohomish
Website here
Mount Baker Theatre
Bellingham’s beautiful Mount Baker Theatre opened on April 29, 1927, making it nearly 100 years old. Designed by architect Robert Reamer, it was one of the last grand vaudeville and silent movie palaces built in the Pacific Northwest.
Unlike many theaters from the same era, the Mount Baker survived. Community preservation and restoration efforts have kept it operating as a performing arts venue, and the theater is celebrating its centennial during the 2026–27 season.
Apparently, a few longtime patrons may have never left.
The theater’s best-known ghost is Judy, a reportedly friendly spirit associated with an area between the balcony and mezzanine. Staff and visitors have described unexplained voices, cold spots, mysterious touches, and other odd occurrences.
Who Judy actually was is less certain. Different versions of the story give her different backgrounds, and there doesn’t appear to be definitive historical evidence identifying the woman behind the legend.
Then there’s the black cat.
One of the theater’s stranger stories involves sightings of a large black cat backstage. According to local lore, the apparition may be connected to a black panther that died at the theater while traveling with a circus.
Ghost stories aside, the Mount Baker Theatre is worth visiting simply to see its wonderfully preserved interior.
Where to find it: 104 N Commercial St #4408, Bellingham
Website here
Butterworth Building
If you’re searching for a potentially haunted building, a former mortuary is a pretty good place to start.
Seattle’s Butterworth Building, located near Pike Place Market, was constructed in 1903 for undertaker Edgar R. Butterworth. Designed by prominent Seattle architect John Graham Sr., the building housed Butterworth & Sons Mortuary and was considered impressively modern for its day.
Today, its Post Alley level is home to Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub, which has occupied the space since 1983.
The building’s unusual past has naturally inspired plenty of ghost stories. Employees and visitors have reported unexplained activity and apparitions over the years, including recurring stories about the spirit of a young girl. Its reputation even earned the building an appearance on Ghost Adventures.
Of course, the confirmed history is interesting enough on its own. The building really did operate as an early-20th-century mortuary before eventually finding a much livelier purpose.
These days, Kells is known for food, drinks, live music, and its big St. Patrick’s Day celebration. If the stories are true, though, some customers may have been hanging around considerably longer than others. I included it in my book, Secret Seattle.
Where to find it: 1916 Post Alley, Seattle
Website here
Tokeland Hotel
You can’t have a list of haunted places in Washington without including an old hotel, and the historic Tokeland Hotel fits the bill nicely.
Located near Willapa Bay, the hotel traces its history to early settlers in the area that became Tokeland. More than a century later, it still welcomes overnight guests looking for a quiet coastal getaway.
Some visitors, however, come hoping to meet one particular guest who supposedly never checked out.
One of the hotel’s best-known legends involves a Chinese immigrant named Charley. According to the story, Charley hid in a concealed space near a fireplace while fleeing pursuers and died there. His ghost is now said to roam the hotel and occasionally cause a little mischief.
Guests over the years have also reported unexplained sounds, unusual sensations, and other possible paranormal encounters. The hotel itself has some fun with its reputation, describing any resident ghosts as the “playful and friendly type.”
Room 7 is frequently mentioned in stories about paranormal activity at the hotel, making it a tempting choice for anyone hoping for more than a good night’s sleep.
Would you stay there?
Where to find it: 2964 Kindred Ave, Tokeland
Website here
Take a Ghost Tour in Seattle
Want to take your ghost hunting a little further? Instead of exploring Seattle’s haunted history on your own, why not let someone who knows the city’s spookiest stories show you around?
US Ghost Adventures offers a couple of guided evening walk through some of downtown Seattle’s most famously haunted locations. Along the way, you’ll hear stories about the city’s rough-and-tumble early days, questionable characters, mysterious deaths, and spirits that supposedly never left.
The tour winds through the historic Pike Place Market area, with stops that include Post Alley, the Moore Theatre, and the Butterworth Building (home to Kells Irish Pub, which you’ve already read about above).
The standard tour lasts about an hour and covers roughly a mile, so you won’t need hiking boots, just comfortable shoes, a jacket for Seattle’s unpredictable weather, and perhaps a little courage.
Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or simply looking for something different to do in Seattle, a ghost tour is a fun way to discover a side of the Emerald City you might otherwise miss.
Where to find it: Downtown Seattle, near Pike Place Market
Website here
