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| 500 S 4th St, Louisville, KY 40202, USA (Louisville, Kentucky)
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| Information |
The Seelbach Hotel
This luxurious hotel opened its doors in 1905 after brothers Louis and Otto sold the previous incarnation of the hotel, which became known as The Louisville Inn. For the new version of the hotel, the brothers spent an unheard amount of a little under $1 million and spared no expense; bringing the finest marble, bronzes, hardwoods, linens and rugs from around the world. It was such an immediate success that the brothers expanded the hotel by 154 rooms in just two years. The Hotel changed ownership several times over the years and underwent millions of dollars in renovation to today, where it is now known as The Seelbach Hilton.
The extravagant nature of the Hotel has attracted all sorts of famous personalities over the years, including some infamous personalities as well. Notorious gangsters to have stayed at the Seelbach include Lucky Luciano, Dutch Schultz, George "King of the Bootleggers" Remus and Al Capone. Capone even installed a large mirror in The Oakroom (now the Hotel's premier restaurant) so he could see who was behind him and the mirror is still there today. The room also featured secret panels that led to a hidden passageway, so Capone could get out quickly in case of a raid. The hotel has also played hosts to countless presidents, actors, actresses, musicians, and Louisville's own Muhammad Ali. It has also been the setting for such films as The Insider and The Hustler.
The Great Gatsby
One of the noted personalities to visit The Seelbach was author F. Scott Fitzgerald. During one of his many stays to the hotel, he met up with the aforementioned George Remus who made an impression on the author. Remus would become the model for the character of Jay Gatsby in Fitzgerald's acclaimed classic, The Great Gatsby. The Hotel itself even played a role in the novel, hosting the wedding reception of the characters Tom and Daisy Buchanan.
The Lady in Blue
The Seelbach is also host to another personality of sorts in the Lady in Blue. There are a variety of different stories attached to the ghost, but also seem to point at her being the apparition of a hotel guest by the name of Patricia Wilson. While some accounts cast her as a jilted bride, the Hotel has uncovered the possible truth.
In 1936 (or 1931), 24-year-old Wilson had moved to Louisville (an information booklet in the hotel lists her former address as 847 S. 1st Street if you are up to the trip) with her husband from Oklahoma. The couple was married for four years, but had recently separated. Trying to work things out, the couple agreed to meet up at the Seelbach. Only, the husband never showed. He was tragically killed in a car accident on the way to meeting with Patricia, who was devastated by the loss. Shortly thereafter, her body was found at the bottom of a service elevator shaft. No one seems to know whether it was an accident or if she deliberately jumped into the shaft. Her story didn't end there though.
In 1987, different staff members reported seeing Patricia Wilson at separate times on the Mezzanine Level and the eighth floor. In both cases, the staff members reported seeing a woman dressed in a blue dress with long black hair walk into the elevator, despite the fact that its doors were closed. The sightings were initially a mystery to the staff, but when someone uncovered a newspaper article about Wilson's demise, they suddenly had a name for the Lady in Blue. The story became something of a sensation for the Seelbach, though there have been only scattered sightings of Wilson since.
Other Ghosts
In 1983, a staff member working in Otto's Cafe was startled when he saw an old woman standing behind him in the mirror. She was described as wearing ragged clothes and an orange hat. When they turned to talk to the woman, there was no one there. In April 2004, a couple on their honeymoon stayed in a room on the eighth floor of the hotel. They awoke to find their room freezing cold and a strange man standing by the window and looking out. When they turned on the light, the man suddenly vanished. There have been other odd occurrences in the Seelbach over the years. Guests have reported the sudden scent of a mysterious perfume (the Lady in Blue?), though they were alone at the time. Still others have reported disembodied footsteps and televisions turning on and off on their own.
Ghost Tours
The hotel also offers a History and Ghost Tour led by Concierge and hotel historian, Larry Johnson. Check the site below for more information. |
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| User Trips |
Overnight at the Seelbach - From: TheCabinet (08/15/07, 09:57 PM UTC)
I have heard the story of the Lady in Blue so many times in the past, that when I decided I would come to Louisville to visit Waverly Hills Sanatori...More
Rating: 0/0 (0 Comments) |
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| Related Sites |
The Seelbach Hilton
The official site to Louisville, Kentucky's Seelbach Hotel - The home to the famous ghost, the Lady in Blue. |
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| Similar Destinations |
| Belle of Louisville |
| The Stanley Hotel |
| Sleepy Hollow Cemetery & Old Dutch Burying Ground |
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| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
| Blog: The Top Haunted Hotels of Dark Destinations (05/18/08) |
| Blog: Dark Destination's Birthday: Top 25 Destinations (08/05/08) |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
City Ghosts: True Tales of Hauntings in America's Cities |
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