’Tis the season for ghoulies and ghosties and things that go bump in the night. And what better way to get into Halloween spirit than to visit a place known for housing the undead?
For those looking to infuse their northwest Washington travels with something a little spooky, here are three haunted sites around Everett worth checking out. Who knows? You might just meet a local from beyond the grave…
1. Historic Everett Theatre
The Everett Opera House opened its doors in 1901, but didn’t have any reported ghost sightings until almost a century later.
In 1993, The Seattle Times reported a gray-haired gentleman ghost who grins ear-to-ear was spotted by multiple people at what is today the Historic Everett Theatre. The ghost was later dubbed “Smilin’ Al” in honor of famous vaudeville actor Al Jolson who performed at the venue in 1906 and 1915.
Nobody knows the identity of this spirit. Could he have been a performer? A former employee? An avid audience member? Or was he a hallucination? We may never know.
Learn more here: ‘Everett’s grisly, ghostly past rises from dead in audio tour’
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Oxford Saloon & Eatery is reported to be haunted. (Kevin Clark / The Herald)
The Oxford Saloon
This place is by far the most notorious haunt on the list. The Oxford Saloon in Snohomish has a reputation for several specters. The building was constructed in 1900 and originally housed Blackman’s Dry Goods. A decade later it was converted into a bar and the second floor was remodeled into boarding rooms.
Supposedly, many untimely deaths occurred on the property over the years. One urban legend features an off-duty police officer named Henry who was fatally stabbed at the saloon. Rumor has it his spirit can be spotted in the bar’s basement.
Snohomish is also home to at least three other haunts, including The Marks Building (old county jail), Cabbage Patch Restaurant and The Carnegie Building (old Snohomish Library).
Learn more here: ‘The stories behind 4 supposedly haunted places in Snohomish’
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A cabin at the Monte Cristo townsite in 2018. (Caleb Hutton / The Herald)
Monte Cristo Ghost Town
At one time, Monte Cristo was a thriving settlement. The town was at the heart of a gold and silver mining boom in the 1890s. Most of the town became abandoned after a flood damaged the railroad and lower townsite.
Many people later tried reviving the mining enterprise to its heyday, but to no avail. In the 1960s, there were attempts to operate a ski lodge in the area. The surrounding slopes turned out to be unusable, and the venture scrapped.
Today Monte Cristo is a hiking destination, with scattered privately owned cabins at the old townsite. Does this ghost town have any ghosts of its own? Maybe. Who’s to say? But at the very least the place is spooky and a phantom of what it used to be.
Learn more here: ‘From fictional Monte Cristo tale comes new marker on a grave’
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