Mary Melnick’s “3 Haunted U.S. Hotels” article on Trazee Travel got me thinking about my experience at an alleged haunted hotel.

Photo 180015974 © Tony Savino | Dreamstime.com

I first heard about Milwaukee’s Pfister Hotel being haunted about 10 years ago while talking to former Minnesota Twins coach Tony Oliva at Miller Park. When I asked Oliva about his favorite hotel memories, his eyes got big and he stated he had a lot of stories of Pfister. Because he is old-school and didn’t want to “stir up the spirits,” Oliva wouldn’t go into details.

After talking to Oliva, I started researching Pfister Hotel. Opened in 1893, Pfister Hotel is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Located in the heart of downtown Milwaukee, it houses the largest hotel collection of Victorian artwork in the world. It often served as the host hotel for visiting athletes. Although ghosts were not mentioned anywhere on the official Pfister website, I found enough stories elsewhere on the web to pursue the story.

Mike Cameron

Other players, including Michael Young and Carlos Gomez, said they had first-hand experiences with ghosts. They described the ghost experiences as unnerving but not really scary. Mike Cameron heard enough stories to believe although he never saw a ghost.

Some of the players welcomed the spirits. Ji-Man Choi said he felt a presence his first time at Pfister, but he is “comfortable” around spirits. Jon Gray, noted for ghost hunting, excitedly brought his ghost-finder device but was disappointed in the lack of results.

A couple years later, I stayed at Pfister for several days. When asked about possible hauntings, every staffer denied any such knowledge. I did amateur investigating, roaming every area of the hotel at various hours throughout my stay. While I failed to find any evidence of specters or anything paranormal, I did see magnificent art and architecture throughout the hotel. The Pfister is a perfect blend of ornate magnificence and modern amenities.

Years later, the rumors persist. I don’t know if Pfister is really haunted, but I know I enjoyed my stay there enough to make it my regular hotel when in Milwaukee.

— John Wroblewski, online writer