Published Sunday, October 27, 2002
By Sherris Moreira-Byers
Herald Staff Writer
The history of a place can make all the difference, especially during the Halloween season.
At the Hotel Conneaut, events of history and legend, along with reported actual sightings of ghostly beings, have been passed down through the years to create a creepy combination of fact and fiction.
The most popular story relating to hauntings in the summer resort's 110-year-old building is the legend of "Elizabeth," bride who was supposed to have died in a horrific fire in the early 1940s that also took out more than half of the hotel.
"People smell jasmine in their rooms and feel cold air on the back of their heads," said Carl Burkett, curator of the Lakeland Museum that's operated by the Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society.
He added that many visitors to the 150-room hotel claim they have seen a young woman with a white dress carrying a parasol in the hotel ballroom or sitting on the limb of a tree in front of the lakeside resort.
"The only experiences I've had is when I give people hell for leaving the lights on and they swear they have turned them off," said hotel general manager Gene Rumsey. "I have a maintenance man -- a big, stocky, 30-year-old -- who won't come into the hotel by himself because of things he's experienced."
Another older story is that a Native American is buried on the grounds of the hotel. According to Burkett, a member of either the Seneca or Delaware tribe, who was part of a hunting party, died across the lake and his tribesman buried him near or on the present site of the hotel.
"Indian artifacts have been found on the grounds. An ax head was once found in the ground of the front entrance to the park," he said, adding that the name Conneaut may have been derived from an Indian word that means "snow waters."
Other bits of history include Civil War soldiers coming back to the area on leave. And locals and visitors have said they've seen a man in a Civil War uniform on the front lawn of the hotel and sitting in the same tree Elizabeth has been seen in.
Burkett also said a "ghostbusters" group came up to the hotel in 1998 and said the hotel was a definite site for supernatural activity, adding that phenomena such as lights going on and off, unlocked doors suddenly being locked and beds rattling in empty rooms occur regularly at the hotel.
Did a bride really die in a fire at Hotel Conneaut? The only thing the historical society can confirm was that there was indeed a fire in 1942.
"The fire was such a spectacular occurance, and historical events can attract a spectacular event," said Burkett, referring to the ghostly bride legend.
"I'm not a believer," said Rumsey. "But its hard not to believe. You've got to take it for whatever it's worth. Most people here are pretty logical and yet many have claimed to experience something."
But for those who do believe in the ghostly existence of Elizabeth, Rumsey added, "She's a cutie, she won't hurt anyone. She just likes to play games."
For more information about Hotel Conneaut or the Conneaut Lake Area Historical Society, call (814) 382-5115.