Holton, Kansas has a long and colorful history that stretches back to 1856. In walking through the streets of this small town, you can think about its humble beginnings, which started with six covered wagons taking free states men to Kansas.

You can also think about abolitionist John Brown escorting escaped slaves to Iowa when he was confronted near Holton by a much larger posse. Brown plowed ahead, and the posse feared to fire even a single shot.

At the corner of Ohio and 5^th streets stands a historic 2-story building that served as the oldest continually operating hotel west of the Mississippi River, and one that’s known to be a haven for the spirits of the past. It’s time to check in to the haunted Hotel Josephine!

In 1889, A.D. Walker began construction of Hotel Josephine, and named it after his daughter who was born September 19 of the same year. Hotel Josephine officially opened on January 19, 1890.

Hotel Josephine contained electricity when built and was heated by individual wood stoves in each room. Traveling salesmen favored Hotel Josephine for its lodging and sample display rooms.

In 1892, Hotel Josephine was renamed the Teer House. The hotel changed names again several times over the years, and was also known as the Rinehart Hotel, the Sutherland Hotel, and Holton Hotel.

Hotel Josephine hosted many important and famous guests, including President Grover Cleveland, writer Robert Louis Stevenson, Vice President Charles Curtis, and actress Kirstie Alley.

Hotel Josephine closed in December of 2010. In 2011, John Chiles and his daughter Lori Ford purchased and reopened the hotel. In November 2020, Hotel Josephine was purchased by Sara Fox.

The Hotel Josephine stood for more than 100 years as beacon for travelers in the small town of Holton, Kansas. In the days of passenger trains, traveling salesman, weary migrants, and grand old parties, many checked into this historic location for rest or socializing, and not all of them checked out.

As you prepare to spend your night inside Hotel Josephine, where will you go first? Stop and look in the mirrors that line the stairway to the second floor. You may just see someone walking with you.

Enter the Buffalo Room and see if you can catch a glimpse or a photo of one of the apparitions who checked in and never left. Sit quietly for a moment and see if you can catch the spirit who is known to ring a bell that hangs in the closet.

Lay down in one of the beds and see if you feel the strange vibrations that have been reported by those who’ve lasted through the night. You may also want to spend some time in the John Wayne room, where an unfriendly male entity likes to make his presence known.

You might also look to visit in the Carrie Nation Room, where  you could encounter the spirit of a woman who hanged herself in the bathroom. This spirit has been known to make guests clutch their necks and affect their breathing, while making others leave the hotel completely.

If you descend to the basement, you might see the spirits of children who are known to wander around. Or you could spend your time walking through the building and see if you encounter the hotel’s namesake herself, Josephine.

The Hotel Josephine holds the energies of many who have passed through its doors and the mix of life, laughter, and tragedy created an imprint that remains.

Housed within these walls and rooms are the spirits who have been bound to this location, and those who still have unfinished business or stories to tell.

The spirits of the haunted Hotel Josephine are waiting for you, won’t you come join them for a night?