The Investigate Discovery Channel released a new special series this month, “Horror at the Cecil Hotel”. The downtown Los Angeles hotel has been the sight of mysterious deaths, suicides and murders over the past ninety years. This has led some to speculate the hotel is the sight of paranormal activity and is called the “most haunted hotel in LA”. The hotel even inspired a season of the FX show “American Horror Story”. In 2014 the Cecil Hotel was sold to New York City hotelier Richard Born and the grounds leased to Simon Baron Development. The hotel is currently being restored to its original grandeur. The name has been changed to “Stay on Main” but the Cecil Hotel marquis remains on the side of the building.
Here are 5 things you didn’t know about “Horror at the Cecil Hotel”.
1. History of the hotel
The Cecil Hotel, located on Main Street in Los Angeles, California, was built by William Banks Hanner as a destination hotel for business and international travelers. The building was designed by Loy Lester Smith in the Art Deco Beaux Arts style. One million dollars was spent to create thee marble lobby, stained glass windows and alabaster statues. Palm trees were imported to adorn the hotel. The Cecil Hotel opened its doors in 1927 at the peak of the “roaring twenties”. Two years later the United States went into the “Great Depression”. Unfortunately the Cecil Hotel didn’t do as well as intended. It did have a posh reputation in the 1940’s but soon went downhill as that area of Los Angeles became home to prostitution and drugs. The Cecil Hotel suffered the consequences attracting unsavory guests.
2. Famous guests
The Cecil Hotel has hosted many guests, some not so savory. Elizabeth Short, the aspiring actress better known as the “Black Dahlia” stayed at the hotel shortly before her gruesome murder in 1947. Serial Killer Richard Ramirez, the “Night Stalker” stayed at the Cecil Hotel in 1985 during the time he was committing murders. It has been said that Ramirez openly walked to the hotel dumpster to dispose of his blood stained clothes. The junkies in the back of the hotel never noticed. Australian serial killer, Jack Unterweger was a guest of the hotel in 1991.
3. Death
Many guests of the Cecil Hotel have died during its history, some more mysterious than others. In 1931 W.K. Norton, a fugitive, was found dead in his hotel room from taking a poison capsule. There were a series of suicide deaths throughout the 1930’s. In 1944 Dorothy Purcell (19) was staying in the hotel with Ben Levine (38) when she went into labor. Dorothy claimed not to know she was pregnant, and after delivering the baby, she believed he was stillborn and threw the newborn out the window. She was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. Several people jumped to their death committing suicide or an accident. In 1962 Pauliine Otton (27) jumped to her death from the ninth story after an argument with her husband and landed on a pedestrian, killing them both. One of the murders that “Horror at the Cecil Hotel” will investigate is that of “Pigeon Goldie” Osgood in 964. The retired hotel phone operator was known for feeding the pigeons in the area. She was found raped and stabbed to death in the hotel. Jacque B. Ehlinger was arrested when he was found walking in the area wearing blood stained clothing but he was acquitted of murder.
4. American Horror Story
The FX series “American Horror Story” based its fifth season on the Cecil Hotel and its disturbing history. “American Horror Story: Hotel” takes place in an art deco style hotel where mysterious things occur. The creepy television series changes its venue each season to a creepy macabre scene where weird things occur, murders happen and the paranormal takes over. The Cecil Hotel was the perfect venue for such a show. There have been many paranormal events at the Cecil Hotel and it’s been investigated by paranormal specialists.
5. Haunted?
In 2013 one of the most mysterious unexplained deaths occurred at the Cecil Hotel which led some to speculate the hotel has some serious paranormal activity. Canadian college student Elisa Lam was travelling through southern California and stayed at the Cecil Hotel and due to check out on January 31. When her parents didn’t hear from her they reported her missing. On February 14 police released the hotel surveillance tape showing Lam getting into the hotel elevator. She acts strangely, at one time yelling at someone unseen outside of the elevator, appearing to hide in the elevator, pushing all of the floor buttons and waving her arms erratically. Was the elevator broken. It was revealed that Lam was bipolar. February 19 hotel guests complained of low water pressure that was discolored. When the rooftop water tank was checked, Lam’s body was found floating naked with her clothes and watch laying aside. Her body had no signs of trauma or sexual assault. The death was declared an accident. “Horror at the Cecil Hotel” in its second episode. Psychics and mediums have said there is a darkness surrounding the hotel. Guests have described waking up feeling as if they were being choked. With its history of death on the premise, is the hotel haunted?
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