The Manresa Castle in Port Townsend was originally built in 1892 as a private residence for the town’s first mayor, Charles Eisenbeis and his wife Kate. It was referred to by locals as the “Eisenbeis Castle”. After serving as a private home, a Jesuit college, and a seminary, it became a hotel in 1968.
(1892–1927) it was known as the Eisenbeis Castle
The 30-room, three-story mansion featured 12-inch-thick walls made from bricks from Eisenbeis’s own factory, as well as elaborate hand-crafted woodwork and tilework by German artisans.
Abandonment: Charles died in 1902. When his wife, Kate, remarried and moved away a few years later, the castle was left vacant for nearly 20 years, save for a caretaker.
(1928-1968) it was the Jesuit Training College
Purchase: A Seattle lawyer briefly purchased the building in 1925 with plans to use it as a vacation spot for nuns, but this plan fell through. In 1927, the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) bought the building to serve as a training college for their students. The Jesuits added a large wing in 1928 that included a chapel, sleeping rooms, and one of the oldest operating elevators on the West Coast.
The Jesuits renamed the building “Manresa Hall” after the town in Spain where the order was founded by Saint Ignatius Loyola. The college closed in 1968, and the Jesuits sold the building.
(1968–Present) it is the Manresa Castle Hotel
After being sold by the Jesuits, the building was converted into a hotel. The new owners combined parts of the former names to create the current name, “Manresa Castle”. The hotel has been renovated to modern standards while retaining its Victorian elegance. the original three bathrooms have been expanded to 43.
Reported paranormal activity at Manresa Castle includes paranormal occurrences in specific rooms, such as the monk in Room 302 and the young woman in Room 306, along with general strange phenomena like flickering lights, moving objects, disembodied footsteps, and unexplained noises throughout the castle. The activity is said to involve multiple entities, including the spirit of a monk who reportedly hanged himself and a young woman who died by suicide after learning of her lover’s death.
Specific hauntings
Room 302 – A monk who is said to have hanged himself in the attic is reportedly present here. Guests report hearing footsteps in the attic above the room.
Room 306 – The spirit of a young woman named Kate is believed to haunt this room, where she allegedly leaped from the window to her death. Guests report flickering lights and a TV that turns on and off on its own. Some accounts mention the spirit of “English Kate” can be seen staring out the window, sitting on beds, or leaving drawers open.
The Attic – Footsteps are frequently heard, particularly above Room 302, even when no one is there.
General paranormal activity
In the Café – Drinking glasses have been known to shatter or turn upside down, especially in the area that was once the chapel.
Throughout the Castle: Reports include doors opening and closing on their own, lights flickering, disembodied voices, and cold spots. Other phenomena: Some guests report feeling a presence or seeing apparitions in different parts of the castle.
The Manresa Castle Hotel in Port Townsend, WA, has a haunted reputation, and many visitors report paranormal experiences.