The history of the McMenamins Olympic Club in Centralia, WA, begins with its establishment in 1908 as a gentlemen’s resort for loggers and miners, which featured a barber shop, cafe, and bar. The adjacent hotel was built in 1913, originally known as the Hotel Crawford, catering to railroad travelers. During the Prohibition era, it was known for bootlegging, and the property gained notoriety in 1921 when train robber Roy Gardner was captured in one of the hotel rooms. After being acquired by McMenamins in 1996, the historic building was restored, and the hotel reopened in 2002, expanding the business to include the current pub, Movie Theater, and hotel.
The McMenamins Olympic Club in Centralia, WA, is reported to have paranormal activity, including claims of ghostly apparitions, disembodied voices, and poltergeist activity like moving objects. The hotel has a history of violent incidents, which may be linked to the reported hauntings. Guests and employees have shared numerous paranormal experiences, and the building has become a local legend and a destination for paranormal investigators and ghost hunters.
Reported paranormal activity include
Hearing voices: Guests and employees report hearing voices when no one is there.
Seeing spectral images: People claim to see ghostly figures.
Poltergeist activity: Poltergeists are said to move objects, and some report seeing them manifest visually by moving things across rooms.
Specific hauntings: There are anecdotal reports from staff, such as a maid claiming to have witnessed paranormal activity in a specific room.
Investigator findings: Paranormal investigation groups have reported “hits” of energy in certain areas, such as the hotel and the Fox Theatre.
Yes, the McMenamins Olympic Club is widely rumored to be haunted, with guests and employees reporting various paranormal experiences. These claims are often linked to the building’s long history, which includes multiple murders, and visitors have reported seeing figures, hearing voices, and experiencing objects moving on their own. The hotel is considered one of Centralia, Washington’s most haunted locations.