By Greg Mansfield
In the shadow of the Space Needle lies a darker, more mysterious Seattle. While tourists gather to see the fish throwing at Pike Place Market or sip artisanal coffee at the original Starbucks, they might be unknowingly brushing shoulders with some of the city’s longest-standing residents—the spectres of Seattle.
Seattle’s eventful past, built on Native American culture and shaped by the gold-rush era, has created the perfect storm for supernatural activity.
I’ve visited this cool-vibe city many times, as it’s just a 3-hour drive from where I live in Vancouver, Canada. Here’s my favourite haunted places in Seattle that you can visit. From a busy Irish bar to historic hotels, each spot has its own spooky tale to tell.
Spectres of Seattle
Pike Place Market
Location: 85 Pike Street, Seattle
Open: Daily for outdoor passageways; all reasonable times for shops and restaurants
Admission: Free
Website: pikeplacemarket.org
Situated on downtown Seattle’s waterfront, Pike Place Market isn’t just the city’s oldest public farmers’ market—it’s also one of its most haunted places. Since 1907, these historic cobblestone streets and winding corridors have witnessed more than just the daily bustle of merchants and shoppers. They’ve become home to unexplained phenomena and spectral residents, making it a must-visit location for dark tourists like you and me.
From its humble origins as a solution to Seattle’s soaring food prices to its near-demolition in the 1960s, Pike Place Market has survived against the odds. While the daytime brings the famous fish-throwing vendors and the aroma of fresh produce, it’s the after-hours when the market’s other “permanent residents” make their presence known.
The Ghost of Princess Angeline
The market’s most famous phantom is Princess Angeline, daughter of Chief Seattle. Before the market’s construction, this land was her home. She lived in a humble waterfront cabin here until her death in 1896. Today, visitors and employees regularly report encounters with her—an elderly Native American woman wearing a red shawl, slowly making her way through the market’s lower levels.
These sightings are particularly common in the early morning or just before closing time when the usual crowds thin out. Witnesses describe her as appearing surprisingly solid at first glance, only to vanish when approached. The description consistently matches historical photographs of Princess Angeline, adding credibility to the reports.
The Market’s Other Supernatural Residents
The market’s paranormal activity isn’t limited to Princess Angeline. The warren of shops and corridors that make up Pike Place’s lower levels seems to be a hotspot for supernatural occurrences. Staff members report:
- Unexplained footsteps echoing through empty hallways
- Objects moving on their own, particularly after hours
- Mysterious voices and whispers when no one else is present
- Cold spots that appear and disappear without explanation.
Ghost Alley Espresso
Tucked away in Pike Place Market, the perfectly named Ghost Alley Espresso offers visitors the unique experience of getting their caffeine fix in a genuinely haunted location.
Established in 2012, the coffee shop occupies a space with deep connections to the market’s history, especially through its association with Arthur Goodwin, one of the market’s early managers and designers. Its paranormal activity includes:
- Fixtures on the east wall mysteriously move on their own
- Electronic equipment frequently malfunctions without explanation
- Staff and customers report seeing the apparition of a tall man in a hat in the doorway
- Some believe the spirit of Arthur Goodwin himself continues to watch over the space
- Unexplained cold spots and sudden temperature changes occur regularly.
Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub
Location: 1916 Post Alley, Seattle
Open: Daily noon to midnight
Admission: Free; drinks, food, and ghosts are extra
Website: kellsirish.com
Housed in the historic Butterworth Building is my favourite Seattle watering hole – Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub. It’s earned the reputation as Seattle’s most haunted bar, and for good reason. The building housed the city’s first mortuary, which seems to have left a lasting impression on its atmosphere and, apparently, its ghosts.
The Mortuary’s Legacy
As the West Coast’s first modern mortuary, the Butterworth Building featured the region’s first elevator devoted to moving dead bodies. The basement, where Kells’ patrons now gather for drinks, once housed embalming rooms and cremation facilities.
Visit some of Seattle’s most haunted buildings and places…
…on this spectacularly spooky walking tour!
Current Paranormal Activity
Today, Kells plays host to several regularly spotted spirits. There’s a mischievous red-haired girl who seems to delight in playing pranks on staff and customers. And a ghost named Charlie, a dapper gentleman in a derby hat. He appears near the Guinness mirror, mostly during live music performances.
Paranormal phenomena in the basement include:
- Unexplained cold spots
- Objects that move or disappear only to reappear in unusual places
- Bottles that reportedly fly off shelves without explanation
- Disembodied voices and footsteps.
The pub’s connection to Seattle’s supernatural scene runs even deeper, as it’s believed to be built on top of both a Suquamish native burial ground and the final resting place of numerous Chinese and African American laborers who helped build the city.
The disturbance of burial grounds is believed to stir up spiritual energy. And the spectres of Seattle remind us that these sacred grounds should never be built upon.
Sorrento Hotel
Location: 900 Madison St, Seattle
Open: Daily
Admission: Only for rooms, meals, and drinks
Website: hotelsorrento.com
The Sorrento Hotel, an elegant Italian-style hotel that opened its doors in 1909, is one of Seattle’s most sophisticated haunted locations. Its refined atmosphere and architectural beauty belie a long history of supernatural occurrences, most famously centered around one ghost—Alice B. Toklas.
The Spirit of Alice B. Toklas
Alice B. Toklas, a writer and marijuana activist known for her relationship with Gertrude Stein, has become the hotel’s most famous supernatural resident. Though she lived in Seattle only briefly, her spirit seems to have formed a strong attachment to the Sorrento, particularly around Room 408.
Supernatural Occurrences
Visitors and staff regularly report various paranormal activities at the Sorrento, including:
- Sightings of a woman in white or black, believed to be Toklas, near Room 408
- Unexplained fluctuations in lighting throughout the hotel
- Drinks in the Dunbar Room that seemingly move on their own
- Mysterious piano music emanating from the Penthouse Suite when it’s empty
- Cold spots that appear and disappear without explanation.
The hotel has embraced its haunted reputation, even naming their cocktail lounge after their famous spectral resident.
The Moore Theatre
Location: 1932 2nd Ave, Seattle
Open: For performances only
Admission: Varies
Website: mooretheatre.net
As Seattle’s oldest entertainment venue, the Moore Theatre has hosted countless performances since its opening in 1907. Built on the site of a former cemetery (when will they ever learn?) this historic theater seems to have accumulated quite a cast of spiritual performers who refuse to leave the stage.
A History of Hauntings
The theater’s paranormal activity is reportedly linked to multiple sources, including:
- The spirit of James A. Moore, the theater’s developer, who continues to oversee his creation
- Former actors and performers who loved the venue so much they never left
- A failed séance that supposedly opened a supernatural portal.
Current Supernatural Activity
Modern visitors and staff report numerous paranormal experiences:
- The distinct smell of phantom cigar smoke, even though smoking hasn’t been allowed in the theater for decades
- Disembodied voices echoing through empty corridors
- Mysterious figures watching from the balcony during rehearsals
- Technical equipment that operates on its own
- Unexplained cold spots throughout the building.
Cadillac Hotel
Location: 319 2nd Ave S, Seattle
Open: Wednesday-Sunday:10:00am to 5:00pm; Closed Monday and Tuesday
Admission: Free
Website: nps.gov/klse/planyourvisit/visitor-center.htm
The Cadillac Hotel building stands as a monument to Seattle’s colourful past. Now occupied by the Klondike Gold Rush Vistor Center, it was originally built to house those displaced by the Great Seattle Fire. It later served as temporary lodging for loggers, fishermen, and railroad workers during the city’s boom years.
Layers of History
The building’s varied history has seemingly contributed to its supernatural activity. Each era of its existence appears to have left its mark in the form of different spiritual residents:
- The spirits of displaced fire victims
- The ghosts of gold-rush prospectors
- The presence of maritime workers and railroad men.
Modern Hauntings
Current visitors to the building report various paranormal experiences, including:
- Wandering apparitions on the upper levels
- Mysterious voices and unexplained sounds
- An overwhelming sense of being watched, particularly in the elevator
- The heartbreaking sounds of a grieving mother and child, whose tragic story has become part of the building’s lore.
Seattle’s haunted locations offer a unique way to experience the city’s rich history through a supernatural perspective. As you explore these places, remember that you’re walking through layers of history, where the past and present seem to coexist in ways we don’t fully understand. Who knows … you might even have your own supernatural encounter with one of the spectres of Seattle.
Walking Tour
Visit some of Seattle’s most haunted buildings and places…
…on this spectacularly spooky tour!
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