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The Haunted Lake Lure Inn

As you’re pulling up to the Lake Lure Inn, it appears to be the epitome of refinement and relaxation. Snuggled in a cove overlooking Lake Lure in North Carolina, the Mediterranean-inspired architecture makes one think they’ve just wandered into an Italian seaside resort. 

Yet, the hotel hosts more than just human guests. With a blood-curdling scream regularly echoing throughout the inn’s hallways, the Lake Lure Inn isn’t always as relaxing as weary travelers might want. 

Who Haunts the Lake Lure Inn?

There have been many reports about spectral occurrences at the Lake Lure Inn. The most common experience revolves around rooms 217 and 218, where a young bride was murdered by her groom. There are also reports of a young boy playing throughout the hotel, along with a gruff man who yells at guests for wandering where they shouldn’t be. 

The Lake Lure Inn is just down the road from Asheville, North Carolina, which is home to plenty of its own spirits. If you’re looking to learn about the eerier side of North Carolina history, book a ghost tour with Asheville Terrors today. 

The History of the Lake Lure Inn

Towering 315 feet above the ground, Chimney Rock has mesmerized the residents of North Carolina for millennia. In the early 20th century, brothers Lucius, Hiram, and Asahel Morse learned of the area and saw endless potential. In 1902, they purchased 400 acres around Chimney Rock and soon began developing. 

By 1916, the Morse family had built trails and even an elevator up to the top of Chimney Rock, making it a tourist destination. Over the next decade, the Morses bought 8,000 more acres of surrounding land and embarked on their biggest endeavor yet: damming the Broad River to create a lake in the existing valley. 

In 1927, the dam was finished, and Lake Lure sprung to life. The Morse family perfectly timed the opening of the lake to the debut of their luxury hotel: the Lake Lure Inn & Spa. President Calvin Coolidge stayed at the inn the following year, only heightening its reputation. 

A Host to Presidents, Soldiers, and Actors Alike

Despite the hardships of the Great Depression, the Lake Lure Inn regained its clientele in the mid-1930s, with well-known faces like F. Scott Fitzgerald and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt gracing its halls. This was short-lived, however, as World War II loomed. 

By 1943, the Lake Lure Inn shifted gears and instead welcomed soldiers and their families who needed respite from the ongoing war. 

Post-war, the inn resumed its usual recreation activities. Then, in 1986, the hotel got a huge publicity boost after the blockbuster Dirty Dancing was filmed onsite. Many of the most memorable scenes were filmed on Lake Lure Inn’s property, including Baby (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (Patrick Swayze) dancing on the log and Baby practicing on the long, stone staircase. 

While the hotel has hosted many celebrities, it's most famous for some other, less lively guests. 

Hauntings at the Lake Lure Inn

After being open for nearly 100 years, the Lake Lure Inn has seen several tragedies unfold on its grounds. These incidents may have laid the foundation for the high level of spiritual activity found here, leading the property to earn the title of one of the most haunted hotels in all of North Carolina

While there are many stories of ghostly encounters between guests and staff, there are also a few spirits that are spotted time and time again. 

The Vengeful Bride

Ghost bride
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

The story goes that a newlywed couple was staying at the hotel in the mid-1930s. The groom reportedly went into a rage after seeing his new wife flirting with a man in the hotel lobby — killing his wife in their hotel room

Ever since, there have been reports of strange happenings occurring in the ill-fated couple’s suite, which has since been split into two rooms: 217 and 218.

The most commonly shared experience is a sudden, overwhelming smell of roses in the rooms, reminiscent of the bride’s bouquet. The young woman herself is often spotted in the hallway outside the rooms — a ghostly figure in a white dress. 

Guests are also often scared to pieces after hearing the bride’s ear-piercing scream echo through the halls. Staff reports that when they clean rooms 217 and 218, they often find long strands of black hair (even when no one has recently stayed there), and the TV will turn to static when turned on. 

The Drowned Boy 

In the basement of the hotel, there have been many sightings of a young boy bouncing a ball. It’s debated whether this is the spirit of a boy who drowned in a nearby pool or in Lake Lure itself. The ghost’s story made headlines in 2010 when an employee took a photo of the hotel’s ice sculpture for an event. To the left of the sculpture, an outline of what looks like a small child can be seen. 

Sam, the Brusque Spirit 

Ghost standing in dark basement
Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Another commonly encountered entity has been dubbed “Sam.” Often heard in the basement as well, Sam is heard saying, “Hey!” to guests and staff alike, and has even been known to pull people’s hair. 

Other Strange Instances

In addition to the staple spirits, there are also sightings of the ghosts of some soldiers who rested at Lake Lure Inn during World War II. 

Are they the spirits responsible for some of the inexplicable occurrences that have become so regular that they now annoy the staff? These include a painting of a girl being moved around the hotel during the off-season and the chains on the insides of the rooms somehow latching themselves. 

Haunted Asheville

The Lake Lure Inn resides just an hour from Asheville, North Carolina, which has its own hub of spectral activity. Just as the inn has its “regulars,” the city also boasts some commonly seen ghosts.  

Known as Beer City, Asheville has long been regarded for its craft beer scene and plentiful distilleries. Their reputation as an alcohol haven goes back a century, to when the locals tried to circumvent the Prohibition laws of the 1920s. Those illegal dealings didn’t always go smoothly, and plenty of spirits still linger after a drink deal gone wrong. 

Beyond the liquor-related deaths, Asheville also hosts the spirits of Cherokee people who died from the diseases the Europeans brought to their homes. A few hundred years later, Asheville also served as a burial ground for enslaved African Americans. During the Civil War, many Confederate soldiers also died as the Union army burned Asheville buildings to the ground. 

If you want to see where these spirits still gather, book a ghost tour with Asheville Terrors today. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real North Carolina hauntings.

Sources:

https://foothillsdigest.com/the-haunting-of-lake-lure-inn/
https://usghostadventures.com/asheville-ghost-tour/
https://www.chimneyrockpark.com/view_trail/chimney-rock/
https://lakelurenc.com/history/

https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/stays/north-carolina/1927-lake-lure-inn-haunted-nc

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