Denver Union Station
This old train station may always be home to ghostly travelers who missed the train to the afterlife
Paranormal Reports at
Denver Union Station
- Shadow figures are seen
- Disembodied footsteps and train whistles are heard in the station
- Eerie feelings of being watched are reported throughout
- A three-fingered apparition is spotted at times
- A young girl's spirit is encountered around the building
Denver’s Spooky Station:
History of Denver Union Station
Denver International Airport has long shuttled travelers through conspiracies and spooky mysteries. But even before air travel, visitors to Denver, Colorado still had to wade through ghosts on train platforms.
Denver Union Station is no longer the Mile High City’s major travel hub. But the historic station still greets countless visitors each year.
Travelers can enjoy restaurants, shops, and even stay the night in The Crawford Hotel, built right into the old station. And even though the crowds of train riders are gone, phantom passengers still roam the platforms.
Denver Union Station has been steeped in ghostly legend since its 20th century heyday. Still today, the historic platforms are purportedly home to spectral tourists and busy spirits. For some Denver phantoms, the golden age of train travel may have never ended.
Timeline of Denver Union Station's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Denver Union Station through the years
1881
Denver’s first major train station opened its doors in 1881. Known as Denver Union Depot, the expansive train station supercharged the mountain city’s growth in the late 1800s. Tourists and settlers alike thronged through the depot, while its central clocktower loomed large over the rest of the city. As grand as the Denver Union Depot was, it was not long for this world. An electrical fire in 1894 gutted the central structure. While it was quickly rebuilt, the event spurred interest in a more permanent replacement.
1914
By the early 1900s, Denver Union Depot couldn’t keep up with public demand for rail travel. A major expansion occurred in the 1910s, creating the station building seen today. The central structure was rebuilt once more, of thick granite stone, while the original 1881 wings were kept intact. The new rail hub, Denver Union Station, opened its doors and train platforms in 1914.
2001
Denver Union Station stood strong through the 1900s, even as rail travel fell out of favor. Airplanes swiftly displaced trains as Americans’ primary mode of long-haul travel. In turn, traffic to Denver Union Station dwindled. By 2000, it seemed the old train station had no real future. But, in 2001, investor Dana Crawford helped create the Union Station Alliance. The Alliance bought the aging building with high hopes for revitalizing it.
2014
For over a decade, Crawford and the Union Station Alliance funded a massive renovation effort. The revitalized station reopened in 2014, with the new main tenant being The Crawford Hotel. Today, the luxury hotel still serves as the central attraction. But as the renewed station looks proudly into the future, ghosts inside stay lost in history. Apparitions appear vividly around the old building, perhaps residual traces of Denver Union Station’s past life.
Is Denver Union Station Haunted?
One long-running ghost story at Denver Union Station is of the three-fingered hobo. Going back to the busy train station era, many people reported encounters with this unkempt ghost man.
Popular tales say the ghost hobo was once a regular resident in the station in the early 1900s. Whether he stumbled one day or rolled onto the tracks in his sleep, it is said that he was killed by an oncoming train.
Now, his apparition will forever reappear around the platforms. Aside from his tell-tale homeless appearance, the man is best known for missing all but three of his fingers.
Most often, the ghostly hobo will simply follow people for a short while before disappearing. When the train schedule was busier, he was also known for startling ticket takers and other station staffers.
The Station’s Lady in Black
Denver Union Station is also said to be haunted by a ‘lady in black.’ But this is not an ominous or malevolent entity. Instead, she seems to be just another phantom traveler waiting for a train.
Regularly spotted in her dark dress, sometimes paired with a large hat, the lady in black will wait on certain platforms with luggage by her side.
Some witnesses also see her roaming around searching for her train. And even when she isn’t seen, her high-heeled footsteps may echo through the empty concourse.
At times, this mysterious woman is joined by a phantom man in a dark suit. Just like the woman, he seems to be waiting for his train. But rather than wander, he’ll sit patiently on benches, always with perfect posture. As a train approaches, he’ll simply fade away.
Phantoms From Past Fires
Many ghosts around Denver Union Station are thought to be spirits of past travelers. But at least one wayward entity may be from the 1894 fire. An unknown little girl’s ghost is frequently reported around the station today, though not always around the platforms.
The young girl’s apparition normally manifests in the Grand Hall, as well as down in the basement. No matter where she appears, though, interactions with the ghost girl are always the same.
She will appear vividly, almost real, and in old fashioned clothing. Looking lost and distressed, people will approach her to try and help her find her family, only to watch her vanish in a flash.
Little is known about this girl’s real identity, though stories on Denver ghost tours often mention her as a potential 1894 fire victim.
A Military Entity Roams the Station
Perhaps the most mysterious phantom at Denver Union Station is one many have encountered, but few have ever seen. Witnesses describe this entity as a young military man, possibly the spirit of a World War recruit who once left the station on his way to the front. But this detail doesn’t come from any apparition report.
Instead, this ghost will just imbue the air around him with a uniquely eerie feeling. Witnesses report it as a tense, militaristic, and orderly energy in the air, like being under the nose of a commanding drill sergeant.
Sounds From The Past Echo
While Denver Union Station has its share of established entities, there may be many more phantoms roaming around. Unidentifiable shadow figures are sometimes spotted, even around the modern Crawford Hotel.
Along with that, residual sounds of a busy train station still echo through at quiet times. Visitors may hear crowds of footsteps, or overlapping conversations. Even whistles of distant ghost trains are commonly reported at Denver Union Station today.
Denver Union Station:
A Mile-High Mystery
For many years, Denver Union Station was the Mile High City’s grand entrance hall. A place purpose-built to make a lasting impression. To modern visitors and locals, Denver Union Station is a historic cornerstone, and a one-of-a-kind example of creative reuse.
No one ever expects to spend the night in a train station. But The Crawford Hotel certainly makes it a comfortable, if slightly haunted, experience.
The bustling, multi-use complex inside Denver Union Station doesn’t lend itself to private ghost hunts. But the building’s history and lore make it a popular stop on many Denver ghost tours.
Tales of ghostly little girls, mysterious military men, and haunting hobos make the storied station hard to ignore. And no matter how far it reaches from its railroad roots, Denver Union Station’s ghosts help make sure its history stays on the right track.
