Overland Hotel and Saloon
This Nevada hotel is so haunted that they take special requests for ‘ghost-free’ guest rooms
Paranormal Claims at the
Overland Hotel and Saloon
- Room 10 is reportedly home to an apparition that attacks people
- Slamming doors are heard and seen at times
- Disembodied voices and whispers are heard
- Heavy objects are tossed across rooms by unseen forces
- Apparitions and shadow figures are frequently seen
- Disembodied footsteps are often heard in the hotel’s halls
Old West History of the
Overland Hotel and Saloon
In the rocky, desert expanse of eastern Nevada, the few existing towns do well to keep the rustic Old West spirit alive. Roll down the quiet streets of Pioche, Nevada, and you’ll find all the trimmings of a modernized Old West town.
A downtown lined with shaded sidewalks and wood-frame businesses, with a select few graced by classic neon signs.
One of these neon-lit attractions, the Overland Hotel & Saloon, keeps the Old West spirit alive in more ways than one.
Along with being a popular saloon and inn, the Overland is said to be Pioche’s paranormal hotspot. A place where the 1800s silver booms never died out, and old world prospectors live on forever.
Timeline of Overland Hotel and Saloon's History
Swipe or use timeline points to see Overland Hotel and Saloon through the years
1864
Pioche was founded in 1864 as a mining camp. The town’s remote location made development an issue early on. But the amount of silver discovered there drove prospectors to the region nonetheless. By the 1870s, mining success swelled the town’s population into the thousands. Pioche also grew a nasty reputation for crime. It is said that when Pioche’s Boot Hill cemetery opened, 72 murder victims were buried there before the first person who died of natural causes.
1940
Little is known for certain about when the original inn on Overland’s property began operating. The land is believed to have been developed early in Pioche’s existence. By the early 1900s, it was owned by a Chinese family, the Peis. Few records exist in Pioche due to numerous fires that consumed the town over the years. But, records that do exist state that by 1940, the Overland Hotel itself was constructed by a man named Bob Free.
1947
The first Overland Hotel was destroyed by fire in 1947. But ownership at the time quickly rebuilt the structure. The redone Overland, the building seen today, opened to the public in 1948. In the 40s and 50s, the Overland was popular both as a hotel and simply as a local hangout. It included a popular dance hall and even a bowling alley and skating rink among its offerings. But, as the 1900s wore on, traffic into Pioche slowed and business started changing at the Overland.
1996
Into the 1990s, operation changes altered much of the Overland’s interior. In 1996, new owners came in and started a 20-year renovation process. Much of the hotel’s original feel was restored and upstairs rooms were fitted with various themes, still seen today. And while there’s no longer a bowling alley or skating rink at the Overland, it still has one big attraction: its ghosts. It seems Pioche’s wild history hasn’t been forgotten by a few spirits at the Overland. And now they share their Wild West personalities with hotel guests!
Is The Overland Hotel
and Saloon Haunted?
Room 10 is said to be the Overland Hotel & Saloon’s biggest haunted hotspot. Reportedly, numerous guests have left Room 10 in the midst of the night, all sharing eerily similar stories.
They all tell of an unknown, dark apparition that appears in the room at night. Sometimes, it will only linger near the bed as guests sleep. But some others report being assaulted by this strange entity, either being smothered or attacked until they flee the room.
Shadowy Forms Haunt Overland Guests
While Room 10’s apparition may be angry or territorial, other figures around the Overland just seem curious.
Guests often note misty shadow figures in their rooms at night, simply watching them. Workers and visitors alike will also occasionally spot shadowy forms observing them.
The Overland’s figures might lurk in room doorways or around hall corners. But, whenever anyone tries to confront the hotel’s watchful ghosts, they disappear into thin air.
Some phantoms also purportedly appear just outside the hotel as well. Workers sometimes note the appearance of a disheveled old man loitering around the hotel’s front door. But, if anyone ever tries to let him in, he’ll cross the street and fade away.
Footsteps and Phantom Voices
Though the ghosts of the Overland Hotel & Saloon don’t seem shy about showing themselves, some visitors only hear them around the hotel. Disembodied footsteps are a very common claim at the Overland. The footsteps are almost always heard in the guest room halls. They are purportedly so loud at times, guests can hear the phantom footfalls from their rooms through the doors.
Additionally, distant, quiet voices are sometimes heard coming from empty rooms and spaces. But, they are never loud enough for anyone to hear what they’re saying.
See Doors Slam at the Overland
Some of the Overland’s rarer but more notable paranormal claims center around poltergeist activity. Doors are sometimes heavily slammed by unseen hands. A few guests have reported the room doors being slammed shut right before their eyes.
Along with that, unseen forces are said to move objects big and small around rooms. In at least one case, something was thrown fully across a room. The story goes that an employee was folding laundry in a utility room when a large glass ashtray flew over their head. They apparently took it as a ghost’s recommendation to stop smoking.
Overland Hotel and Saloon:
Pioche’s Paranormal Hotspot
It’s been generations since the silver mining boom brought crowds and crime into Pioche, Nevada. But though its rough and tumble heyday is gone, the town’s many landmarks help keep history alive and thriving.
The Overland Hotel & Saloon proudly serves as one of those landmarks today, warmly greeting its visitors. Travelers can spend some time in the saloon before settling into Overland’s comfy accommodations.
Many guests come hoping to stay in Room 10, or at least experience something spooky. But Overland staff has also taken to promoting a few “ghost-free” rooms for the select visitors who want a quiet, unhaunted evening.
Countless people have come and gone through the Overland Hotel through the years. And no one is sure how many remain at the hotel in spirit, or why they each decide to stay. It seems that some souls just can’t get over the Overland.
