The Occidental Hotel – Haunted Hotel in Buffalo, Wyoming

The Occidental Hotel has anchored Main Street in Buffalo, Wyoming since the earliest days of the frontier, and few buildings in the state carry as many stories inside their walls. Outlaws, presidents, and cattle barons all passed through its doors, and its saloon still wears 23 bullet holes in the tin ceiling. Restored over a decade and now welcoming overnight guests again, the hotel is widely considered one of Wyoming’s most haunted places, with a resident child spirit named Emily and a saloon where bottles are said to leap from the shelves on their own.

Historical Background

Charles E. Buell opened the Occidental in a canvas tent along the banks of Clear Creek in the summer of 1879, betting that travelers on the newly reopened Bozeman Trail would need a place to rest at the foot of the Bighorn Mountains. By the fall of 1880 he had replaced the tent with a permanent two-story log building, and the Occidental was in business.

As Buffalo grew, so did the hotel. The rough original barroom was replaced in 1908 with one of the most elegant saloons in the territory. The ornate back bar, attributed to the Glasgow designer tradition, was shipped across the Atlantic and hauled the final miles by wagon, arriving in Wyoming in 1908. The building expanded in brick, and the Occidental became the social heart of the region.

The guest register reads like a roll call of the Old West. Buffalo Bill Cody, Calamity Jane, Tom Horn, General Phil Sheridan, and both Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover are all reported to have stayed here. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid reportedly rode in from their Hole-in-the-Wall hideout to the south. Ernest Hemingway and author Owen Wister are also counted among the visitors over the years.

• Year Built: 1880 (tent opened 1879; saloon rebuilt 1908)
• Original Purpose: Frontier hotel and stagecoach stop on the Bozeman Trail
• Founder: Charles E. Buell
• Key Events: Elegant 1908 saloon with imported back bar and 23 bullet holes still in the tin ceiling; hosted outlaws, presidents, and Old West legends; saved from demolition and restored beginning in 1997; listed on the National Register of Historic Places

By the late twentieth century the grand hotel had fallen into disrepair. In January 1997, Dawn Dawson spotted the run-down building while driving through town, reportedly only weeks before it was scheduled to be torn down. She bought the crumbling structure and spent the next ten years and roughly 1.6 million dollars returning it to life, uncovering original ceilings and fixtures hidden behind false walls and old carpet. Her work earned the Occidental a place on the National Register of Historic Places, and today its restored rooms and saloon operate much as they did more than a century ago.

Paranormal Activity Summary

Staff and guests describe the Occidental as quietly, persistently active rather than frightening. The reports tend to cluster in a few areas: the upstairs rooms, the back staircase, and the historic saloon.

Common accounts include footsteps in empty hallways, doors that open and close on their own, cold spots, and lights that flicker without explanation. On the upper floors, guests have reported the sense of a small child nearby. In the saloon, employees describe bottles and glasses behaving strangely, and more than one visitor has mentioned the faint sound of spurs on the back stairs when no one is there.

Ghost Stories & Reports

The most beloved and most frequently reported spirit at the Occidental is a young girl the staff simply call Emily. According to the hotel’s own lore, she was the daughter of a woman who worked out of the room now known as the Bordello Suite, and she is said to have died of cholera in the early 1900s. Witnesses describe her as thin, with long dark hair.

Emily has a reputation for mischief rather than menace. Guests near the Bordello Suite have reported feeling a small hand tap a shoulder or tug a pant leg, only to turn and find no one there. Others describe faint laughter, soft tapping, and, in one often repeated account, the unsettling feeling of something small sliding into the bed beside them during the night.

The saloon has its own catalog of stories. Employees who work the bar have described bottles of whiskey and wine popping off the shelves on their own, corks blowing loose, and wine glasses cracking or breaking for no clear reason. These accounts come from staff who spend their evenings in the room, which is part of why the saloon is so often mentioned in write-ups of the hotel.

Beyond Emily and the saloon, guests and staff have reported the phantom jingle of spurs on the back staircase, as if a cowboy were climbing to his room long after the frontier closed. It is worth noting that many specific details in circulation, including named adults and precise room numbers, are folklore that has grown over the years rather than verified fact. The consistently documented reports center on the child spirit, the saloon disturbances, and the general phenomena described above.

Most Haunted Spot Inside

The Bordello Suite, sometimes referenced as Room 19, is the spot most closely tied to the hotel’s hauntings. This is where Emily’s story begins, and where the majority of child related experiences are reported.

Guests in and around the suite describe small tapping sounds, a closet door that has been seen opening by itself, and the recurring sensation of a child’s presence in the room. The saloon downstairs runs a close second, thanks to its ongoing bottle and glass activity.

Can You Visit?

Yes. The Occidental is a fully operating historic hotel, restaurant, and saloon at 10 North Main Street in Buffalo, so you do not need a special ghost tour to walk through its doors. You can book a room, order a drink at the historic bar, or simply explore the lobby and museum displays.

• Open to the Public? Yes, as a working hotel, saloon, and restaurant
• Entry Fee: Free to enter the lobby, saloon, and public areas; overnight rooms are paid
• Tour Availability: Self guided walk throughs of the historic spaces; check with the front desk for any scheduled history or ghost themed events
• Photography Allowed? Yes in public areas; be courteous to other guests
• Visiting Hours: The hotel operates daily; saloon and restaurant hours vary by season, so confirm ahead

Room rates generally run in the range of roughly 125 to 285 dollars depending on the season and the room, with 18 individually restored rooms and suites to choose from. Because it is a small historic property, booking ahead is strongly recommended, especially in summer and around Halloween.

Best Time to Visit

Summer is the busiest and liveliest season, when Buffalo fills with travelers exploring the Bighorn Mountains and the saloon stays warm with music and conversation. If you want the full frontier atmosphere with the restaurant and bar in full swing, this is the time to come.

For those hoping to lean into the ghostly side, autumn and the weeks around Halloween bring a quieter, moodier mood to the old building. Weeknights and off season stays also give you calmer halls and a better chance to notice the small, subtle things the Occidental is known for.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The Occidental has drawn the attention of regional paranormal teams and media over the years. In 2011, Black Hills Paranormal Investigations conducted a two day investigation at the hotel. The group reported capturing female voices in electronic voice phenomena recordings, observed a closet door opening by itself in Room 19, and described physical interactions including the sensation of being poked by unseen hands.

The hotel has also been featured in regional ghost hunting coverage and local paranormal video segments that documented saloon bottle movements and recorded voice phenomena. As with all such investigations, the findings are best treated as compelling anecdotes rather than proof, but they have helped cement the Occidental’s reputation as one of the most investigated haunted sites in Wyoming.

Planning Your Visit

Buffalo sits at the junction of Interstates 90 and 25 in north central Wyoming, making the Occidental an easy stop on a road trip through the Bighorns or a longer haunted history tour of the state. Pair it with other stops from our guide to the most haunted places in Wyoming to build a full weekend itinerary of frontier ghost lore.

If you want to map out nearby spots by region, browse the full Wyoming haunted places directory to find other historic hotels, cemeteries, and landmarks worth adding to your route.

Travelers who plan to do a little investigating of their own should pack thoughtfully. A quick read through our ghost hunting equipment guide will help you decide what to bring, from voice recorders to simple flashlights, so you are ready if the Occidental’s quiet activity decides to make itself known during your stay.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

The Occidental is private property and a functioning business, so all visits and any paranormal interest must respect the staff, the paying guests, and the historic building itself. Do not attempt to access rooms, staircases, or back areas that are not open to the public, and never enter a guest room you have not booked.

Formal investigations, recording sessions, or group ghost events require advance permission from management. If you hope to do more than a casual walk through, contact the hotel directly and arrange it in advance rather than showing up with equipment. The building is more than a century old, so watch your step on original staircases and floors, and follow all posted rules and closing times.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the most famous ghost at the Occidental Hotel?

The most frequently reported spirit is a young girl the staff call Emily, said to be the daughter of a woman who worked from the Bordello Suite and to have died of cholera in the early 1900s. Guests describe playful, gentle encounters near her suite rather than anything threatening.

Can you stay overnight at the Occidental Hotel?

Yes. The Occidental is a fully operating historic hotel with 18 restored rooms and suites, plus a saloon and restaurant. It is open to the public, and you can book a room to experience the atmosphere for yourself.

Is the Occidental Hotel really haunted?

Staff and guests have reported consistent activity for years, and a formal 2011 investigation documented voice phenomena and a self opening closet door. Whether these accounts prove a haunting is up to the visitor, but the Occidental’s reputation as a haunted landmark is well established.

How old is the Occidental Hotel?

The hotel began as a tent in 1879 and opened as a permanent building in 1880, with its elegant saloon rebuilt in 1908. That makes the Occidental more than 140 years old, and it still preserves many original features from its frontier era.