Copper Queen Hotel – Haunted Hotel in Bisbee, Arizona

Nestled in the picturesque mining town of Bisbee, the Copper Queen Hotel has been welcoming guests since 1902, making it the longest continuously operating hotel in Arizona. But along with its Old West charm and elegant Victorian architecture, the hotel comes with a collection of permanent residents who checked in decades ago and never quite checked out—making it one of the state’s most authentically haunted locations.

Historical Background

Year Built: 1902

Original Purpose: Luxury hotel built by the Copper Queen Mining Company to house mining executives, investors, and distinguished visitors to the booming copper mining town

Significant Events: During Bisbee’s mining heyday, the hotel witnessed numerous deaths including natural causes, accidents, and at least one suicide. The most tragic story involves Julia Lowell, a prostitute who worked in the nearby red-light district and fell in love with one of the hotel’s guests—when he abandoned her, she allegedly took her own life in the hotel, though the exact circumstances of her death remain mysterious and disputed.

Paranormal Activity Summary

The Copper Queen experiences remarkably consistent paranormal activity, with guest reports spanning decades and describing eerily similar encounters across different time periods. The most common phenomena include the sensation of someone sitting on the edge of the bed, indentations appearing in mattresses as if an invisible person is lying down, and guests waking to find their belongings moved or rearranged during the night.

Phantom voices, footsteps in empty hallways, and the sounds of children laughing and running echo through the building at all hours. Electronic devices malfunction regularly, particularly in certain rooms, with lights flickering, TVs changing channels on their own, and alarm clocks going off at random times throughout the night.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Julia Lowell is the hotel’s most famous ghost, and she particularly enjoys visiting men staying alone in rooms on the fourth floor. Guests report waking to find a woman in Victorian-era clothing standing at the foot of their bed, feeling someone stroking their hair or cheek, and detecting the strong scent of roses or whiskey—Julia’s alleged favorite drink.

Julia is generally considered a friendly if mischievous spirit who seems lonely and seeking companionship. Male guests report feeling an unseen presence cuddling up to them in bed, while others have their belongings hidden and later returned to obvious places, as if Julia is playing games to get attention.

The ghost of a young boy, believed to be around 8-10 years old, haunts the third and fourth floors and is often heard but rarely seen. Guests report the sound of a child bouncing a ball in the hallways, giggling, and running past their doors late at night—when they investigate, the hallways are always empty.

Several visitors have reported seeing the boy’s apparition, describing him as wearing knickers and a cap typical of the early 1900s. He seems playful rather than threatening, though some guests find his phantom laughter and running footsteps unsettling in the middle of the night.

An elderly gentleman in a black cape, believed to be a former mining executive, is frequently spotted in the hotel’s lobby and on the grand staircase. He appears solid and real until he suddenly vanishes, leaving bewildered witnesses wondering if they imagined the encounter.

Staff members report that the basement and old mining tunnels beneath the hotel are home to the spirits of miners who died in accidents. Employees refuse to go into certain basement areas alone after hearing unexplained noises, feeling sudden temperature drops, and sensing an oppressive presence watching them from the darkness.

Most Haunted Spot Inside

Room 315 is considered the epicenter of Julia Lowell’s activity and is the most requested room by paranormal enthusiasts visiting the hotel. Guests in this room consistently report the strongest encounters—including being tucked into bed by invisible hands, waking to find Julia’s apparition sitting in the room’s chair watching them sleep, and experiencing vivid dreams about a tragic woman from the early 1900s.

Can You Visit?

Open to the Public? Yes—it’s a fully operating hotel where you can book a room for the night

Entry Fee: Standard hotel room rates range from approximately $89-$169 per night depending on room type and season

Tour Availability: The hotel offers ghost tours on weekends (schedule varies seasonally); non-guests can sometimes arrange lobby tours by contacting the front desk in advance

Photography Allowed? Yes, guests are welcome to document their experiences

Visiting Hours: Hotel operates 24/7 for guests; the lobby, restaurant, and saloon are open to the public during business hours

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity is reported year-round at the Copper Queen, but Julia Lowell seems most active during the spring and fall months according to guest reports. The overnight hours between 2 AM and 4 AM produce the most intense encounters, with many guests reporting being awakened by paranormal activity during this window.

Room 315 and other fourth-floor rooms are booked months in advance during October due to the hotel’s haunted reputation. Staff members note that activity sometimes increases during the full moon, though spirits seem present regardless of lunar cycles.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

The hotel maintains guest books filled with paranormal experiences dating back decades, with hundreds of documented encounters from credible witnesses including skeptics who arrived disbelieving and left convinced. One guest reported waking to find all their clothes removed from the closet and neatly folded on the dresser, while another photographed mysterious orbs and a shadowy female figure that wasn’t visible when the picture was taken.

A honeymooning couple in Room 315 reported that Julia’s spirit seemed jealous of the wife, with the bride experiencing hair pulling and cold spots while the groom felt gentle touches and detected rose perfume. Hotel staff members have their own extensive collection of stories, including housekeepers who enter rooms to clean and find beds that were just made completely disheveled, as if someone had been sleeping in them.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The Copper Queen Hotel has been featured on Ghost Hunters, My Ghost Story, and numerous other paranormal programs, with investigators capturing compelling evidence of multiple spirits. Teams have recorded clear EVP responses from Julia Lowell, captured the sounds of the phantom child’s laughter and ball bouncing, and documented unexplained electromagnetic fluctuations throughout the building.

Professional investigators consistently validate the hotel’s haunted reputation, with some calling it one of the most reliably active locations they’ve studied. The hotel’s long history of consistent reports from unconnected witnesses over decades provides strong evidence that something genuinely paranormal is occurring rather than mass hysteria or suggestion.

Local Legends & Myths

The most persistent legend surrounding Julia Lowell involves conflicting stories about her death—some versions claim she committed suicide in Room 315 after being abandoned by her lover, while others suggest she died of natural causes or even violence. The truth has been lost to time, but her spirit seems to be searching for something or someone, which many believe is the man who broke her heart.

Local folklore suggests that Julia becomes more active and even aggressive toward women who stay in her room, particularly if they’re with romantic partners. Some guests claim that bringing roses to Room 315 and leaving them as an offering to Julia results in a more peaceful night’s sleep and even pleasant dreams.

Another legend warns that photographing Julia’s apparition or disrespecting her memory will result in the spirit following you home. Several former guests have reported continued paranormal activity in their own homes after mocking Julia or attempting to provoke her during their stay, though skeptics dismiss these claims as coincidence.