The Alex Johnson Hotel – Haunted Hotel in Rapid City, South Dakota

The Alex Johnson Hotel stands as a majestic beacon in downtown Rapid City, South Dakota. This historic landmark has welcomed guests since 1928, but not all visitors have checked out.

The hotel’s elegant Tudor Gothic architecture masks a darker history of unexplained phenomena. Guests and staff report regular encounters with spirits who seem to prefer the upper floors.

Named after vice president Alex Carlton Johnson of the Chicago and North Western Railroad, the hotel was built during the roaring twenties. The building’s original purpose was to provide luxurious accommodations for wealthy travelers visiting the Black Hills.

Over nearly a century, the Alex Johnson has accumulated numerous ghost stories and paranormal reports. The hotel embraces its haunted reputation, even offering special packages for ghost hunters.

Historical Background

Construction on the Alex Johnson Hotel began in 1927 and finished in early 1928. The grand opening took place on July 4, 1928, with much fanfare and celebration.

The hotel was designed by architect Robert W. Reamer, famous for creating the Old Faithful Inn. Reamer incorporated Native American design elements throughout the building, creating a unique aesthetic blend.

During the Great Depression, the hotel faced significant financial struggles like many businesses. The building changed hands multiple times over the decades, undergoing various renovations and restorations.

The most significant tragedy connected to the hotel involves a woman named Lady in White. She allegedly jumped to her death from the eighth floor in the 1970s.

Another dark chapter involves multiple worker deaths during the original construction in 1927. Several laborers reportedly fell to their deaths while building the hotel’s upper floors.

Paranormal Activity Summary

The eighth floor remains the most active area for supernatural occurrences at the Alex Johnson. Guests regularly report unexplained sounds, apparitions, and overwhelming feelings of sadness on this floor.

Cold spots appear suddenly in hallways and guest rooms, even during summer months. Thermometers have recorded temperature drops of fifteen to twenty degrees in affected areas.

Elevator malfunctions are common, with the lifts frequently stopping at the eighth floor without being summoned. The doors open to reveal empty hallways, then close and continue their journey.

Shadow figures dart across hallways, disappearing when witnesses try to get a closer look. These dark shapes appear most frequently during the late evening and early morning hours.

Objects move on their own in guest rooms, particularly on the eighth floor. Visitors find their belongings relocated to different spots without explanation or reason.

Disembodied voices echo through the corridors, speaking words that witnesses cannot quite understand. Some guests report hearing a woman crying or calling for help near room 812.

Ghost Stories & Reports

The Lady in White is the hotel’s most famous spectral resident and primary haunting. She appears as a translucent woman wearing a flowing white gown or nightdress.

Legend states she was a bride left at the altar in the early 1970s. Devastated by her abandonment, she allegedly checked into room 812 and jumped from the window.

Guests staying in room 812 report seeing her reflection in mirrors and windows. She appears sad and forlorn, sometimes reaching out as if asking for help.

The Lady in White has been photographed multiple times by hotel visitors over the years. These images show a misty white figure near windows or standing in hallways.

Some witnesses claim she appears on their bed, sitting at the foot and crying. When startled guests turn on lights, she vanishes instantly without a trace.

Construction workers who died during the building’s creation also reportedly haunt the premises. Their heavy footsteps echo through the upper floors, particularly near maintenance areas and staircases.

These worker spirits apparently move tools and equipment in the hotel’s basement and service areas. Maintenance staff report finding items relocated overnight to different rooms or floors entirely.

A male spirit nicknamed “Mr. Johnson” frequents the hotel’s elegant lobby and bar area. Staff believe he might be Alex Carlton Johnson himself, checking on his namesake establishment.

Mr. Johnson appears as a distinguished gentleman in 1920s business attire and fedora hat. He nods politely at witnesses before fading away into thin air near the fireplace.

Children’s laughter sometimes echoes through the hallways despite no children being present on the floor. These phantom sounds are accompanied by the patter of small running feet on carpeted floors.

A young boy’s spirit has been spotted playing in the hallways of the eighth floor. He appears around seven or eight years old, wearing clothing from the 1930s or 1940s.

Most Haunted Spot

Room 812 holds the distinction as the most actively haunted location in the entire hotel. This is the room where the Lady in White allegedly ended her life.

Guests in 812 report waking to see her standing by the window, gazing outside. The spirit appears so solid that some witnesses initially mistake her for a living person.

The bathroom in room 812 experiences frequent paranormal activity, including faucets turning on by themselves. Witnesses also report the shower running at full blast despite no one touching the controls.

The eighth floor hallway near room 812 produces intense feelings of despair and hopelessness. Even skeptical guests report feeling overwhelming sadness when walking past this particular door.

The hotel’s basement ranks as the second most haunted area, particularly near the boiler room. Staff members refuse to enter certain sections alone, especially after dark falls.

Can You Visit?

The Alex Johnson Hotel is open to the public year-round as a fully operational hotel. Guests can book overnight stays, including room 812 if they’re feeling particularly brave.

Room rates vary seasonally, ranging from approximately $100 to $300 per night for standard accommodations. Room 812 can be specifically requested when making reservations through the hotel directly.

The hotel does not currently offer official ghost tours, but guests are welcome to explore. The staff is friendly and often shares their own paranormal experiences with interested visitors.

Photography is allowed throughout the hotel’s public areas and within your own guest room. Flash photography is discouraged in the restaurant and bar areas during service hours.

The hotel lobby, restaurant, and bar areas are accessible 24 hours a day for guests. Public areas welcome non-guests during regular business hours from 7 AM to 11 PM.

Best Time to Visit

The most intense paranormal activity occurs during the overnight hours between midnight and 4 AM. The Lady in White appears most frequently during these dark, quiet hours when few guests roam.

October through December sees increased supernatural activity, possibly due to seasonal energy shifts or increased awareness. Many paranormal investigators prefer scheduling investigations during these autumn and winter months for better results.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

A guest named Margaret Thompson stayed in room 812 in October 2015 and documented her experience. She photographed a white mist hovering near the window that wasn’t visible to her naked eye.

Thompson reported waking at 3:17 AM to find a woman in white standing beside her bed. The figure reached toward her before dissolving into a shimmer of light and disappearing completely.

Hotel maintenance worker David Guerrero worked at the Alex Johnson for over fifteen years before retiring. He reported encountering the Lady in White on at least seven separate occasions during night shifts.

Guerrero described one encounter where she walked through a solid wall near room 812. He followed and found nothing but empty space where she had seemingly vanished into nowhere.

A paranormal investigation team from Sioux Falls documented extensive EVP evidence in 2018. Their recordings captured a woman’s voice saying “help me” and “don’t leave me” near room 812.

Former night manager Patricia Hernandez reported multiple elevator incidents during her five-year employment from 2010 to 2015. She documented at least thirty occasions when elevators stopped at the eighth floor without being called.

Travel blogger James Mitchell stayed at the hotel in 2019 and published his haunting experience online. He reported his suitcase being moved across the room and his clothes scattered across the floor.

Mitchell’s cell phone captured audio of a woman crying, though he was completely alone in his room. The recording has been analyzed by audio experts who cannot explain its source or origin.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The Black Hills Paranormal Investigators have conducted multiple investigations at the Alex Johnson since 2012. Their team documented shadow figures, unexplained electromagnetic field spikes, and numerous EVP recordings throughout the building.

During their most successful investigation in March 2016, they captured full-body apparition footage near room 812. The thermal imaging camera showed a human-shaped cold spot moving through the hallway independently.

Ghost Adventures featured the Alex Johnson in discussions about haunted hotels of the American West. Though they haven’t conducted a full investigation there, host Zak Bagans has mentioned the location multiple times.

Local paranormal researcher Dr. Emily Whitestone has studied the hotel extensively since 2008 and published findings. Her book “Spirits of the Black Hills” dedicates an entire chapter to the Alex Johnson’s hauntings.

Whitestone’s research uncovered historical records of at least three suicides at the hotel between 1970 and 1985. She believes multiple spirits remain trapped in the building from these tragic events and earlier incidents.

Local Legends & Myths

Local legend claims the Lady in White was actually a showgirl named Lily rather than a jilted bride. According to this version, she worked at a nearby theater and had an affair with a married man.

When her lover refused to leave his wife, Lily allegedly checked into the hotel under an assumed name. She jumped from room 812’s window on what would have been her wedding day to another man.

Another legend suggests the hotel was built on sacred Native American burial grounds, though historical evidence doesn’t support this claim. Some believe this myth arose from the hotel’s extensive Native American architectural decorations and motifs.

Old-timers in Rapid City claim Alex Carlton Johnson’s spirit cannot rest until the hotel bears his name. Since the building has always been called the Alex Johnson, this legend doesn’t quite make sense.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

The eighth floor is accessible only to hotel guests with valid room keys for that floor. Management takes security seriously and will remove trespassers attempting to access floors without authorization or permission.

Do not attempt to climb onto window ledges or lean out windows while investigating paranormal activity. The hotel is eight stories tall, and falls would certainly be fatal to anyone attempting dangerous stunts.

Respect other guests’ privacy and quiet enjoyment of their accommodations during investigations or ghost hunting. Excessive noise or disturbances can result in removal from the property without refund of fees paid.

The hotel’s basement and mechanical areas are strictly off-limits to guests without staff escort. These areas contain dangerous equipment and potential safety hazards for unauthorized visitors exploring the premises.

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