What does it take to be haunted, I wonder? A tragic accident? If so, I've never heard of the haunted Renaissance Hotel and Convention center. This Marriott structure stands at 10 North Broadway in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City, just south of the more famously haunted Skirvin Hotel. A century ago--before "Urban Renewal" eviscerated the City--this site was occupied by a slender office tower known as the Campbell building. In early July, 1909, a 32 year old African-American window washer by the name of Charles Ford was decapitated by a descending elevator as he leaned in to clean windows that overlooked the shaft on the third floor. I wonder, if I poked my nose into it, would I find out some strange stories. Probably. Everybody seems to have them. I wonder then, would I find some that match eerily the description of Charles Ford?
4 comments:
Wow! We have a similar ghost supposedly here in Jerome, AZ at the Jerome Grand Hotel. A worker supposedly was crushed by the elevator when it came down. Considering the slow speed of that damn elevator, I find it hard to believe he didn't have lots of time to get out. I wonder if there's less likely to be a haunting if the person didn't see their death coming so there was instant death and not agony.
To be honest, I'm a bit suspicious of this death. In fact, the article I read stated that an inquest would be held. It's very suspicious. Why would he need to lean into an elevator shaft to clean windows? Why wouldn't that shaft be locked down. Even with less than strict safety protocols from the period, it seems silly. As well, I'm sure he could hear the car rattling on its way up or down and would have had time to move out of the way. Very odd.
The way I get lost in life, it's easy for me to believe I'll get just as lost when life's over. I'm destined to stumble around as a ghost before figuring out where I'm supposed to have gone. The good news, I tend to enjoy myself. I think I'll make a fun, if clueless, ghost. And I'm looking you up, Cullan.
By all means, do. I will be bored. Just don't go all Jacob Marley on me. :-D
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