Hearthstone Inn

The Hearthstone Inn stands as a testament to Colorado Springs' architectural heritage and its complicated past as a tuberculosis refuge. Constructed initially in 1885 as a private residence for the prominent Bemis family, the structure exemplified the Victorian sensibilities of the era with its ornate design and substantial grounds. The building's prosperity would be short-lived, as the property was converted in 1900 into a tuberculosis boarding house, reflecting a desperate medical approach to treating one of the nineteenth century's most devastating illnesses. The sanatorium operated with the understanding that fresh air, rest, and isolation were the primary weapons against tuberculosis, conditions that the sprawling Colorado Springs property could ostensibly provide. Over the decades, the two connected Victorian mansions accumulated the stories of countless patients who arrived seeking cure and too often found only temporary respite before succumbing to their illness.

The historical significance of the site deepens when examined through the lens of tragedies that occurred within its walls. Among the documented deaths was a man believed to have taken his own life, reportedly hanging himself on the third floor landing in an act of desperation that marked one of the facility's darkest chapters. Such suicides were not uncommon in tuberculosis sanatoriums, where patients facing prolonged suffering and inevitable death sometimes chose to end their ordeal prematurely. Alice Bemis Taylor, associated with the property's early ownership and development, became another name linked to the location's sorrowful history. The combination of terminal illness, isolation, and the constant proximity to death created an emotionally charged environment that would serve as fertile ground for later paranormal accounts.

The paranormal phenomena reported at the Hearthstone Inn have drawn considerable attention from paranormal investigators and casual visitors alike. Witnesses describe encountering a mischievous little girl who appears to delight in playful, if unsettling, behavior including running, laughing, and throwing objects throughout both Victorian mansions. Cold spots materialize unexpectedly in various rooms, often concentrated in the living spaces rather than spreading evenly throughout the buildings. Orbs have been captured in photographs and videos, appearing as unexplained luminous spheres that defy conventional explanation. Mists form and dissipate without apparent cause, emerging from corners and hallways before vanishing as mysteriously as they arrived. Witnesses also report flickering and dimming lights that flicker independently of electrical systems, radios and televisions that activate autonomously, and the distinctly unsettling sensation of being touched or pushed by invisible hands. Objects have been observed flying off hooks and shelves with sufficient force to suggest intelligent direction rather than accidental displacement, adding to the cumulative evidence of non-human activity.

The third floor landing has become particularly associated with manifestations believed connected to Alice Bemis Taylor and the man who hanged himself there, with visitors reporting heightened activity in that concentrated area. Researchers have suggested that the emotional trauma of the sanatorium era, combined with the specific tragedy of suicide, may have created powerful imprints capable of generating ongoing paranormal phenomena. The playful nature of the child apparition offers an intriguing counterpoint, suggesting that not all spirits present are burdened by darkness or despair. Over time, the Hearthstone Inn has undergone significant changes, having been converted from its haunted past into apartment units, fragmenting what was once a unified structure. Despite this modernization and division of the space, reports of paranormal activity have persisted among residents and visitors, suggesting that whatever forces or energies animate the location remain bound to the physical structure itself rather than to any particular configuration of walls or rooms. The building stands today as a reminder of both Colorado Springs' medical history and the lingering mysteries of human consciousness and mortality.