If there's something strange in your neighborhood, who are you going to call? Not a mere reporter -- which is why I got a bunch of paranormal investigators and ghost hunters in here.
By convening a panel of experts, the aim was to find Denver's most haunted places. Among our six, there was consensus on some, but not all of the most haunted places.
In fact, many were completely alone in their assessment of some of most haunted places. But here is where consensus was found. More on the spookiness after the map.
Agreed are haunted:
The Melting Pot, Littleton: "We are in the middle of a ten-event presentation and ghost hunt and the activity keeps growing with each visit. Originally built as the Littleton library it has a a colorful history and the activity seems to back some of the urban legends. We are finding evidence backing a murder suicide while it was a police station for twelve years. Each time we visit, a spirit named 'Steve' tells us a little more about this incident. Objects move day and night there, and plenty of shadows, voices and creepy feelings are commonly experienced by both guest and employees." -- Diane Rogers Bischoff, After Shadows Investigators
Additional resources: Rocky Mountain Paranormal on the Melting Pot
Lumber Baron Inn: "Another very well known haunted location in Colorado. The site of a famous cold case where two teenage girls were murdered. Cold spots, voices and apparitions are a sampling of the activity that goes on here." -- Daniel McAdams, Spirit Trackers
Additional resources: Legends of America on the Lumber Baron Inn
The Denver Firefighters Museum: "One of my favorites, this was the first place I was charged by a shadow. Lots of voices and visual anomalies. A book by Ann Alexander Leggett was recently released document the history and the paranormal activity of this great building." -- Diane Rogers Bischoff, After Shadows Investigators
Additional resources: The Denver Firefighters Museum in their own words
The Croke-Patterson Mansion (now the Patterson Inn): "This is where I got my start in professional investigation. The building is filled with voices both audible and those you can only hear on playback (EVP). I believe there is an unsolved death that occurred on the basement stairs based on the evidence and experiences from multiple investigations. I don't know how much activity is there now that it has been extensively remodeled." -- Diane Rogers Bischoff, After Shadows Investigators
Additional resources: Denver.org on the Patterson Inn
OoOo, this one's the most haunted of all, according to the panel
Cheesman Park
"A beautiful park that was once a cemetery. There are still over 2,000 bodies believed to be buried in the park. I've experienced voices, being touched, nausea in certain areas, and feelings of overwhelming sadness." -- John Kelley, Investigator
Additional resources: Changing Denver on the history of the park
Thanks to all of our panelists, Stephanie Smith of Denver Ghost Hunters, John Kelley, Bryan Bonner of Rocky Mountain Paranormal, director of the Spirits of the Rockies paranormal Stephanie Waters, Diane Rogers Bischoff of After Shadows Investigators and Daniel McAdams of Spirit Trackers.