Ghosts of Eureka Springs: The Crescent Hotel

The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, has been called America’s Most Haunted Hotel—and its history lives up to the name. Built in 1886 as a palace of luxury, the hotel’s story quickly turned dark: from the death of a stonemason during construction, to its transformation into a phony cancer hospital under conman Norman Baker, where dozens—perhaps hundreds—of patients met their end.

In this episode, host KL Adams takes you deep inside the Crescent’s haunted halls. Meet Michael the stonemason, Theodora the polite patient, the ghostly nurse still pushing her gurney in the morgue, and Breckie, the child whose laughter echoes in the corridors. Learn how Baker’s fraud was exposed, how fire nearly destroyed the hotel, and how it has been resurrected again and again—refusing to die.

Is the Crescent Hotel cursed, or simply unforgettable? Step inside and decide for yourself.

📚 Sources

• Wikipedia – 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa: Background history, ownership changes, fire, and its title as “America’s Most Haunted Hotel.” 👉 Wikipedia: Crescent Hotel

• Historic Hotels of America – Ghost Stories of the Crescent Hotel: Eyewitness reports of Michael, Theodora, Breckie, the nurse, and Norman Baker sightings. 👉 Historic Hotels Ghost Stories

• Crescent Hotel (Official Website): Hotel-led ghost tour details and documented stories of spirits. 👉 Crescent Hotel Ghosts

• Ozarks Alive – The Story of the Crescent Hotel: Historical background, financial struggles, and the Baker years. 👉 Ozarks Alive

• The New Yorker – The Haunting History of a Huckster’s Cancer Cure: Norman Baker’s fraudulent treatments and downfall. 👉 New Yorker

• KATV News – Arkansas Hotel’s Dark Past: Baker’s morgue, ghost tours, and modern legacy. 👉 KATV Coverage

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Step into the world of the Ink Plots Podcast, a place where words come to life through the power of storytelling. I’m your host, KL Adams, a published author, a devoted scholar, and a passionate history buff. Today’s episode explores the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, a place where

(00:20):
tales of grand architecture and chilling paranormal events intertwine. Have you heard of it? Perhaps you’ve seen it on an episode of Paranormal, or read about the hotel lore on blogs, books, or a podcast with a spooky tone. This story has all the hallmarks of a great cinematic mystery,
from the suspense to the engaging plot. It has a sinister past, a doctor with questionable sanity, a hint of deception, and a series of mysterious incidents to its name.