July 12, 2025 • 14 mins
In this episode of "Raven About Sitka," host Kathrynn ventures to Juneau, Alaska, to explore the haunted Baranov Hotel. She shares its glamorous history and chilling ghost stories, including the mysterious Woman in White, haunted elevators, the Mirror Man, and the phantom bellhop “Eddie.” Kathrynn recounts eerie listener experiences and staff encounters, discusses theories behind the hauntings, and offers advice for brave visitors. The episode ends with a lighthearted local tale and Kathrynn’s invitation for listeners to share their own spooky stories, leaving the Baranov’s mysteries lingering in the air.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:16):
Welcome to Raven about Sitka,the podcast that digs into the deep,
strange and often chillingcorners of life in Sitka.
However, today I'm visiting Juneauand I have some information you
might be interested in.I'm your host, Kathryn,
and we're trading Sitka Foggy Shoresfor a haunted high rise in Juneau.
Because sometimes, to find Alaska'sspookiest stories, you've got to
(00:39):
ride the elevator straight to theeighth floor of the Baranov Hotel.
Before, there were ghostlywhispers in the hallway,
before elevators stopped on theeighth floor by themselves, before
the woman in white ever checked in,there was just an idea that Alaska's
capital needed a hotel with style,swagger, and hot running water.
(01:01):
Let's rewind to the late 1930s.Juneau was a booming city.
Politically, economically andsocially, Alaska was still a U.S.
territory, but it needed theinfrastructure of a capital city.
Legislators,mining execs and visiting dignitaries
were arriving with nowhereparticularly elegant to stay.
(01:23):
Enter captain W.C. cap mendenhall.Businessman,
politician and Big Idea machine.He envisioned something grand a
luxury hotel that could stand toeto toe with the finest in Seattle,
San Francisco, even New York.He wasn't building just a hotel.
He was building Alaska's firstskyscraper.
(01:46):
In 1939, construction finishedon the Baranov Hotel,
nine stories tall, Art Deco elegance,the most modern building in Alaska.
Designed by H.L. divine,a Seattle architect, it was modeled
after New York's Roosevelt Hoteland included a swanky ballroom,
a gourmet dining room,a grand staircase and a cocktail
(02:08):
lounge with serious flair.Yes, this was pre statehood glamour.
A hotel with marble floors,velvet drapes and service with
the side of ambition.And it needed a name that would
impress.They went with Baranov,
honoring Alexander Baranov, the firstgovernor of Russian America and a man
(02:29):
with his own complicated legacy,as we've heard in another episode.
At the time, prohibition hadrecently ended in Alaska,
so the hotel's lounge,called the Bubble Room, quickly
became the hot spot for legislatorsand socialites smoke filled,
gossip laced and apparently stillspiritually occupied to this day.
(02:49):
In fact, it's one of the mosthaunted rooms in the hotel.
But we'll get to that.The Baranov wasn't just a place to
sleep. It was where deals were made.Drinks were poured and ghosts may
have gotten very comfortable.Over the years,
the Barons passed throughdifferent owners and hotel chains.
Today it's part of the West MarcHotels brand operated by Holland
(03:11):
America, no less.And it still houses guests,
legislators, tourists,podcasters and allegedly spirits
with unfinished business.The building hasn't changed much.
And that's part of its charm andmaybe part of its curse.
Because when the walls stay the same,the stories tend to stick.
(03:33):
So now that we've explored theroots of the Barons,
it's time to dim the lights.Grab your keycard and take the
elevator up.Because next, we're diving into
the ghost stories that keep thishistoric hotel eternally.
Elegant, historic,and maybe just a little bit cursed.
The Barons Hotel is full of whispers,shadows, and more than a few guests
(03:57):
who may have never checked out.The Baron Hotel is a towering
monument to old school luxury inthe heart of Alaska's capital.
It's hosted celebrities, politicians,even Eleanor Roosevelt herself.
But behind the chandeliers and marblefloors, the hotel has a darker side.
(04:18):
The eighth floor, in particular,has become legendary for ghostly
happenings.Elevators that move on their own.
Cold spots. Mysterious figures.Whispers in the dark.
In this episode, we'll explore thestories behind the Baroness most
famous specter, the Woman in White,and the supporting cast of spirits
(04:39):
that have made this hotel one ofAlaska's most haunted locations.
So grab a flashlight and join mefor a night at the Baranov Hotel.
Let's start with Bernhardt'sheadliner. The woman in white.
She's been seen floating through theeighth floors, hallways lingering
at windows and in some accounts,appearing at the foot of guests beds,
(05:01):
sometimes whispering in Russian.Elegant, pale and silent,
she wears a flowing white gownand disappears through walls
like she owns the place, which,frankly, she might. Who is she?
No one knows for sure.Some say she was a heartbroken guest
who died by suicide in the hotel.Others whisper about a Soviet
(05:23):
spy with unfinished business.One thing's for certain she's
not shy about saying hello.Especially at 3 a.m..
People hear footsteps in the hallway.High heels.
But when they look,there's no one there.
Some guests have been so shaken bytheir encounters that they've checked
out in the middle of the night.Bags in hand. No refund requested.
(05:47):
The eighth floor isn't just hometo the woman in white. Oh, no.
The Baron has a whole haunted lineup.Let's talk about the elevators,
which frequently take on a mindof their own.
They'll stop on the eighth floorwithout being called.
The doors open to nothing,just icy air.
And that sense, you're not alone.One woman claimed the elevator
(06:09):
stopped on eight three separatetimes.
The third time, she got out to takethe stairs, only to hear breathing
behind the corner of the hallway.She did not look back.
Then there's the mirror man.Multiple housekeepers and guests
report seeing a man in a vintage1940s suit reflected in mirrors.
(06:29):
Just standing there silent, watching.When they turn around, he's gone.
And in one case, a guest claims themirror fogged over with a message.
Lee. Classic ghost.Very direct communicator.
Burnout staff, especially thoseon the night shift, have tales
(06:50):
they only share after theirsecond cup of coffee or whiskey.
One concierge said a guest checkedin, then came running back down
minutes later, pale and trembling.There's a woman in my room, he said.
Security went up,but of course no one was there.
Housekeepers sometimes refusedto work the eighth floor alone.
(07:11):
One quit after the bathroom doorslammed shut behind her in room
801 with no draft, no explanationand definitely no one else inside.
Another staffer said if you'reworking past midnight,
don't whistle near the eighth floor.Something might whistle back.
Here are two highlights from aRaven about Sitka In-box.
(07:32):
I stayed at the Baranov in 2007.I kept a journal on the nightstand.
One morning I found a page tornout and placed on the desk on it
in handwriting I did not recognizewas written. Don't forget me.
I left that day and haven't beenback.
And this gem from a Juneau native.My dad worked night maintenance
(07:54):
at the Baranov in the 1980s.He always warned us,
never take the stairwell from 7 to 8,said the lights worked,
but the darkness didn't leave.He used to whistle past room 814
to show he wasn't afraid. raid.Then something whistled back.
He never whistled again.Let's not forget the most polite
(08:17):
ghost in the hotel,the phantom bellhop.
Guests describe a man in an oldfashioned bellhop uniform, nodding
silently and walking down the hallbefore disappearing into thin air.
Some even say they've tried totip him.
The money vanished like agentleman and a thief.
The staff has unofficiallycalled him Eddie because even
(08:40):
ghosts deserve a good nickname.Why is the Baron off so haunted?
Some believe it's the land builton or near ancient Tlingit land
and spiritual sites.The energy could be residual.
Others think the building hassoaked up the stories,
traumas and secrets of everyonewho passed through, like spiritual
mildew in a very elegant rug.Or maybe it's just that Alaska is
(09:05):
one of the last truly wild places.And in places like this.
Some spirits decide to stay.So if you find yourself in
Juneau and need a place to stay,the Baron awaits.
Just maybe request the fifth floor.Or better yet, camp outside.
And remember, when the elevatoropens on eight all by itself.
(09:26):
Maybe take the stairs.If your mirror fogs up with writing,
don't wipe it off.And if someone whispers in Russian at
3 a.m., tell them yet. And get out.Now, as promised,
let's go back to the bubble room.Dimly lit. Vintage decor.
Red leather booths,old school Alaskan elegance.
(09:48):
The lobby level at the BaranovHotel was nicknamed the political
watering Hole of Juneau duringlegislative sessions. Haunted?
Allegedly very much so.Bartenders and late night patrons
have claimed to see a man sittingalone at the end of the bar,
dressed in older attire.Think 1940s or 50s style,
drinking a drink that never empties.When approached,
(10:10):
he vanishes or worse,is suddenly not visible in mirrors.
Staff have reported hearing glassesclinking and hushed laughter
after closing hours, only to findthe lounge completely empty.
Some described the sound as like aghostly happy hour that never ends.
No complaints about the service.Just no customers to serve.
(10:32):
There are frequent accounts ofsudden temperature drops behind
the bar and at certain booths,often accompanied by lights
flickering, especially near theback corner closest to the hallway.
One bartender even reported a TVturning on by itself and cycling
through static channels.More than one patron has joked
or not joked that their drinkvanished when they turned away.
(10:54):
Glasses being moved or emptiedmysteriously when no one was nearby.
A ghost with a thirst, perhaps,unlike some hotel haunts tied to
confirmed tragedies.The Bubble Rooms ghost stories are
not linked to a single known event,but several theories circulate.
Some believe one spirit is that of alobbyist or legislature who died
(11:15):
during a legislative session andrefuses to leave his favorite booth.
Others say a bartender passedaway unexpectedly during the
hotel's early decades and stillcloses the bar nightly.
A local rumor even suggests that thebar sits near a spiritual crossroads,
making it a hot spot for wanderingspirits who like a nightcap.
(11:36):
A former employee claimed the jukeboxonce played on its own choosing.
I Only Have Eyes for you three timesin a row when no one had touched it.
(12:05):
Classic ghost serenade.Thanks for joining me on this haunted
detour from Sitka. Until next time.Sleep with one eye open and always
check behind you in the mirror.This morning, as I journeyed out
to find a local coffee shop,I had another experience that
(12:25):
I'd like to share with you.I ordered my coffee in a scone
and sat at a table alone.Shortly, three older gentlemen sat at
the other end of the table, and Ikindly started up a conversation
by asking if they lived here.They explained that there are 12 men
that meet at that coffee shop everyFriday morning, that they have been
best friends for years, and theycall themselves the Silverbacks.
(12:49):
This is a story from one of themabout our very own Sitka.
My name is Mark Whitman.I came to Alaska in 1979 to work for
the Young Adult Conservation Corps,and we were out full silent,
and we see that near the airportwe were rebuilding the canoe
portage across Admiralty Island.Our supervisor said, always wear your
(13:10):
safety gear because I'm bringingin two senators from Washington.
And so we took off all of ourclothes except for our gloves,
boots and hard hats.And when the senators saw us,
they turned around and went back totheir plain. But that wasn't enough.
When we finished our spike camp,we flew into Sitka.
We knew the senators were flyingout to about 25.
(13:34):
28 of us lined up at the airportfence.
And as the plane taxied out,senators at the window,
they saw all of us drop our pants.The longest moon salute.
Maybe in Sitka history.
(13:55):
Want to share your own spooky tale?Email us at Raven About Sitka
podcast at gmail.com.That's our VN About Sitka
podcast at gmail.com.If you enjoyed this episode,
please rate and review whileyou're still alive.
Stay weird, stay curious,and stay out of room 803.
Welcome to Raven about Sitka,the podcast that digs into the deep,
strange and often chillingcorners of life in Sitka.
However, today I'm visiting Juneauand I have some information you
might be interested in.I'm your host, Kathryn,
and we're trading Sitka Foggy Shoresfor a haunted high rise in Juneau.
Because sometimes, to find Alaska'sspookiest stories, you've got to
(00:39):
ride the elevator straight to theeighth floor of the Baranov Hotel.
Before, there were ghostlywhispers in the hallway,
before elevators stopped on theeighth floor by themselves, before
the woman in white ever checked in,there was just an idea that Alaska's
capital needed a hotel with style,swagger, and hot running water.
(01:01):
Let's rewind to the late 1930s.Juneau was a booming city.
Politically, economically andsocially, Alaska was still a U.S.
territory, but it needed theinfrastructure of a capital city.
Legislators,mining execs and visiting dignitaries
were arriving with nowhereparticularly elegant to stay.
(01:23):
Enter captain W.C. cap mendenhall.Businessman,
politician and Big Idea machine.He envisioned something grand a
luxury hotel that could stand toeto toe with the finest in Seattle,
San Francisco, even New York.He wasn't building just a hotel.
He was building Alaska's firstskyscraper.
(01:46):
In 1939, construction finishedon the Baranov Hotel,
nine stories tall, Art Deco elegance,the most modern building in Alaska.
Designed by H.L. divine,a Seattle architect, it was modeled
after New York's Roosevelt Hoteland included a swanky ballroom,
a gourmet dining room,a grand staircase and a cocktail
(02:08):
lounge with serious flair.Yes, this was pre statehood glamour.
A hotel with marble floors,velvet drapes and service with
the side of ambition.And it needed a name that would
impress.They went with Baranov,
honoring Alexander Baranov, the firstgovernor of Russian America and a man
(02:29):
with his own complicated legacy,as we've heard in another episode.
At the time, prohibition hadrecently ended in Alaska,
so the hotel's lounge,called the Bubble Room, quickly
became the hot spot for legislatorsand socialites smoke filled,
gossip laced and apparently stillspiritually occupied to this day.
(02:49):
In fact, it's one of the mosthaunted rooms in the hotel.
But we'll get to that.The Baranov wasn't just a place to
sleep. It was where deals were made.Drinks were poured and ghosts may
have gotten very comfortable.Over the years,
the Barons passed throughdifferent owners and hotel chains.
Today it's part of the West MarcHotels brand operated by Holland
(03:11):
America, no less.And it still houses guests,
legislators, tourists,podcasters and allegedly spirits
with unfinished business.The building hasn't changed much.
And that's part of its charm andmaybe part of its curse.
Because when the walls stay the same,the stories tend to stick.
(03:33):
So now that we've explored theroots of the Barons,
it's time to dim the lights.Grab your keycard and take the
elevator up.Because next, we're diving into
the ghost stories that keep thishistoric hotel eternally.
Elegant, historic,and maybe just a little bit cursed.
The Barons Hotel is full of whispers,shadows, and more than a few guests
(03:57):
who may have never checked out.The Baron Hotel is a towering
monument to old school luxury inthe heart of Alaska's capital.
It's hosted celebrities, politicians,even Eleanor Roosevelt herself.
But behind the chandeliers and marblefloors, the hotel has a darker side.
(04:18):
The eighth floor, in particular,has become legendary for ghostly
happenings.Elevators that move on their own.
Cold spots. Mysterious figures.Whispers in the dark.
In this episode, we'll explore thestories behind the Baroness most
famous specter, the Woman in White,and the supporting cast of spirits
(04:39):
that have made this hotel one ofAlaska's most haunted locations.
So grab a flashlight and join mefor a night at the Baranov Hotel.
Let's start with Bernhardt'sheadliner. The woman in white.
She's been seen floating through theeighth floors, hallways lingering
at windows and in some accounts,appearing at the foot of guests beds,
(05:01):
sometimes whispering in Russian.Elegant, pale and silent,
she wears a flowing white gownand disappears through walls
like she owns the place, which,frankly, she might. Who is she?
No one knows for sure.Some say she was a heartbroken guest
who died by suicide in the hotel.Others whisper about a Soviet
(05:23):
spy with unfinished business.One thing's for certain she's
not shy about saying hello.Especially at 3 a.m..
People hear footsteps in the hallway.High heels.
But when they look,there's no one there.
Some guests have been so shaken bytheir encounters that they've checked
out in the middle of the night.Bags in hand. No refund requested.
(05:47):
The eighth floor isn't just hometo the woman in white. Oh, no.
The Baron has a whole haunted lineup.Let's talk about the elevators,
which frequently take on a mindof their own.
They'll stop on the eighth floorwithout being called.
The doors open to nothing,just icy air.
And that sense, you're not alone.One woman claimed the elevator
(06:09):
stopped on eight three separatetimes.
The third time, she got out to takethe stairs, only to hear breathing
behind the corner of the hallway.She did not look back.
Then there's the mirror man.Multiple housekeepers and guests
report seeing a man in a vintage1940s suit reflected in mirrors.
(06:29):
Just standing there silent, watching.When they turn around, he's gone.
And in one case, a guest claims themirror fogged over with a message.
Lee. Classic ghost.Very direct communicator.
Burnout staff, especially thoseon the night shift, have tales
(06:50):
they only share after theirsecond cup of coffee or whiskey.
One concierge said a guest checkedin, then came running back down
minutes later, pale and trembling.There's a woman in my room, he said.
Security went up,but of course no one was there.
Housekeepers sometimes refusedto work the eighth floor alone.
(07:11):
One quit after the bathroom doorslammed shut behind her in room
801 with no draft, no explanationand definitely no one else inside.
Another staffer said if you'reworking past midnight,
don't whistle near the eighth floor.Something might whistle back.
Here are two highlights from aRaven about Sitka In-box.
(07:32):
I stayed at the Baranov in 2007.I kept a journal on the nightstand.
One morning I found a page tornout and placed on the desk on it
in handwriting I did not recognizewas written. Don't forget me.
I left that day and haven't beenback.
And this gem from a Juneau native.My dad worked night maintenance
(07:54):
at the Baranov in the 1980s.He always warned us,
never take the stairwell from 7 to 8,said the lights worked,
but the darkness didn't leave.He used to whistle past room 814
to show he wasn't afraid. raid.Then something whistled back.
He never whistled again.Let's not forget the most polite
(08:17):
ghost in the hotel,the phantom bellhop.
Guests describe a man in an oldfashioned bellhop uniform, nodding
silently and walking down the hallbefore disappearing into thin air.
Some even say they've tried totip him.
The money vanished like agentleman and a thief.
The staff has unofficiallycalled him Eddie because even
(08:40):
ghosts deserve a good nickname.Why is the Baron off so haunted?
Some believe it's the land builton or near ancient Tlingit land
and spiritual sites.The energy could be residual.
Others think the building hassoaked up the stories,
traumas and secrets of everyonewho passed through, like spiritual
mildew in a very elegant rug.Or maybe it's just that Alaska is
(09:05):
one of the last truly wild places.And in places like this.
Some spirits decide to stay.So if you find yourself in
Juneau and need a place to stay,the Baron awaits.
Just maybe request the fifth floor.Or better yet, camp outside.
And remember, when the elevatoropens on eight all by itself.
(09:26):
Maybe take the stairs.If your mirror fogs up with writing,
don't wipe it off.And if someone whispers in Russian at
3 a.m., tell them yet. And get out.Now, as promised,
let's go back to the bubble room.Dimly lit. Vintage decor.
Red leather booths,old school Alaskan elegance.
(09:48):
The lobby level at the BaranovHotel was nicknamed the political
watering Hole of Juneau duringlegislative sessions. Haunted?
Allegedly very much so.Bartenders and late night patrons
have claimed to see a man sittingalone at the end of the bar,
dressed in older attire.Think 1940s or 50s style,
drinking a drink that never empties.When approached,
(10:10):
he vanishes or worse,is suddenly not visible in mirrors.
Staff have reported hearing glassesclinking and hushed laughter
after closing hours, only to findthe lounge completely empty.
Some described the sound as like aghostly happy hour that never ends.
No complaints about the service.Just no customers to serve.
(10:32):
There are frequent accounts ofsudden temperature drops behind
the bar and at certain booths,often accompanied by lights
flickering, especially near theback corner closest to the hallway.
One bartender even reported a TVturning on by itself and cycling
through static channels.More than one patron has joked
or not joked that their drinkvanished when they turned away.
(10:54):
Glasses being moved or emptiedmysteriously when no one was nearby.
A ghost with a thirst, perhaps,unlike some hotel haunts tied to
confirmed tragedies.The Bubble Rooms ghost stories are
not linked to a single known event,but several theories circulate.
Some believe one spirit is that of alobbyist or legislature who died
(11:15):
during a legislative session andrefuses to leave his favorite booth.
Others say a bartender passedaway unexpectedly during the
hotel's early decades and stillcloses the bar nightly.
A local rumor even suggests that thebar sits near a spiritual crossroads,
making it a hot spot for wanderingspirits who like a nightcap.
(11:36):
A former employee claimed the jukeboxonce played on its own choosing.
I Only Have Eyes for you three timesin a row when no one had touched it.
(12:05):
Classic ghost serenade.Thanks for joining me on this haunted
detour from Sitka. Until next time.Sleep with one eye open and always
check behind you in the mirror.This morning, as I journeyed out
to find a local coffee shop,I had another experience that
(12:25):
I'd like to share with you.I ordered my coffee in a scone
and sat at a table alone.Shortly, three older gentlemen sat at
the other end of the table, and Ikindly started up a conversation
by asking if they lived here.They explained that there are 12 men
that meet at that coffee shop everyFriday morning, that they have been
best friends for years, and theycall themselves the Silverbacks.
(12:49):
This is a story from one of themabout our very own Sitka.
My name is Mark Whitman.I came to Alaska in 1979 to work for
the Young Adult Conservation Corps,and we were out full silent,
and we see that near the airportwe were rebuilding the canoe
portage across Admiralty Island.Our supervisor said, always wear your
(13:10):
safety gear because I'm bringingin two senators from Washington.
And so we took off all of ourclothes except for our gloves,
boots and hard hats.And when the senators saw us,
they turned around and went back totheir plain. But that wasn't enough.
When we finished our spike camp,we flew into Sitka.
We knew the senators were flyingout to about 25.
(13:34):
28 of us lined up at the airportfence.
And as the plane taxied out,senators at the window,
they saw all of us drop our pants.The longest moon salute.
Maybe in Sitka history.
(13:55):
Want to share your own spooky tale?Email us at Raven About Sitka
podcast at gmail.com.That's our VN About Sitka
podcast at gmail.com.If you enjoyed this episode,
please rate and review whileyou're still alive.
Stay weird, stay curious,and stay out of room 803.
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