In the 1850s, Kansas was a battleground—not just politically, but literally—as pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces fought for control of the territory. At the heart of this struggle stood the Free State Hotel in Lawrence, Kansas, built in 1855 as a symbol of abolitionist resistance. It was burned to the ground the day it opened.
Colonel Shalor Eldridge rebuilt the hotel, determined to see it rise again—and some say he never truly left. The current Eldridge Hotel stands on the same site, with the original 1855 cornerstone embedded in the wall of the famously haunted Room 506.
In Part One of our conversation with historian Dennis Sneed, we dive into the violent roots of the hotel, the eerie activity that continues to this day, and why some believe the spirit of Colonel Eldridge still checks in guests from the beyond.
For more information on the Eldrige Hotel, visit their website, eldridgehotel.com
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