Goldfield, Nevada

The Goldfield Hotel, located in the heart of Goldfield, Nevada, first opened its doors in 1908. At the time, Goldfield was Nevada’s number one gold-producing city, drawing prospectors, investors, and opportunists from across the country. The hotel was built on the site of two earlier wooden structures, both destroyed by fire. Its final version was a grand U-shaped building of granite and red brick, rumored to have been constructed over an abandoned gold mine.

Upon its opening, the Goldfield Hotel was celebrated as the grandest hotel in Nevada. Guests marveled at its lavish design, which included pile carpets, mahogany and leather furnishings, gilded columns, crystal chandeliers, and modern luxuries such as steam heat, electric lighting, and an elevator. For a brief time, the hotel represented both the wealth of Goldfield and the promise of the American West.

As the mining boom faded, so too did the hotel’s fortunes. By the 1930s, its popularity had dwindled. Its last major use came at the end of World War II, when it served as lodging for officers and families from the nearby Tonopah Army Air Field. The Goldfield Hotel officially closed in 1945. Although several renovation attempts have been made over the years, none have succeeded in reopening it to the public.

George Wingfield and His Role

The history of the Goldfield Hotel cannot be told without George Wingfield, one of Nevada’s most powerful, historical figures. Born in Arkansas in 1876, Wingfield came to Nevada as a young man and rose to prominence as a gambler, rancher, and eventually one of the state’s most successful mining entrepreneurs. By investing in some of the most profitable gold and silver strikes in Tonopah and Goldfield, he amassed a fortune and became known as Nevada’s first true millionaire.

Wingfield’s influence stretched far beyond mining. He was a central figure in Nevada banking, politics, and even the state’s law enforcement. By the 1920s, he effectively controlled much of Nevada’s political landscape, often referred to as the state’s “Boss” due to his behind-the-scenes power. His interests included banks, hotels, ranches, and mines across the region. The Goldfield Hotel stood as a symbol of his wealth and ambition.

But Wingfield’s reputation was complicated. While admired for his success, he was also feared for his ruthless business practices. Stories circulated about how he manipulated markets, crushed competitors, and wielded enormous influence over Nevada’s government. Against this backdrop of wealth and power, darker personal rumors—such as his alleged affair with Elizabeth, the woman said to haunt Room 109—added to his mystique and fed the hotel’s ghostly legends.

Paranormal Claims and Legends

The ghost of George Wingfield himself is said to remain within the hotel. His presence is most often noted in his first-floor suite, where the scent of cigar smoke lingers and ashes sometimes appear on their own. He has also been spotted on the lobby staircase, often accompanied by the apparitions of two children.

The former dining area, known as the Gold Room, carries its own unsettling reputation. Visitors have described encountering the spirit of a man who lunges at them with a large knife. Though he never makes physical contact, his terrifying presence leaves guests shaken.

Elizabeth and Room 109

Perhaps the most infamous legend of the Goldfield Hotel is that of Elizabeth, a prostitute who allegedly had an affair with George Wingfield in the 1930s. After revealing she was pregnant, Elizabeth was reportedly chained to a radiator in Room 109, given only food and water until her child was born. Some stories claim Elizabeth died during childbirth, while others say she was murdered by Wingfield. Most versions agree, however, that the newborn was thrown down a mine shaft in the basement.

Today, Room 109 is said to be haunted by Elizabeth’s spirit. Witnesses report sobbing, a woman’s voice, and an unnatural coldness that lingers even in the Nevada summer. Electronics frequently malfunction, emotionally sensitive visitors often cry for no clear reason, animals refuse to enter, and the door to the room never stays closed.

Other Reported Hauntings

The second-floor elevator is haunted by the ghost of a man who either fell or was pushed to his death in the shaft. His apparition has been seen lingering near the doors. On the third floor, two spirits are said to wander: a woman who hanged herself in one of the rooms, and a man who leapt to his death from a window. Neither has been identified, but both have been witnessed by multiple visitors. The fourth floor is associated with the restless ghost of a man killed in a gunfight, though no historical records confirm his death.

Claims throughout the hotel also include disembodied voices, shadows darting between rooms, and objects moving without cause. Many have reported violent physical interactions such as guests being shoved, dragged, or even lifted into the air.

The Goldfield’s Legacy

Though the Goldfield Hotel has stood empty since 1945, its reputation as both a historic landmark and one of Nevada’s most haunted sites has endured. Once the crown jewel of a booming mining town, it now draws researchers, paranormal investigators, and curious travelers who come in search of history, legend, and ghosts. Whether viewed as a monument to Goldfield’s golden era or as a place steeped in supernatural mystery, the Goldfield Hotel remains one of the American West’s most fascinating relics.