The Forbidden Floors Of Haunted Hotel Utica ~ The Haunts And Legends Of New York
Steeped in history and legends, New York is filled with stories of the forgotten, eerie and the weird that influence us everyday. What lies beyond the restored floors of the grand hotel and what departed guests might still be roaming the halls?
Lite 98.7's Eric Meier has teamed up with Folklorist P.W. Creighton to explore the haunts and legends of New York. Through their travels into the dark and often overlooked spaces they will bring these historic sites back to life and make some unexpected discoveries along the way.
In this episode Phil guides the explorers to Hotel Utica in the city's downtown. Towering over downtown Utica, the hotel serves as the city's crown jewel, having hosted Presidents and Hollywood stars but the hotel lost some of its grandeur as it sat vacant at the end of the 20th Century. Now restored, the Hotel Utica is once again housing travelers but there are floors that remain off-limits to the public and rumors persist that departed guests still roam the halls.
Opening in 1912, the Hotel Utica was a tall, ten story building designed by Esenwein & Johnson. At the time of it’s opening, the hotel was viewed to be one of the most luxurious hotels in the eastern United States. As a result of its luxury, the Hotel Utica played host to many prominent political and cultural figures.
Presidents William Taft and Franklin Delano Roosevelt both stayed in the Hotel Utica, as did Amelia Earhart. During World War II, many movie stars and singers also stayed in the hotel as they toured the United States visiting injured soldiers. Rita Hayworth, Bobby Darin, Johnny Cash, and Judy Garland were all guests of the Hotel Utica.
As the years passed, the Hotel Utica slowly slipped into decline, leading to its closure in 1972. Soon after, the Hotel Utica was converted into an adult living home. In the early 2000's, investors renovated the Hotel Utica, beginning the process of restoring the hotel to its former glory.
With all of the prominent figures that have stayed in the Hotel Utica, as well as all of the renowned parties and events thrown there, it is not surprising at the number of accounts that the Hotel Utica is haunted. There are reports of seeing a man in a tuxedo in the Lamplighter Pub who moves objects and often breaks bottles. There are also reports of a woman in a light 1920's era dress that can be found on the mezzanine when large parties are held at the hotel as well as the sounds of a party wafting from an empty ballroom. Some employees describe accounts of hearing conversations held in empty rooms, hearing knocking and footsteps in an empty hallway on the fourth floor and many reports of odd feelings from the stairwells.