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Lake Crescent and the Lady of the Lake Haunting it

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The Lady of the Lake said to haunt the Lake Crescent in Olympic National Park. The ghost said to linger in the water is said to be the spirit of Hallie Latham Illingworth, who was murdered and dumped at the bottom of the lake.

Within the mist-shrouded landscapes of Olympic National Park in Washington lies Crescent Lake, a serene body of water with a haunting secret that transcends its natural beauty. The spectral narrative of the Lady in the Lake, rooted in a tragic tale from a horrible murder that was left floating and unsolved until the lake itself revealed it, casts an eerie spell over this enchanting wilderness.

Lake Crescent: The lake in the Olympic National Park is said to be haunted by a ghost they call the Lady of the Lake. // Source: Dave Lichterman/Flickr

Lake Crescent

The 12 mile long lake on the northwestern part of the park is said to be a stunning destination, but with haunted depths. There are many mysteries about the dark waters of the lake, often thought to be 1000 ft in popular belief. Some of them have been cleared up, like the true depth is actually 596 feet. 

The tales about Lake Crescent are old, like when the Klallam Tribes 10 000 year old oral story told about how they were fighting against the Quileute people and the Mount Storm Mountain got angry and threw a boulder at them to stop their fighting, splitting the valley in two, forming both Lake Southerland and Lake Crescent.

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According to legend, the lake never gave up on those that died back then and ever since, and for many generations the natives didn’t want to go near the lake. Although there actually is some truth to the story, there really was an earthquake at the time of battle that split the valley, is there also some truth to the legend about the lake holding on to its dead?

In 1929 a couple driving along the lake went missing and the case remained a mystery for decades. That was until 2002 when they found their 1927 Chevrolet under the surface of the lake. Although still, no bodies have shown up. 

But the most famous story is about the Lady of the Lake and the stories behind the true mystery of Hallie Latham Illingworth, the dead the lake gave back. 

The Death of Hallie Latham Illingworth

Hallie Latham Illingworth: Thought to be the spirit haunting Lake Crescent.

In 1937, the Lake Crescent Lodge and Tavern was a gathering place for those seeking respite amid the park’s breathtaking lakes. It was here that Hallie Latham Illingworth, a beloved waitress, lived and worked. Originally from Kentucky, she had found herself ensnared in the tumultuous web of her marriage to Mr. Monty Illingworth, a beer truck driver. Her latest of her three marriages. 

Unlucky in love, she had moved in search of a better life, but only found her early end of it. Both heavy drinkers, they often fought and the fights often ended violently. She would often show up to work with bruises, broken teeth and told her coworkers about how he choked her. 

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On December 22, 1937, Hallie at the age of 35 mysteriously vanished, just five months after they had married. Mr. Illingworth, quick to deflect blame, asserted that she had eloped with another man, a sailor from Alaska. 

Three long years passed before the secrets hidden beneath Crescent Lake surfaced. Monty had already gone to Long Beach in California with his new wife, whom he married the year after. She was the former roommates of Hallies sister and it was said they had gotten together before she disappeared. 

Lake Crescent Lodge: The place where Hallie Latham Illingworth used to work and also thought to be haunted by her ghost.

The Soap Corpse in Lake Crescent

But Hallie had not disappeared, not forever. She was dead, and closer than anyone had thought. In 1940, the lifeless body of Hallie Illingworth washed ashore in the near freezing water temperatures and was discovered by two fishermen.

Investigations showed how she had been tied to rocks before being dropped in the lake rolled up in a blanket. But as the ropes decomposed, her body floated up to the surface. 

There were several strange things about this case, least of all how her body and particularly her waxy and soapy skin had been preserved all these years although her features had faded. This almost perfectly preserved body because of the cold waters and minerals of salt and calcium in the water known as saponification or Ivory soap even showed evidence of being beaten and strangled. 

Her name was not identified until 14 months after the discovery as there were more than one woman gone missing in these parts the last few years and the public named her corpse the Lady of the Lake.

Her estranged husband, now implicated in her murder, faced arrest and charges that would forever tie his name to this tragic episode. He served nine years in prison for this until he was paroled in 1951.

Despite the legal resolution, the ethereal presence of Hallie’s spirit lingers along the tranquil shores of Crescent Lake. Park rangers and intrepid guests have reported eerie sightings—a ghostly figure of a woman, clad in a bygone era attire, her green dress from when she went missing and found, meandering along the water’s edge. The mournful cries that echo through the stillness of the night speak to the anguish of a life cut short and a love lost to the shadows.

The Ghost of Lake Crescent

As the Lady in the Lake, Hallie Illingworth’s ghostly apparition continues to wander the edge of Crescent Lake, a silent testament to the enduring power of tragedy and the spectral threads that bind the past to the present in Olympic National Park. It is also said she is seen gliding over the surface of the water.

Some even claim to have seen the ghost of Monty rowing over the lake to drop Hallie’s body into the water. 

It is also said her ghost is still haunting the Lake Crescent Lodge and Tavern where she used to work. Guests and staff tell about how they hear her walking up and down the stairs and that lights flicker, doors bang shut and the music turns on louder and louder. 

Some have even claimed to have seen her sit down on a table as she is smoking, perhaps even speaking to them. 

The Mysteries of Lake Crescent

The story of the Lady of the Lake is still told on the campsites of hikers taking the Spruce Railroad Trail around Lake Crescent. 

An underground stream is running between Lake Crescent and Lake Sutherland, and it has never really been explored. Some experts believe that the stream is hiding bodies of more missing people, but until then, the lake keeps it people. 

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References:

The Lady of the Lake – Hallie Illingworth • Morbidology 

Spooky National Park Experiences this Halloween 

12 Haunted National Parks | Shaka Guide 

The Hidden History of Olympic National Park’s Lake Crescent – THE OUTDOOR SOCIETY 

The Lady of Crescent Lake | It never gave up its dead until… 

True Crime: The Lady of the Lake – HistoryLink.org

The Lady of the Lake: A ghost story 

https://seeksghosts.blogspot.com/2014/07/washington-state-lady-of-lake.html

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The Ghostly Presence of Beverly at Lake Quinault Lodge

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At the old Lake Quinault Lodge in Olympic National Park, it is said that the ghost of Beverly, the former employee that died in a fire, still haunts the suit named after her.

Lake Quinault Lodge was built in a span over 10 weeks in 1926 and still stands like it did then in the middle of nature. The Lodge has drawn people wanting closer to nature for years but also bore witness to a tragic tale that left an indelible mark on its storied history. 

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This remote Lodge far from most things in the In the Pine peaks of Olympic National Park in Washington was built in 1926 and still today it cling to its rustic and spartan way of living with no internet and designed to socialize with other guests. A lot of the conversations are about  the designated house ghost, a former employee called Beverly. 

Lake Quinault Lodge : The old lodge said to be haunted by Beverly, the former housekeeper who died in a tragic fire. // Source: Flickr

The Haunting in The Beverly Suite

One time a guest was unpacking her bag inside of her booked room when she was suddenly face to face with a woman. The woman told her name was Beverly and that she worked at the hotel. The guest got so upset about the unannounced staff and went to complain to the front desk. The ones working behind it had to tell her that they did in fact not have a worker called Beverly, not anymore. The guest checked out the same night. The room the woman was staying in was called The Beverly Suite.

There are plenty of different rooms in the Lake Quinault Lodge, one of them being The Beverly Suite filling up the entire third floor in the Boathouse Building. The staff used to call it that after they noticed that their ghost seemed to prefer to appear inside of it. 

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According to the story, there was a woman named Beverly, once the dedicated housekeeper of this remote haven. However, one night a fire engulfed the lodge’s attic in the Main Lodge, in some versions the Boathouse that used to serve as a kitchen. 

The fire claimed the life of the unsuspecting Beverly who slept soundly in her room, or worked in the kitchen. 

Interior: Inside of Lake Quinault Lodge as it was in 2017. // Source: Joe Mabel/Wikimedia

The Death of Beverley at Lake Quinault Lodge

Beverly’s untimely demise cast a melancholic shadow over Lake Quinault Lodge, but her spirit, it seems, refused to depart from the place she worked. In the quiet corners of the lodge, her apparition is said to wander, a ghostly specter that traverses the halls with a quiet grace and her presence is thought to be most powerful in the attic. 

Witnesses to Beverly’s ghostly manifestations recount the subtle opening of windows as a testament to her lingering benevolence. The gentle touch of her unseen hand, still imbued with the essence of a caring housekeeper, leaves an ethereal trail that hints at her enduring connection to the lodge and its occupants.

Although mostly a friendly ghost it has been said she sometimes throws glasses and silverware. 

The True Haunting of the Lodge

But was there really a fire at the Lake Quinault Lodge that took the life of one of the employees? Was there ever a housekeeper named Beverly? One year we dated was 1924, when the owner of the hotel was Olena Egge. On an August day she brought her family to a picnic of Higley Peak and saw black smoke through the fog.  

In this version Beverley was her cook and chambermaid and the fire had started in the flue in the kitchen. All was gone at the hotel except the fireplace and chimney. After this, the hotel we see and stay in today was built on top of it. 

Lake Quinault Lodge: The original building that was completely destroyed by the fire and the starting point for the ghostly legends of today.

It is said that she watches over the lodge, a silent guardian from beyond the veil, ensuring that the tranquility of this remote retreat is maintained. As the winds sweep through the dense forests surrounding Lake Quinault, whispers of Beverly’s presence are carried through the air. 

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References:

LeRoy Tipton’s take on local lodge history – Washington Our Home 

Lake Quinault Lodge – FrightFind 

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The Mysterious Faces of Goblins Gate in Olympic National Park

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Nature can create strange shapes, and our human eye often looks for their reflections in things. In Olympic National Park, the Goblin’s Gate has made people look twice to the faces staring back from the river.

In the heart of Olympic National Park lies a place of eerie enchantment: Goblin’s Gate you can find on the Elwha River Trailhead and people passing the gate, comes back with strange stories about it. 

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It is a narrow gorge stretching 20 feet across the river. The gorge has been talked about for a lot of reasons, how it reminds people of some sort of gate from a medieval castle as well as the strange faces people have claimed to have seen there. Could this be a strange haunting or simply the eye finding faces out in the wild?

Goblins Gate: Part of the Elwha River at Goblins Gate. // Source: Elwhajeff/Wikimedia

Naming it Goblins Gate

Legend has it that early explorer Charles A. Barnes stumbled upon this gorge on the Elwha River when he was on an expedition with the Seattle Press in 1989 and 1890. This was the first successful crossing over the Olympic Mountains done by the Europeans, and they were naming many landmarks still used to this day.  

Barnes is also the one who named the place and the very name itself gives the place an eerie feeling. He described the gorge with the gushing waters like this: “…like the throat of a monster, silently sucking away the water.” And as a resembling “multitude of faces…with tortured expressions.”

The name came after witnessing haunting faces carved into the rocks at its edge, like goblins and monsters. Some speculate that maybe he had indulged a bit too much in Wild Turkey that fateful day. Some have speculated after that there is something strange about this place. 

Olympic National Park: The lower parts of Goblins Gate from the river

The Mysterious Goblin’s Gate

As the turbulent waters of the Elwha River surge through the narrow opening of the gorge, these stone faces of Goblin’s Gate appear to beckon travelers toward the abyss of Rica Canyon. 

Attempts to tame the Gate with a bridge have been met with eerie failure. The first bridge was swallowed by the river’s rage, while the second succumbed to a mysterious rot, disintegrating before it could fulfill its purpose. This type of defiance from nature that won’t be tames has also spurred a couple of legends of its own:

Could it be that unseen spirits guard the Gate, refusing passage to those who dare to cross?

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References:

National Park Ghost Stories 

Goblins Gate – Wikipedia 

Goblins Gate — Waterfall Trail 

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Ghosts in the Ann Starrett Mansion

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Refusing to leave their home, the ghosts of Ann Starrett mansion still reside in the Victorian house, haunting the place in Port Townsend. 

In the city of Port Townsend in Washington, the place is known for its many old Victorian and historical buildings. The place itself was once called, The City of Dreams and a safe harbor. 

It’s here a Queen Anne-style mansion that is said to house the dead stands. Built in 1889 by Georg Starrett for his wife Ann, it is said that even in their afterlife they spend their time in this Victorian mansion. 

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The House of Four Seasons

For many years the house was used as a motel, and the guests reported about a particular feeling when staying there. A haunting feeling for sure, but perhaps not of the spooky one. The beautiful frescos in the ceiling represented the four seasons and worked as a solar calendar, nicknaming the house The House of Four Seasons as well as Port Townsend’s most haunted.

The Starrett family was living in the mansion for many generations from then on and many will claim that they never really left. For more than twenty years they lived with their only son Edwin, two servants and their nanny, and it is said to have been a happy time for them. So happy that they never left?

The Ghosts in the Ann Starrett Mansion

The House of Four Seasons: The Solar Calendar fresco where the ghosts have been spotted.// Source

There is not only one ghost that has been spotted in the house over the years. The first one is a female ghost with red hair, believed by many to be Ann herself, still the woman in the house. It is said she is seen as a more peaceful spirit than a restless one and she is spotted more than once by the solar calendar that George built for her.

There also has been seen a man believed to be Georg Starrett that also lingers in their home, even after their death. He is often seen accompanying the red haired ghost in the halls and down the stairs. A sign that even in their afterlife, the happy couple stayed together.

The third ghost that has been seen is said to be the spirit of their son’s nanny and her presence has been sensed especially in her old bedroom with her face showing up in the mirror. This is the ghost that often is blamed when something of the more paranormal occurs, like pictures on the walls falling, turning on and off the lights when no one is in the room or smacking peoples head when they say something offensive. 

The Future Hauntings of the House

Although a beautiful thing to behold, the house has seen its difficult times being on the market, even though the haunting itself was not something that received any complaints from the owner themselves. For years it was used for a boutique motel before the owners wanted to sell. For twelve years in the early 2000s, they struggled to find a buyer for the house and one can wonder if the spirits in the house much preferred that. 

By 2022 though the house was back again as an airbnb for now, and it looks like the permanent residents will continue to be the original owners in the afterlife. 

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References

Featured Image: Airbnb

About The Starrett House

Ann Starrett Mansion

Ann Starrett Mansion – 15 Haunted Houses That Have High Style – Lonny

Old mansion gets new owners | Port Townsend Leader

Ann Starrett Mansion Bed and Breakfast | Haunted Places | Port Townsend, WA 98368

Ann Starrett Mansion Bed and Breakfast | Port Townsend Washington | Real Haunted Place

https://www.airbnb.no/rooms/20211996?source_impression_id=p3_1648556407_Ch%2FBBeP1Gmn5aCqx

Ann Starrett Mansion – Haunted Houses