Distinctly Montana Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.distinctlymontana.com/i/379696
d i s t i n c t ly m o n ta n a • fa l l 2 0 1 4 34 While I was unable to stay at the Chalet, I was able to make it to Chico Hot Springs in Pray, MT. I had been told about Chico's haunted reputation ever since I was a kid, so I was excited to book room 349, which is famous for its ghostly activity. It is in room 349 that Percie Knowles, once the widowed owner of Chico, spent her last time at the resort. Under her reign it was briefly transformed into a popular hospital, until a sharp drop in its popularity in the 1930s resulted in her tearing down the hospital wing and eventually, due to ill health, setting up in Room 349. By the end one of her only comforts was sitting in her rocking chair by the window, admiring the view of the mountains. Her rocking chair still moves by itself sometimes, still cranes towards the view if turned. My night in Chico was mostly without incident, except that at 1:30 in the morning I was awakened by something like a low growl, which admittedly could have been my stomach. In addition, some things seemed to move around the room in between visits, but it could have been my forgetfulness. Regardless, there is something spooky about Chico, despite its rustic and comfortable charm. The narrow hallways, the knowledge that it used to be a hospital, and the occasional appear- ance, according to staff, of several spirits all made it an uncanny stay. The same is true of the Sacajawea Hotel in Three Forks. Opened in 1910 and weathering two world wars, economic downturn, and a bevy of owners, it has recently been completely renovated and reopened as a luxurious historical hotel. And while sometimes a renovation will chase away spirits, the spirits at Sacajawea and the adjoining Madison House are as present as ever. While the Madison House is currently used for storage, a helpful ghost enthusiast and desk clerk named Jacob was kind enough to give me a tour, warning me that a malevolent en- tity lived at the top of the stairs and liked to try to push people down. Chico Hot Springs Chico's lobby holds evidence of its past as a hospital. Visit Garnet Mountain, a haunted ghost town, go to: www.distinctlymontana.com/ghosttown144 DISTINCTLY MONTANA | DIGITAL