Grays Harbor County is full of interesting and spooky places, many of which have long held claims of being haunted. With over 150 years of history on the coast of Washington, this area of the state was once compared to the Wild West with the thousands of sailors coming through the port cities from around the world and the seedy activities that transpired. While the history will always remain, some stories have been passed through the generations and can be felt upon a visit to some of these mysterious sights. Each October, you can also get into the Halloween spirit by paying a visit to the local attractions that are on par with the holiday.
The Polson Museum
1611 Riverside Ave.
While the Polson Museum‘s curator believes the 1924 mansion is void of any ghosts, the items inside the former home-turned-museum may hold other stories. As the mansion was built for the Polson family, well-known owners of the Polson Logging Company, the buildings now displays many artifacts from the area’s extensive logging history. Visitors will also find furniture, clothing, artwork, and many other items in the exhibits that often dispel a spooky vibe. The on-site gift shop is a great place to pick up a bone chilling book such as The Port of Missing Men delving into Billy Gohl’s notorious past and Deep In the Woods detailing the 1935 George Weyerhaeuser kidnapping.
The Cooney Mansion
1505 5th Street, Cosmopolis
Built for lumber baron Neil Cooney, the sprawling Cooney Mansion was also known as “Spruce Cottage” due to it’s fine finish in fine Sitka Spruce. Cooney was a wealthy manager of the Grays Harbor Commercial Company, and while he never married, hosted many elaborate parties in his estate. Built in 1908, the impressive mansion has been known to be a paranormal hot spot. Numerous reports depict the many psychics who have visited throughout the years, including in 1996 when a group of psychics visited the mansion, including a Lutheran minister’s wife claiming she felt the presence of seven ghosts. Other reports and paranormal investigators have reported doors slamming shut, footsteps behind them, and readings on their electromagnetic field devices.
Now a private residence, the mansion can be marveled from afar on the nearby Highlands Golf Course.
Lake Quinault Lodge
345 S. Shore Road, Quinault
Lake Quinault Lodge, nestled deep in the old-growth Quinault Rainforest, holds stories from its almost 100 years standing. But before the new lodge was constructed in 1924, the original lodge built in the 1800s burned to the ground in a terrible fire. Both guests and workers at the current lodge have witnessed a spirit named Beverly who once roomed in a suite above the on-site boat house. Beverly, according to Weird Washington: Your Travel Guide to Washington’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets, worked at the lodge. After being scheduled to work the day of the fire, Beverly was feeling unwell but still came in for her shift. Sadly, she fell into a deep sleep and perished in the fire, and continues to this day to make her presence known.
Both in the boat house and the lodge itself, many reports continuously detail kitchen glasses falling off shelves, slamming doors, flickering lights, and even a floating orb of light. Book a stay a the Lake Quinault Lodge and you just might receive a visit from Beverly or the other spirits roaming the property!
Billy’s Bar & Grill
322 E. Heron St., Aberdeen
If you’re looking for a sinister story from the early 1900s in Aberdeen, formerly the Lumber Capital of the World, Billy Gohl takes the cake for the most notorious serial killer of his time. As a sailor and labor worker from Germany, Gohl went on to become a representative for the Sailor’s Union of the Pacific located a block away on the river near Billy’s Restaurant. At his office, sailors would collect their mail and store their possessions for safe keeping, which later led to Gohl steal their valuables. As the story goes, Gohl would often choose his victims, kill them, and dump their bodies through a trap door directly into the dark, swirling Wishkah River below. As the rivers were regularly frequented with vessels of all sizes, the floating bodies were found for years. No one knows the precise number, but experts venture to guess Billy murdered at least 40 and up to 100 people before being 
arrested.
While the location of Billy’s Bar & Grill wasn’t where Gohl did his crimes, the 1904 Crowther-Wooding Building was once a brothel and likely played host to Billy himself and his many victims, as well as hold its own secrets. One story from the brothel days comes from former Police Capt. Nick Yantsin who described an enraged madam that once shot her pimp upstairs – the evidence apparent with the bullet hole remaining in the wall today. With this chilling past, it’s no surprise that many patrons and workers at Billy’s have reported cold spots throughout the restaurant, hearing mysterious voices, and even seeing ghosts in ragged sailors clothing. Dine at Billy’s yourself and you’re sure to feel the history seeping through the historic walls.
The Lady Washington
As Washington State’s official ship, Aberdeen takes great pride in the vessel who calls the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport home. Constructed as a replica of the famous Captain Robert Gray’s tall ship, stepping aboard the Lady Washington instantly transports guests to the late 1700s with the ornate detailing, masts, and details around the ship. Featured as the British warship HMS Interceptor in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, the Lady Washington is the perfect sight for pirate lovers or anyone interested in the fascinating history surrounding sailing the high seas.
While the tall ship is in Grays Harbor, take a tour of the docks or book a spooky sailing along the often foggy rivers of Aberdeen. Check the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport’s website for the most up to date information on where the tall ship is docked.
Johns River Pioneer Cemetery
Nothing quite says spooky like a pioneer cemetery dating back to the 1800s. If you’re a history buff and up for a short hike, this spot is worth a few hours getting to and exploring to help fully understand some of Grays Harbor’s history. The trail will take hikers to the settlement of Markham that once didn’t have a place for a cemetery. The chosen site on a hill was once only accessible by boat during high tide. The mourners would make the voyage from their homes, perform the burial, then need to wait until the tide came back in in order to sail out. Today, the cemetery, although a two mile hike each way, is considerably more accessible. Surviving grave markers go as far back as the 1880s from some of the areas for settlers. Find directions and more information on the cemetery here.
The Haunted Clipper Brig
The Haunted Clipper BrigFormerly the well-known Paddies Perch Restaurant for decades, The Clipper Inn converts the space into The Haunted Clipper Brig in October. Each room is decked out in spooky themes and decor such as Helz Kitchen, demented dolls, pirates, spiders, and of course, clowns. You’ll definitely see more than a few actors jumping out from behind walls and bringing the haunted space to the next level. Various scare levels are offered so the whole family can participate in the fun.
Around the beginning of October, watch the Clipper Inn Facebook page for updates on the year’s haunted house dates and times!
Chapman Farms
While certainly not holding the scare factor that many of the other haunted places possess, the Chapman Farms is a family favorite in Grays Harbor each fall. Devoid of the massive crowds that many larger city’s pumpkin patches have, this locally owned farm in Montesano is the best spot in the County to pick out the ideal pumpkin for your annual carving contest. Chapman Farms also has hay rides, a corn maze, produce stand, live music, small plane fly-overs (sometimes dropping candy!), food trucks and much more fun.
This original content is produced by Greater Grays Harbor, Inc. and sponsored by Grays Harbor County Tourism.