The Buckrail “Spooky Stories Series” is meant to entertain readers during the Halloween season. In no way are these stories rooted in fact or proven to be true.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — There are many spooky stories that have unfolded in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, but one of the most notorious is the tale of the Headless Bride, who haunts the Old Faithful Inn.
The story begins back in 1915 in New York City. The daughter of a wealthy shipping company owner rejected her arranged marriage for a man who worked in the family’s home as a servant.
While her father attempted to talk her out of the marriage to the much older man, threatening her inheritance, the young woman went ahead and married the servant. Her father gifted the new couple a large dowry on the condition that they would leave New York forever.
The newlyweds traveled to Yellowstone National Park for their honeymoon and booked a room at the Old Faithful Inn. The bride realized quickly that she made a terrible mistake. In just one month’s time, her new husband had spent all of the money gambling.
The bride’s father denied his daughter’s request for more money. The marriage began to crumble. As legend has it, hotel staff allegedly heard the couple arguing one night. The husband stormed out of the room, never to be seen again.
After a few days, the staff began to worry about the young woman. One of the maids entered the room to find the bride in the bathroom, covered in blood, missing her head.
After days of searching for the woman’s head, the staff began to panic. Finally, it was found in the Crow’s Nest, where the band played.
Guests have reported seeing a form in a white dress descending from the Crow’s Nest with her head tucked under her arm.
According to Shellie Larios’ book “Yellowstone Ghost Stories,” the bride is not the sole supernatural inhabitant of this hotel. The Inn is also reportedly home to a phantom child and the ghost of a sailor.
The child is said to have haunted the Inn’s second floor for the past 50 years. According to Larios, the apparition appears to be about 3 or 4 years old, and is known to approach tourists and ask for help finding his parents. Guests who attempt to bring the phantom child down to the information desk will find that the child holding their hand has suddenly disappeared.
Guests have also reported seeing an older man dressed in a Merchant Marine uniform since the 1970s, Larios writes. The man might be spotted rattling doors and windows. Larios speculates that his resemblance to the murderous groom could mean that his punishment for murdering his bride is to haunt the site of his crime.
This story runs annually.
