Hotel Alex Johnson in Haunted South Dakota

The hotel was built by Alex Carlton Johnson. Construction began in 1927, just one day before work started on Mount Rushmore. The hotel opened its doors less than one year later. Johnson had always dreamed of creating a showcase to the Black Hills of South Dakota tributed to the Native Americans, the Lakota Sioux Tribes that call the place home. But Johnson was captivated by many things, so he created a structural design that blended two spirits; the Plains Indians and Germanic Tudor architecture. The hotel attracted renowned visitors such as presidents, dignitaries, and celebrities. Even today, much of the brickwork is still the original, and the place is filled with Native American symbols. 

Since its opening, there have been many reports of paranormal sightings, so much so that it even featured on an episode of ‘Ghost Hunters’. Although there are several entities in Hotel Alex Johnson, the most popularly reported is ‘The White Lady’. In the 1970s, a young bride was staying in the hotel for her upcoming wedding. The official story is that she committed suicide by throwing herself out of the window, however, those who were close to her disagree. They insist that she was far too happy to kill herself, and that there must have been foul play involved. The bride had recently inherited a large chunk of money, which added to the theory that she was murdered. Unfortunately, no one was ever found guilty, and her death was put down to suicide. The bride has been seen wandering the halls, searching for those responsible for her death. In the bedroom she fell from, the window is often strangely found open in the morning, and the dresser drawers have been removed, with the dresser upside down.