The Hauntings of Schieffelin Hall

Posted: 12.27.2024 | Updated: 12.27.2024

Tombstone, Arizona. For many people, this town conjures up tales of Wild West action. The famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral occurred here, where morally grey lawmen battled heavily armed bandits. It actually happened in real life, even though it sounds like it came out of a movie. And, of course, there was a movie about it – Tombstone. The film, starring Val Kilmer and Kurt Russell, was a huge hit and might be the other thing people think of when they hear about Tombstone, Arizona. 

But the film just scratches the surface of this town’s fascinating (and sometimes tragic and violent) history. Indeed, there are rumors of ghosts that haunt this Old West icon, perhaps most notably at Schieffelin Hall.

Before delving too deeply into Schieffelin Hall’s sordid history, we strongly recommend taking our in-person Tombstone Terrors ghost tour in Arizona. It’ll provide you with a more in-depth experience—this blog is only scratching the surface of Tombstone’s ghostly residents. 

Is Schieffelin Hall Haunted?

This question has plagued ghost hunters and the residents of Tombstone for more than a century. It certainly is a worthy candidate for the title of Tombstone’s most haunted building. Not only is more than one ghost said to haunt its old walls, but the building itself has quite a history with Tombstone, dating back to almost the very beginning of its settlement. In fact, its very namesake was the founder of the town itself.  

Schieffelin Hall’s History

Tombstone, you see, was established by Ed Schieffelin. 

No, it’s not a coincidence that his name is the same as the building – it bore his name as a tribute to the man, along with many other buildings and sights in Tombstone. Although Ed Schieffelin would be the one who would get the credit for turning Tombstone into a town, that certainly wasn’t the man’s intention. 

Instead, Ed was after the valuable gold and other ore rumored to be abundant in the area. Like many prospectors of his time, he hoped that by being the first to stake a claim, he’d be able to make his fortune and retire a rich man. In today’s money, there was the equivalent of billions of dollars just sitting in Southern Arizona, waiting for a man like Ed to take it. 

It certainly wasn’t easy going. Some folks said that Ed went about his quest with an insane ferocity. He survived attacks by Apache Indians and survived an Arizona climate that seemed at odds with itself, with torrential rainfall and scorching heat within days of one another. 

However, Ed Schieffelin didn’t go about it alone. He also enlisted the help of his brother, Albert Schieffelin. 

After much hardship, including going broke at one point, the brothers found an extremely profitable silver mine to call their own. They set up shop around their claim, and the local residents of what would soon come to be called Tombstone soon followed to work the mines. 

To accommodate the new influx of guests and residents, Albert constructed Schieffelin Hall in 1881. It was designed to serve as a cultural center, and at various times, it served as an opera house, recital house, and town hall. 

Wild West Hauntings

In 1882, just a year after its construction, a fire ripped through Schieffelin Hall, gutting its interior completely. The building soon fell into disrepair. There were other more pressing needs to attend to in town, and Schieffelin Hall’s competitor, the Bird Cage Theatre, was more than happy to take its customers.

The fire wasn’t the only natural disaster to befall the building either. A few years later, a flood ripped through the entirety of Tombstone, including Schieffelin Hall, and forced the town to evacuate. Now, left alone, Schieffelin Hall fell even further into ruin.

But, despite its isolated status, some swear that the place was never more active than it was then. Rumors abounded that old theater performers, having grown fond of the crowd and splendor of Schieffelin Hall, returned there after they’d died. 

Of course, having been brutalized by fire and water, it wasn’t quite the same spectacle it used to be, but that didn’t stop the ghosts from putting on a good show anyway, even if it was only for themselves. 

Onlookers spot one performer more than the other performers. She’s known as the Lady in Red because, of all the women in this ghostly theater troupe, it’s hard to pin down her exact identity. But just because she’s easily spotted does not mean she’s easy to please. By all accounts, she’s a temperamental ghost, and if you don’t afford her the applause she expects after a performance, she’s known to frighten people nearly half to death by appearing in their mirrors while they’re in Tombstone. 

However, if you do spot the Lady in Red during one of her one-woman shows or monologues and are a gracious audience member she may just blow you a kiss and take a bow.

A Monument in the Desert 

Some visitors to Tombstone have also claimed to see a ghost lurking about Schieffelin Hall, besides the usual ghost actors. He’s rumored to be Ed Schieffelin himself. Although the now-restored hall isn’t his primary haunt, he’s said to frequent it now and again. Maybe Ed’s fond of watching the Lady in Red perform her heart out? 

Whatever the reason, if it is Ed’s ghost and not that of another actor, he may have a good reason to stick around Tombstone. The matter of his death was a bit tragic despite his fabulous wealth and success. 

You see, despite the many different industries and mines Ed was in charge of, it seemed that his true love wasn’t money but adventure. Or maybe it was just the hustle. Whatever the reason, it seemed he wasn’t content with just being the man about town in Tombstone. He eventually headed to Oregon to see if he couldn’t replicate his success and find another mine out there. Incredibly, according to his diary, he did, although he died before it came to fruition. His last diary entry was “Struck it rich again, by God.”

Per his will, he was buried nearby in Goose Flats, where he made his first claim. Along with his best clothes, he was also buried with his trusty pickaxe and canteen, a prospector till the very end. To commemorate the man behind Tombstone, a 25-foot-tall stone monument was erected over his grave, which stands to this very day – the Schieffelin Monument. 

Haunted Tombstone

Whether it’s thrilling gunfights, incredible treasure, ghostly actors, or a monument to a legend, there’s more to Tombstone than meets the eye. It’s become an icon of the Old West for a reason and deserves its reputation. However, one shouldn’t discount its status as a premier place for ghost hunters everywhere. If you’re interested in more stories like this, be sure to book a ghost tour with Tombstone Terrors. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and keep reading our blog for more real Arizona hauntings.

Sources: