The ghost diaries Our creepiness rating 💀💀💀💀💀
DGO Magazine reported in 2016 that people in the alley beside the hotel have reported a man in a white shirt standing on the railroad tracks, that others have seen a railway engineer in period clothing in the lobby, and that each room has a "ghost diary" of sightings, most on the upper floor. Source: DGO Magazine, 2016.
Facts below are drawn from the linked sources.
Real history
Cleveland pharmacist Henry Strater built the hotel with his brothers and father at a cost of $70,000 (Strater Hotel). Wikipedia dates its opening to 1887 (Wikipedia). The hotel's own history says the silver panic that began in 1893 started its troubles and that the Straters lost the hotel in 1895 (Strater Hotel). It is a contributing building in Durango's Main Avenue Historic District (Wikipedia).
Ghost stories
These are reported legends, not verified events. The creepiness score (1–5) is Spook Atlas's own editorial rating, not a measurement.
Then and now
Public access
Open to the public The hotel's own site takes bookings (Strater Hotel). Last checked: Oct 31, 2026.
Explore more
- More places in Durango and Colorado
- More haunted & abandoned hotels
- More haunted & abandoned restaurants
- Nearby: Animas Forks (Animas Forks, CO), Capitol City (Capitol City, CO), St. Elmo (St. Elmo, CO), Crystal (Crystal, CO)
⚠️ Please read: This information may be outdated and conditions change. Verify access with the owner or operator before you go. Spook Atlas does not encourage trespassing. Entering private, closed or condemned property can be illegal and dangerous. Report a correction.
Reader experiences
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