The St James Hotel in Cimarron, New Mexico is now for sale and this is a great opportunity to own one of the most colorful landmarks in Amercan history.
The St James Hotel was built in 1872 by Henri Lambert and was originally called Lambert's Inn. Its saloon, restaurant and 43 rooms were witness to at least 26 murders during Cimarron's wilder days. Clay Allison, Black Jack Ketcham, Jesse James and Buffalo Bill Cody have all left their mark on the St.
Built during a time when law and order was non-existent, the saloon quickly gained a reputation as a place of violence, where it is said that 26 men were shot and killed within its adobe walls. The first question usually asked around Cimarron in the morning was: "Who was killed at Lambert's last night?"
The saloon was wildly popular to cowboys, traders, miners and the many travelers of the Santa Fe trail. The saloon did so well that Henry added guest rooms in 1880, and the hotel was soon considered to be one of the most elegant hotels west of the Mississippi.
Many well-known people stayed there over the years. Wyatt Earp, his brother Morgan, and their wives spent three nights at the St. James on their way to Tombstone, Arizona. Jesse James stayed there several times, always in room 14, signing the registry with his alias, R.H. Howard. Jesse James nemesis and would be killer, Bob Ford, also stayed at the St. James.
Other notables who have stayed at the historic inn include Bat Masterson, train robber Black Jack Ketcham, General Sheridan, Kit Carson, Doc Holiday, Billy the Kid, Clay Allison, Pat Garret , artist Fredrick Remington, Governor Lew Wallace, and writer Zane Grey.
The Hotel was later renamed the St. James and continues to cater to travelers today.
When the railroads came through, the Santa Fe Trail died, and soon after, the gold in the area began to play out. Cimarron's population began to dwindle and the elegant St. James Hotel fell into disrepair.
When Henry Lambert's sons replaced the roof of the inn in 1901, they found more than 400 bullet holes in the ceiling above the bar. A double layer of heavy wood prevented anyone from sleeping upstairs from being killed. Today, the ceiling of the dining room still holds 22 bullet holes.
Henri Lambert died in 1913. His wife, Mary E. Lambert died in 1926. Through the years, the old hotel was at many times, uninhabited and passed from owner to owner. However, in 1985 the St. James Hotel was restored to its former luxury.
The St. James Hotel is said to remain host to several restless spirits. Both the owners and the guests of the hotel will tell you that it is haunted with many unexplained events. Several psychics have visited the hotel and specifically identified three spirits, as well as many others who just pass through to relive their experiences.
Room 18 at the hotel is kept locked because it houses the ghost of an ill-tempered Thomas James Wright, who was killed at his door just after winning the rights to the hotel in a poker game. Having been shot from behind, Wright continued on into the room and slowly bled to death.
This room is considered by the staff to be the most haunted and people are rarely allowed to enter the room, much less sleep in it. Rumors abound that when the room was rented, a number of mysterious deaths occurred there.
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Other, unknown entities are also said to roam the hotel, creating a host of paranormal activities. Staff report that items constantly fall off walls and shelves and electrical equipment at the front desk behaves unpredictably. Others have reported cold spots throughout the historic inn, lights that seemingly turn on by themselves, feelings of being watched by unseen eyes, and cameras that cease to work inside the hotel, strangely return to normal after leaving the St. James.
The hotel is open year around, with 13 historic rooms, named for the famous and infamous people who once stayed there. An annex was also added to the hotel that houses an additional 10 rooms. The hotel retains its historic ambiance with antique chandeliers, velvet drapes, thick carpets covering its old wooden floors, brocade wallpapering, and many of the original furnishings of the hotel.
There are no phones, radios, or televisions in the 14 rooms of the main hotel; however, the 10 room annex has all the amenities of a modern hotel. The old saloon, which is now used as the hotel's dining room, still holds the original antique bar, as well as twenty-two bullet holes in the pressed-tin ceiling. In the hallway of the hotel is a plaque that commemorates Clay Allison and the roster of 19 men he was said to have killed, as well as photographs of the many famous guests that have stayed at the historic inn.
Contact me if you know of anyone who would be interested in knowing more about this great opportunity. It is popular and profitable and is for sale at only $1,450,000.
David Pazdernik
505-983-1644
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