I Think I Captured The ‘Lady In White’ At The Haunted Sumpter Bed And Breakfast
By Amy Venezia
Sumpter Bed and Breakfast has been around for a really long time. In fact, when most of the town burnt down in a devastating fire in 1917, it was one of the few buildings that remained. It first served as a hospital to the mining town, then it was a brothel, then a Masonic temple. It has been featured on Ghost Mines and The Dead Files.
“Those actually employed in a mine are permitted to take out a hospital card for $1 a month, which entitles them to full benefits, given medical attention and all necessary care until well, without any further charges.” – The Blue Mountain American, May 24, 1902
“In 1900, the Blue Mountain American and the Sumpter News mentioned the following among the business houses of Sumpter: Seven hotels, five rooming houses, six restaurants, sixteen saloons, three livery stables, three blacksmith shops, one wagon maker, seven general stores, three newspapers, two drug stores, five cigar stores, one cigar factory, three meat markets, two churches, one brewery, two banks, five assay houses, one express office, four barber shops, two plumbing stores, six law offices, one opera house, one dance hall, one sawmill, three hardware stores, a volunteer fire department, telephone and telegraph offices, an electric light plant, public school, shooting gallery, photographic gallery, one undertaker and last but not least…a red light district!”- from Oregon’s Golden Years, by Miles Potter.
I took this picture because I was in our room and could sense that something was right outside our open door. I stood in our doorway and took a picture facing the hallway and bathroom. To the left of the bathroom is a grand staircase going down to the kitchen area and downstairs. The downstairs kitchen is the location of where the surgeries occurred when the building served as the hospital.
I didn’t know what I captured until we got home and I started looking through my photos. I messaged the owners with the picture attached and soon received a message informing me that many guests over the years have reported seeing a lady in white at the top of the staircase…which is directly to the left of the bathroom where this picture was captured.
If you will look to the left of the picture frame you will see what appears to be the bottom of a white hoop skirted dress and also a cap sleeve. If you blow up the picture, you actually can see lace and design. There was nothing hanging in the bathroom. The owners and the other guests can attest to this. There was nothing in front of the bathroom that could have reflected. We have gone around and around trying to determine what else it could be. The owners can also attest that they did not make us aware of the “lady in white” until after I sent them the picture.
Do you think this is the Lady In White? I wish I had been standing in front of the bathroom instead of the hallway!
Here is a picture of the bathroom that I took in that same hour so you can see what it looks like.