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The Eskridge Hotel
Wynnewood, Oklahoma
History
The town of Wynnewood was started as a settlement in 1886 by John Walner who began the town with a store andpost office. It was originally name Walner after its founder, but was renamed to Wynnewood in 1887 by the railroad men who began to move into the area when the railroad made its first run through the town. The railroad men name a lot of the small town they settled in after their home towns in Pennsylvania.
Before 1887, settlers came to Wynnewood in ox carts, covered wagons, stagecoaches, on horses and then eventually by train. 1887 was a growing year for the town of Wynnewood as small businesses began to open and settle. By the beginning of the 1890's, hotels and boarding houses were build which provided a place for those travelers to stay.
The Eskridge Hotel was built by Pinckyney Reid Eskridge in 1907, the same year that Oklahoma was made a state. Mr. Eskridge traveled up and down the Santa Fe Railroad from Texas to Kansas buying cotton in wholesale lots. He and other traveling salesmen, known as “drummers” in the early days, complained about the uncomfortable, lumpy and saggy beds in most hotels. During the last months of the Indian Territory period, Mr. Eskridge had done well with his cotton business and since he had observed Wynnewood as the most thriving town on his route, he decided to build a hotel there with all the comforts of home.
Mr. Eskridge constructed the three story brick hotel with lathe and plaster interior walls, tall ceilings, door transoms, a dining room, kitchen, lobby and sleeping rooms. He furnished every part of the hotel with classic turn of the century good, serviceable furniture. In each sleeping room he put thick pure cotton Ostermoor mattresses and in some rooms extra-length beds. He wanted every guest to have a comfortable bed.
Although Mr. Eskridge never operated the hotel himself, he took an interest in making it a fine hotel with a famous family dining room. It became a local custom for families to dine at the Eskridge after church on Sunday and enjoy socializing in the lobby.
In 1973, the Wynnewood Historical society turned the Eskridge Hotel into the “Eskridge Hotel and Museum to help preserve its history along with some of the local history of Wynnewood and the state of Oklahoma.
Now as a museum, the Eskridge Hotel’s 1907 elegant charm still remains, with its porches extending over the sidewalk and its benches on each side of the entrance retained. Not all of the original items from the Eskridge Hotel remain, but the items it holds tell a story from a past time long ago.
As staff will tell you, the Eskridge Hotel has been rumored to be haunted by several of the local townsfolk. Rumors of this haunting state that the mannequins upstairs move on their own as well as furniture and other items. Footsteps are reported to be heard quite often when no one is upstairs as well as distance voices and ballroom music. Dark shadows were also reported by those staffmembers who were in the hotel at night. (history taken from okpri.com)
Investigation
12-9-2006
Team members present
Adrian, Tina, Shawn, Charlie, Kristy, Daniel, Wes
guests of
Data recorded
Audio, Video, Photographic, EMF and Temperature.
Report
The Eskridge hotel has known and documented paranormal activity we were invited by OKPRI to be their guests at an investigation and we were happy to do so. The hotel has several mannequins and windows on all sides that seem to make the shadows move, so I was about to discount all shadow activity until a shadow which seemed to be moving towards a group had a corresponding effect on a EMF detector. The audio of that event can be heard below. We did get some good EVP's from the hotel and agree with OKPRI on their opinion that the Eskridge hotel is active with paranormal activity.
Upstairs is where the action is.
Don't we all look exited?
Many things to bump into in the dark.
Mrs who?
Even sometimes they don't know.
