Overnight Stay Booking Required
Overnight Stay in Historic Rooms
Stay in one of the hotel's historic rooms, some named for famous guests including Ulysses S. Grant and Mark Twain, in the original 1856 stone structure.
- Duration:
- 12 hr
No photograph
on file
Est. 1856on file
HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
- 01Rosewater perfume in non-perfumed areas
- 02Chairs repositioned to face windows
- 03Cutlery and iron locks moving in dining room
- 04Sense of being watched on second floor
+ 5 further entries on record
Haunted Hotel / Inn
Murphys Historic Hotel
One of California's oldest continuously operating hotels, opened in 1856 as a Gold Rush stagecoach stop in Murphys, with a well-documented ghost tradition including Eleanor the chambermaid and an unnamed bookkeeper said to haunt the second floor.
457 Main Street, Murphys, CA 95247
Research updated September 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Hotel room rates vary by season; dining available in the historic saloon and restaurant
Access
Limited Access
Historic stone building; limited accessibility in original structure
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1856 · National Register of Historic Places (listed November 23, 1971) · California Historical Landmark No. 267 · One of the oldest continuously operating hotels in California · Hosted Mark Twain, Ulysses S. Grant, J.P. Morgan, John Jacob Astor · Survived the 1859 Murphys fire due to stone-and-iron-shutter construction
The Murphys Historic Hotel stands at 457 Main Street in Murphys, California, in the heart of the Gold Country foothills of Calaveras County. When James L. Sperry and John Perry opened it as the Sperry and Perry Hotel on August 20, 1856, Murphys was a booming Gold Rush settlement and the hotel's location on the stage route to the recently discovered Calaveras Big Trees made it an essential waypoint.
The original stone-and-iron-shutter construction proved its worth in August 1859, when fire destroyed most of downtown Murphys. The hotel survived due to its fireproof construction and was quickly restored, reopening in 1860. Over the following decades it hosted an extraordinary roster of guests: Mark Twain, Horatio Alger Jr., John Jacob Astor, Thomas J. Lipton, J.P. Morgan, and former President Ulysses S. Grant. Their names are commemorated in specific rooms today.
The hotel changed ownership and names several times: Atwood (1881), Blood (1881), Mitchler Hotel (1882), and finally Murphys Hotel in 1945. In 1963 a College of the Pacific group purchased it, undertaking restorations that preserved the original structure.
The hotel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 23, 1971 (NPS-1971000134) and holds California Historical Landmark designation No. 267. It remains one of the oldest continuously operating hotels in California.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murphys_Hotel
- https://murphyshotel.com/history/
- https://ohp.parks.ca.gov/ListedResources/Detail/N139
- https://www.calaverasenterprise.com/articles/community/hunting-ghosts-in-murphys-historic-hotel/
Rosewater perfume in non-perfumed areasChairs repositioned to face windowsCutlery and iron locks moving in dining roomSense of being watched on second floorStomping and strong odor in Room 9Bed sheets pulled from sleeping guestsCigar smoke with no visible sourceChandelier rocking independentlyRunning faucets in locked rooms
According to accounts reported by the Calaveras Enterprise, OnlyInYourState, and gocalaveras.com, the Murphys Historic Hotel has one of the more active ghost traditions in the Gold Country. The most documented spirit is Eleanor, believed to be a chambermaid employed at the original Sperry and Perry House in its early years who perished in a kitchen fire. Eleanor's signature is said to be rosewater perfume, mysteriously repositioned chairs facing windows (supposedly waiting for a lover to return), and cutlery and heavy iron locks moving in the dining room.
A second tradition involves an unnamed bookkeeper described as having been shot and thrown from the second-floor balcony. Though the historical details of this death could not be independently documented through newspaper archives, the story has circulated in the hotel's own lore and regional ghost guides for many years. His presence is described as a sense of being watched on the second floor.
Guests staying in the historic rooms have also reported a stomping, strong-smelling presence associated with a gold miner in Room 9, mischievous spirits pulling bed sheets, and a shadowy cowboy-hat-wearing figure in the laundry area. Paranormal investigators from the Calaveras Enterprise have conducted formal investigations at the property.
Notable Entities
Eleanor — chambermaid, died in late 19th-century kitchen fireUnnamed bookkeeper — reportedly shot and thrown from second-floor balcony
Plan Your Visit
2 ways to experience Self-Guided Visit
Historic Saloon & Dining Visit
Dine in the historic saloon or dining room, a Gold Rush-era establishment that has operated continuously since 1856.
- Duration:
- 1.5 hr
Book a room at Murphys Historic Hotel
Stay the nightSee current room rates and availability at Murphys Historic Hotel.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Murphys Historic Hotel family-friendly?
Historic hotel and saloon; family-friendly dining but saloon atmosphere may not suit all families. Ghost lore is mild. Overall family fit: Moderate.
How much does it cost to visit Murphys Historic Hotel?
Hotel room rates vary by season; dining available in the historic saloon and restaurant
Do I need to book in advance?
No advance booking is required, but checking availability is recommended.
Is Murphys Historic Hotel wheelchair accessible?
Murphys Historic Hotel has limited wheelchair accessibility. Terrain: Historic stone building; limited accessibility in original structure.