HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
An 1897 National Register-listed railroad hotel in Crawford County where paranormal investigators have captured EVPs, rocking chairs move unoccupied, and a former owner named Henry is said to communicate during investigations.
332 Railroad St, Manilla, IA 51454
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Overnight stays and investigation bookings available; contact venue for current rates.
Access
Limited Access
Historic two-story building in small-town downtown; stairs required to upper floors.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1897 · Built 1897 to serve Milwaukee Railroad travelers in Crawford County · Listed on the National Register of Historic Places · Surviving example of late 19th-century Iowa railroad hotel architecture
The Klondike Hotel stands at 332 Railroad Street in Manilla, a small city in Crawford County in western Iowa. Built in 1897, the hotel was constructed specifically to serve the Milwaukee Railroad — then known as the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad — which passed through Manilla. Small-town railroad hotels of this era were economic anchors, providing lodging for traveling salesmen, businessmen, and train crews who moved through the corridor.
The Manilla hotel operated commercially through the late railroad era and has since been recognized for its historical significance: it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Wikipedia's entry on the Klondike Hotel confirms the 1897 construction date, the Railroad Street address, and the NRHP designation for the Crawford County property.
The hotel's interior retains period features associated with its original function, and its placement in a small agricultural town means it survived the commercial disruption that demolished most properties of its type elsewhere in Iowa.
Sources
The Klondike Hotel's paranormal reputation rests primarily on accounts from investigators who have stayed overnight or conducted formal sessions in the building. The most consistently reported claims are EVP captures — audio recordings in which investigators say they hear voices or responses not audible during the session itself — and the unoccupied movement of rocking chairs on the premises.
A third claim centers on a named presence. Investigators have reported that a figure identified as Henry, described as a former owner of the hotel, communicates during investigations. The specific method of identification — whether through EVP, a session board, or other means — is not detailed in available sources. No historical documentation of a specific owner named Henry has been independently confirmed for this listing.
The hotel is listed in Iowa's real-haunt directory and draws investigators specifically for overnight sessions. The EVP and rocking-chair claims are within the standard range of reported investigator phenomena at historic hotels; the Henry identification is treated here as claimed but unverified.
Notable Entities
Spend the night investigating the NRHP-listed Klondike Hotel, the 1897 Milwaukee Railroad-era building in Manilla. Investigators have reported EVPs, spontaneous rocking-chair movement, and apparent communication from a former owner.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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