HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
+ 1 further entry on record
A 1909 Arts-and-Crafts apartment building converted to a boutique B&B — where the founder Bell Miller reportedly still rearranges books, repairs wallpaper, and steers guests to wrong elevator floors.
835 South Second Street, Springfield, IL 62704
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Boutique B&B room rates; see current booking platforms for pricing
Access
Limited Access
Historic 1909 multi-story building; elevator present but reportedly subject to anomalies
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1909 · National Register of Historic Places (1995) · Intact Arts-and-Crafts residential architecture · Springfield business history · Boutique B&B paranormal tourism
Bell Miller was a Springfield businesswoman who commissioned the construction of the apartment building at 835 South Second Street in 1909. The Arts-and-Crafts structure was designed as an upscale residential building, and Miller is said to have lived in the building and invested considerable personal attention in its management and decor.
The building remained in residential use through much of the 20th century. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 in recognition of its architectural significance as a well-preserved Arts-and-Crafts residential building in Springfield's historic near-south side. At some point in the late 20th or early 21st century, the building was converted to a boutique bed-and-breakfast operation.
Bell Miller's connection to the building was deep enough that, according to multiple documented accounts, her spirit reportedly never entirely left. The accounts consistently describe a benign presence focused on maintaining the building's standards — repairing wallpaper, repositioning books — rather than a malevolent or frightening one.
The Inn at 835 occupies a significant position in Springfield's paranormal tourism ecosystem, appearing in multiple independent haunted-hotel compendia and serving as a point of interest for visitors exploring the city's unusually rich dark tourism offerings.
Sources
The paranormal reputation of the Inn at 835 centers entirely on Bell Miller. The documented reports describe a presence that behaves less like a haunting and more like a proprietor who won't quit: books are found moved from their shelves to other locations; a crystal candy dish rattles without being touched; wallpaper that has lifted at seams is reportedly found repaired by morning.
The elevator anomaly is the most consistent reported phenomenon. Guests and staff describe being carried to floors they did not select, with the elevator appearing to act on its own. Maintenance inspections after these incidents have found no mechanical fault in the elevator system, though the building's age and the frequency of the reports have made the elevator a focal point for visitors with paranormal interest.
Legends of America's detailed account identifies Bell Miller by name and describes her as having an exceptionally strong emotional investment in the building she created. Allstays, an independent haunted-hotel directory, corroborates the elevator anomalies and overall haunted reputation in a separate entry. The consistency across these independent sources — and the benign, property-caretaking character of the reported activity — is what distinguishes the Inn at 835 from more generic hotel haunting claims.
Notable Entities
Visit the NRHP-listed 1909 Arts-and-Crafts building at 835 South Second Street — where founder Bell Miller reportedly still rearranges books, repairs wallpaper, and causes the elevator to stop on wrong floors. Check current availability through the B&B directly; the official website was offline as of June 2026.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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