Est. 1872 · Santa Fe Trail Heritage · Wild West History · New Mexico Historic Landmark
Henri Lambert arrived in Cimarron by way of Washington. Before opening his inn in 1872, he had served as the personal chef to President Abraham Lincoln — a connection recommended by Ulysses S. Grant — and held the position until Lincoln's assassination in 1865. From Washington, Lambert made his way west to New Mexico Territory, where Cimarron sat at the intersection of the Santa Fe Trail and the broader trade and cattle networks of the region.
He called his establishment Lambert's Inn initially. The saloon, restaurant, and 43 rooms occupied a position on what was then one of the more heavily trafficked routes in the Southwest. The clientele reflected the era: lawmen and outlaws, cattlemen and gamblers, prospectors and soldiers. Clay Allison, Wyatt Earp, Jesse James, Buffalo Bill Cody, and Annie Oakley are among the figures whose names appear in the hotel's recorded history.
The violence was substantial. At least 26 murders occurred within the hotel's walls during Cimarron's wilder decades. When Fred and Gene Lambert — Henri's sons — replaced the roof in 1901, they discovered more than 400 bullet holes in the ceiling above the bar. A double layer of heavy wood had been installed to protect upstairs guests from stray shots. Today, 22 bullet holes remain visible in the dining room ceiling.
The hotel was subsequently renamed the St. James. It passed through multiple ownership arrangements over the following century, eventually falling into the hands of the Funk family. Owner Bob Funk retired due to health issues and announced the hotel's closure on September 16, 2024. The property sold, and father-daughter duo Chad and Alyse Mantz of M Vacation Properties & Resorts — who also operate lodging in Red River and Taos — took possession November 1, 2024, reopening on December 20, 2024.
The current configuration includes 12 restored rooms in the historic building, with period-appropriate 19th-century furnishings, and 10 additional rooms in a two-story annex. Lambert's Restaurant, Bar & Patio operates on premises. The new ownership has stated their intention to preserve the hotel's historical character while upgrading amenities and expanding the menu to include more New Mexican cuisine.
Sources
- https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/business/cimarrons-historic-st-james-hotel-set-to-reopen-with-new-owner-in-december/article_9ab0be7a-a2b5-11ef-b0e7-af166122b8e1.html
- https://www.legendsofamerica.com/nm-stjameshotel/
- https://www.taosnews.com/news/business/farewell-to-a-wild-west-icon/article_16a6dad1-24cc-5548-b4bd-e6ed3ef43fac.html
- https://www.atlasobscura.com/lists/favorite-haunted-hotels
ApparitionsPhantom soundsCold spotsTouching/pushingObject movement
Room 18 has been locked since T.J. Wright's death in 1872, the same year the hotel opened. Wright was a cowboy and miner from nearby Elizabethtown — accounts describe him winning the hotel in a poker game and subsequently being shot in the back. His room has not been rented to guests since.
The accumulation of offerings outside Room 18 is a current reality observable by any hotel guest: cigarettes, dollar bills, playing cards, chewing tobacco, bullets, and handwritten letters pile on a surface outside the door. The hotel staff bring them inside the room periodically. Whether this is atmosphere or something more personal is left to individual visitors to decide.
At least one former owner documented being physically pushed while standing in Room 18, and reported seeing a ball of intense orange light floating in the upper corner of the room. These accounts appear in multiple sources and were sufficient to maintain the room's permanent locked status across multiple ownership changes.
The hotel's ghost inventory extends beyond Room 18. The dining room, with its remaining 22 bullet holes, carries reports of the original bartender James Wright — described as distinct from T.J. Wright — seen polishing glasses. Henry Lambert's presence has been reported in the kitchen area.
The St. James was featured on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries, which explored the Room 18 phenomenon. Ghost Adventures has also filmed at the property. The combination of documented historical violence — 26 murders — and the intact 19th-century architecture makes the hotel unusual among American haunted venues for the density of its historical record.
Notable Entities
T.J. Wright (Room 18)Henry Lambert
Media Appearances
- Unsolved Mysteries
- Ghost Adventures
