The famed Museum Club in Flagstaff, Arizona was built in 1931 by Dean Eldredge. As an avid hunter and collector, he wanted a unique place to house his hunting trophies and his collection of rifles and Indian artifacts. The building also became a store, a trading post of sorts, and a taxidermy shop where Eldredge could display his own trophies and create displays for others.
The building was later sold and in 1936, after Prohibition, a Flagstaff saddle maker named Doc Williams turned the Museum Club into a popular, albeit eccentric, night club. It was promoted as the largest log cabin in Arizona and packed in people from all over. It was built around five large ponderosa pines that appear to be growing right out of the dance floor. In addition, a mahogany bar from the 1890’s crosses the northwest corner of the room. Those who came to the club to eat and drink occasionally became unnerved by the more than 85 mounted animals that were left on display from the taxidermy shop days. Locals soon dubbed the place “the Zoo”.
But slighting discomforting animals are not the only “watchers” believed to linger in the Museum Club. Over the years, the place has gained quite a reputation for being haunted!
During the 1960’s and 70’s, the club was owned by Don and Thelma Scott and according to local legend, both suffered tragic and untimely deaths. The Scott’s lived upstairs above the shop and one day, as she was going down the stairs, Thelma fell and broke her neck. Despondent, Don later took his own life in front of the fireplace.
But according to staff members and guests, the Scott’s have never left the club! Footsteps and creaking stairs are often heard from where they once lived while lights flicker on an off, chairs rock back and forth and occasionally, a fire will spring to life in the hearth when no one else is around. And while the ghosts are often experienced, Thelma’s ghost is sometimes seen as well!
One night, a customer at the back bar got impatient when the female bartender ignored him and refused to wait on him. Irritated, he went to the front bar to complain and get a drink ... only to find out that no bartender was on duty at the back bar and in fact, was not even open that night! On another occasion, a customer ordered a drink for the woman who was sitting at a table in the corner. After getting the drink, he walked it over to her, only to see that she had vanished into thin air!
(C) Copyright 2001 by Troy Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
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