The Stanley Hotel is a 138-room Georgian hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. Located within sight of the Rocky Mountain National Park, the Stanley offers panoramic views of the Rockies. It was built in 1909 by Freelan O. Stanley of Stanley Steamer fame and catered to the rich and famous.[1] The hotel and its surrounding lands are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[2]
The Stanley has hosted many famous guests, including the Titanic survivor Margaret Brown, John Philip Sousa, Theodore Roosevelt, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, and a variety of Hollywood personalities. The Stanley Hotel also hosted Stephen King, inspiring him to write The Shining. Contrary to information sometimes published King was living in Boulder at the time and did not actually write the novel at the hotel. Parts of the mini-series version of The Shining were filmed there, although it was not used for Stanley Kubrick's cinematic version.
The Stanley Hotel shows the uncut R-rated version of Kubrick's The Shining on a continuous loop on Channel 42 on guest room televisions.
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History
In 1903, F. O. Stanley, inventor of the Stanley Steamer automobile, came to Estes Park for his health.[3] Stanley suffered from tuberculosis and came West at his doctor's suggestion. The doctor arranged for the couple to stay in a cabin in Estes Park for the summer. Immediately, they fell in love with the area and Stanley's health began to dramatically improve.[1] Impressed by the beauty of the valley and grateful for the improvement in his health, he decided to invest his money and his future there. In 1909, he opened the elegant Stanley Hotel, a classic hostelry exemplifying the golden age of touring.[3]
After spending the summer in the cabin, Flora wanted a home like the one she had left in Maine. Their home was built about one-half mile west of where the Stanley Hotel would later be built. Today the house is a private residence.[1]
Stanley built the hotel on land that he purchased from the English Earl Lord Dunraven. Dunraven came to the area in 1872 while on a hunting trip. He built a hunting lodge, cabin, and hotel for his guests and illegally homesteaded up to 15,000 acres (61 km2) in an unsuccessful attempt to create a private hunting preserve. Dunraven, was finally run out of the area after trying to swindle folks out of their land and money.[3][1]
In 1907, construction started on the Stanley Hotel. Wood and rock were obtained from the nearby mountains and the hotel was built in the Georgian architectural style, which experienced a revival in the early Twentieth century. Equipped with running water, electricity, and telephones, the only amenity the hotel lacked was heat, as the hotel was designed as a summer resort.[1]
Popular culture
The neoclassical hotel was the inspiration for the fictional Overlook Hotel in Stephen King's novel The Shining. While he and his wife were staying at the Stanley, King conceived the basic idea for the novel. The 1997 television miniseries version of The Shining was filmed at the Stanley, and it has been used as a location site for other films as well, most notably as the "Hotel Danbury" in Dumb and Dumber.[4]
In May 2006, investigators with The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) investigated the hotel for the SciFi Channel program Ghost Hunters. TAPS returned to the hotel on October 31st, 2006 for a live, six hour follow-up investigation. In November 2008, UK channel LIVING will broadcast Most Haunted's investigation of the hotel. [5]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Rocky Mountain Legends". LegendsOfAmerica.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
- ^ "About The Stanley". StanleyHotel.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-09.
- ^ a b c "Rocky Mountain National Park - Culture". US-Parks.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-10.
- ^ "Stanley Hotel Ghost Story ". Allstays.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-09.
- ^ "New Most Haunted - Tuesday 11 November - Programme Details". Radio Times. Retrieved on 2008-11-01.
External links
- Official Website
- Rocky Mountain National Park - Culture
- Ghosts and Hauntings of Estes Park, CO
- Stephen King - The Overlook - The Stanley Hotel and Ghosts
- The Stanley Hotel on SpookyMountainNews
- Spirit Talk: The Stanley Hotel
- Colorado Hauntings
Chasing the Shadows: The Stanley Hotel
This is footage shot inside the Stanley Hotel for the upcoming documentary "Chasing the Shadows." This is the same hotel that inspired the classic horror novel, "the Shining." For more information visit www.chasingtheshadows.com
Author: bullheadent
Keywords: chasing documentary ghosts haunted hotel king shadows shining stanley stephen the
Added: December 4, 2008
stanley hotel estes park.
me and aimee have fun at the stanley hotel fountain.
Author: wishwarriorx
Keywords: stanley hotel estes
Added: December 3, 2008
Arsene Lupin Returns - Original Trailer 1938
This follow-up to MGM's 1932 John Barrymore vehicle Arsene Lupin stars the ineluctable Melvyn Douglas. Reported to be dead, suave gentleman jewel thief Arsene Lupin (Douglas) resurfaces under the assumed name of Rene Farrand. Intending to follow the straight and narrow path, Lupin/Farrand reverts to his old larcenous ways when the opportunity to pilfer $250,000 in gems presents itself. Slowing down our hero somewhat is the presence of hotshot American private eye Steve Emerson (Warren William) and glamorous adventuress Lorraine de Grissac (Virginia Bruce). Ironically, both Melvyn Douglas and Warren William also played thief-turned-sleuth Michael Lanyard, aka "The Lone Wolf", over at Columbia. Melvyn Douglas - Arsene Lupin/Rene Farrand Virginia Bruce - Lorraine de Crissac Warren William - Steve Emerson John Halliday - Count De Grissac Nat Pendleton - Joe Doyle Monty Woolley - George Bouchet E.E. Clive - Alf George Zucco - Martell Rollo Lloyd - Duval Vladimir Sokoloff - Ivan Pavloff Tully Marshall - Monelli Jonathan Hale - Chief of DCI William Norton Bailey Egon Brecher - Vasseur Harvey Clark - Assistant Manager Chester Clute - Reporter Sidney D'Albrook - Detective Alois George Davis - Guard at Dock Frank Dawson - Franz George Douglas Stanley Fields - Groom Christian J. Frank - Detective Otto H. Fries - Truck Driver Dell Henderson - Plainclothesman Perry Ivins - Fingerprint Man Robert Emmett Keane - Watkins Joseph King - Inspector Hennessey Priscilla Lawson - Switchboard Operator Frank Leigh - English Eddie Mitchell Lewis Robert Middlemass - Sergeant Jack Norton - Hotel Manager Robert E. O'Connor - Gendarme Leonard Penn Jean Perry - Gendarme Lillian Rich - Telephone Operator William Royle - Burly Detective Harry Tyler Jacques Vanaire Pierre Watkin - Mr. Carter Ian Wolfe - A. LeMarchand
Author: foxter65
Keywords: Arsene Lupin Returns - Original Trailer
Added: December 1, 2008
Hotel Galvez Holiday Tree Lighting
Dulcimer Rex Stanley performs in Music Room at Hotel Galvez during Holiday Tree Lighting on Nov. 28, 2009.
Author: GalvestonHotels
Keywords: Galveston Hotel Galvez Holiday Events Texas hotels historic vacations
Added: November 30, 2008
Habbo AU Christmas 2008
Here is a music video I have made. It took about 1 month to complete it. Special thanks to all my friends who have participated in this video. I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! :)
Author: stanley26a
Keywords: Habbo AU Christmas 2008 December Xmas Hotel Sulake Australia jegoscar
Added: November 29, 2008