Gila County Jail, Globe
Diving into the history of the Gila County Jail, located in the heart of Globe, Arizona, allows one to uncover many eerie and supernatural stories. The town was founded in 1876 after the discovery of copper, making it a popular destination for fortune seekers. Unfortunately, the town was also notorious for robberies, outlaws, murders, and raids, ultimately making it a dangerous place to live.
As a result of rapid growth, a combined courthouse and jail were built in 1882, but it quickly became too small to hold the growing number of prisoners. By 1907, a second jail and courthouse were built, but the jail was once again too small. In 1910 the jail was again rebuilt and then connected to the courthouse by a bridge, infamously named the Bridge of Sighs.
The Gila County Jail and Courthouse stayed open until 1976 when newer buildings were opened across town. Its history is filled with chilling stories, so it’s no wonder that the Gila County Jail has sparked numerous paranormal investigations over the years.
Haunting of the Gila County Jail
The Gila County Jail has a reputation for being one of the most haunted locations in Arizona. Visitors have reported being attacked by unseen forces and have witnessed an array of ghostly activity. The jail is believed to be haunted by male, female and even child spirits.
Witnesses have heard strange sounds, voices, and experienced cold spots in different areas of the jail. Some visitors have reported seeing full-bodied apparitions on the catwalk joining the buildings, also known as the Bridge of Sighs, where two men tragically jumped to their deaths. Others have reported hearing a woman singing in the jail and feeling the presence of a menacing entity. Shadow figures have also been spotted, along with the sound of keys jingling, and some have even been groped in empty cells, adding to the eerie and spine-chilling atmosphere.
Although the Gila County Jail is an extremely paranormally active location, it’s best known ghost story relates to that of Kingsley Olds. In 1911, Olds was accused of killing two young girls, Lulu and Myrtle Goswick, by drowning them in the river. Following this incident, Olds shot himself in the chin. Some claim this action was to make it appear as though the group was attacked by an outsider and show that Olds was not the killer. While others feel that Olds was in fact innocent and perhaps attempted suicide out of guilt over what had occurred.
Olds was arrested, placed inside the Gila County Jail and had his wounds tended to while he awaited his trial. However, while in jail, he was visited by the spirits of the little girls. According to his nurse, he saw the girls standing outside his cell, trying to beckon him to follow them into death. The following night an unknown male entered the neighboring courthouse and shot Olds dead through a window. While no body knows who the killer actually was, many speculate the it was likely a revenge murder by the Goswick Girl’s father.
The murder of Kingsley Olds and the exact cause of the Goswick Girl’s deaths remains unsolved to this day. Yet many speculate both Olds and the young girls have remained in spirit at the Gila County Jail, only to contribute the many eerie tales surrounding this haunted location.
Visiting the Haunted Gila County Jail
The Gila County Jail is a place rich in local history, yet also ghostly folklore. It is also an incredible place to investigate and can be booked for overnight events.
If you enjoyed this article, you might also like to read about another incredibly haunted jail in the USA, the West Virginia Penitentiary.
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