The phantom that dwells in the Tread of Pioneers

Local Lore>Ghosts of the Yampa Valley>Tread of Pioneers Phantom

No self-respecting museum would be complete without a ghost. The phantom that dwells among the artifacts at the Tread of Pioneers Museum seems to have a curiosity about change and makes visits either day or night. Three of the ghostly events have happened during the daylight hours: there might be the opportunity for many more night time calls, but seldom is anyone in the museum working alone during those hours of darkness. In all of the ghostly encounters, there has been one person working to cause some type of change to the physical appearance of a room. And in each of the visits, the ghost just seems to be checking out the disturbance of change.

Written by Jayne Hill

The Morning Visitor
The Vacuum Cleaner Story
The Footsteps
The Night Visitor
Would you like to meet the Ghost?

The Morning Visitor

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One bright summer morning, I was the only other person in the museum besides the director who was working in her upstairs office. Deeply engrossed in hanging a display to tell our visitors about the life of Doc Utterback, I was working with several small pictures and items. It was necessary to figure out placement, hang the item, and then be sure everything was level and secure.

I was focused on that wall, and paying little attention to the area around me. I was aware, however, that somebody or something entered the room, paused in the corner, then continued down the connecting hallway to the main gallery. Thinking it was the museum director just passing through and checking my progress, I did not speak or turn for a direct look. I was only aware of a gray shadow and something sharing my space in the small area.

Less than 10 minutes later, the door opened behind me, and the museum director entered. Startled, I asked her how she had come in that door after passing behind me to the main gallery just minutes before. She said she had not been at the museum for the last hour, but had left by the front door to attend a meeting at the Arts Council Depot and was just returning by the back door. Together we searched the main gallery and adjacent house, but found no trace of anyone else in the buildings.

Back hallway at the Museum [Click here to view full size picture]

The Vacuum Cleaner Story

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A couple of years ago, a volunteer was doing in depth cleaning in an upstairs room of the main museum house. He was dusting and rearranging artifacts that were being used to tell the story of the Native Americans in the West. After carefully completing the display, the helper brought the vacuum to clean the floor. Although the vacuum is used routinely in that area for regular cleaning without problems, it would not operate properly in the newly arranged room. It was not as though there was a short in the electrical system, but more as if someone else was operating the machine. Every time the worker switched the vacuum on, something switched it off.
The volunteer paused to study the strange behavior of the machine, then felt the strong presence of someone watching him in the room. Looking around, and seeing no one, he tried again, but the machine would not operate. With goosebumps of fear, he hurriedly left the room, and did not return. The vacuum is still being used to clean the museum, and has not produced the same unpredictable operation since.

The Footsteps

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More recently, one of the staff members was putting up a new exhibit in our Foundations of Steamboat room in the same upstairs area of the old house. This room houses changing displays that honor families who have had an influence on the history of Steamboat Springs. As the curator hammered away hanging pictures and documents, she heard very distinct footsteps coming up the adjoining staircase. The steps came to the top of the stairs, and she anticipated someone entering the room to talk to her. Instead she only felt the presence of something in the room watching her. Quickly, she left the room and exited downstairs. She brought another staff member upstairs with her, but there was no one else on that level of the house

The Night Visitor

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The only night time encounter with the museum poltergeist was by a painter working late to complete a redo of the same upstairs area. It was nearly 11:00 p.m., and the painter had been alone in the museum for several hours. He was nearly finished with the job when he heard someone coming up the stairs. Each step was clearly audible and coming closer. The painter called out, but no answer. Again he called, and then with the hair standing straight out on his neck, he made a run for the stairs, willing to confront what ever was using the same entry. The next morning, the museum director came to work and went to check on the newly painted area. There she found a ladder, paint tray, roller and brush--- and a nearly completed paint job. She called the painter, asking why the job had been abandoned. He told her his story, and said he would not be back to finish the last wall. He did not want to enter the house, even to retrieve his ladder. He has not been a visitor at the museum since.

Would you like to meet the Ghost?

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If you would like to meet the museum ghost, it can probably be arranged. It would be best if it was a night visit, and you must come alone. Of course, you will need to wear your work clothes, because the phantom seems to only want to observe as you make changes and improvements in the museum.

Utterback House on a gray day [Click here to view full size picture]