By: Tony Brewer | Gilbert, Arizona

My first impression upon exiting Mule Mountain Tunnel toward Bisbee was that I had passed through some strange vortex and been deposited in the land that time forgot. It was late 2009 and my wife and I were riding motorcycles to Bisbee for the first time, accompanied by my friend that had just returned from Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. After parking the bikes, we walked the streets, fascinated by both the history and uniqueness we were witnessing. To quell our hunger we ambled in to Bisbee’s Table restaurant for a very tasty lunch. A couple hours of great food and much needed conversation left us feeling quite satisfied, so we mounted up and headed home. To say we were smitten by the charm of this quaint little town would be an understatement. It was apparent that we now had “Bisbee fever”—we were already discussing our next visit.

Fast forward a couple of years and a few Bisbee visits later. Arizona Cycle Fest was in full swing and our friends were visiting from Cape Cod and in need of some wind therapy and first hand Arizona history. We made reservations at The Bisbee Inn (Hotel La More), fired up the bikes, and headed south. Arriving around noon, we checked in and quenched our thirsts with delicious cold brews from Old Bisbee Brewing Company, then checked out the local haunts and engaged in some interesting conversation with some of the townsfolk. A tour of the Copper Queen Hotel, dinner at Santiago’s Restaurant, and some nice blues at Saint Elmo’s provided us with a satisfying evening with our friends. After saying out good nights, we settled in for some well-earned rest.

The night was quiet and uneventful and we all woke refreshed. We headed downstairs to the dining area for some hot coffee and self-serve breakfast. I grabbed an english muffin and dropped it in the toaster. Once it popped up my wife followed suit. When hers was done, our friend Mark dropped his in. He was a bit confused when the toaster wouldn’t work since we had both just used it. Being the toubleshooters we are, we gave it a once over, then followed the power cord down to the outlet. It was dangling, swinging gently back and forth. This was certainly not earthshaking, by any means. But… the outlet was abutted by the table. The power cord was pressed into the outlet by the table leg. It was technically impossible for the power plug to fall out of the outlet. Not a one of us had removed it. And none of us had left the area, we had all been standing there the whole time. I stood there staring, not liking what I was seeing one bit. Now, to say I’m a skeptic regarding the supernatural and paranormal is an understatement. But, there was objective evidence right before eyes, with three other witnesses.

So, this begs the question: is the Hotel La More haunted? Is Bisbee rumored to be a hotbed for the paranormal? The stories abound. Did we encounter what some would say was a ghost? Some would say. And we can’t argue. Would I stay there again? You betcha!