St. Ignatius Hospital, one of the most notorious haunted places in the Pacific Northwest, was the ideal setting for a spooky road trip. Luckily, Mike got to tag along with The ParaNorthwest for a spooky good time. Get the scoop after the jump.

Watch The St. Ignatius Hospital Ghost Hunt Interview

St. Ignatius Hospital’s Haunted History

St. Ignatius Hospital, located in Colfax, Washington, has a rich and complex history marked by its founding, service during epidemics, and various significant events.

Founding and Early Operations

In 1892, recognizing the need for improved healthcare in the Palouse region, Reverend Jachern, a Roman Catholic priest, invited the Sisters of Charity to establish a hospital. Colfax was chosen over other towns due to its offer of free water, land, an interest-free loan of $3,000, and an additional $5,000 from the Chamber of Commerce. Construction commenced on April 17, 1893, with initial patient care provided in a temporary wooden structure on-site. The permanent brick building opened in 1894, becoming one of the first hospitals in inland Washington.

Epidemics and Medical Milestones

The hospital played a crucial role during several health crises. Notably, during the 1918 influenza pandemic, the third floor was designated for isolating and treating infectious diseases, witnessing numerous fatalities. Additionally, in February 1915, St. Ignatius performed its first cesarean section, with both mother and child recovering well.

Notable Incidents

The first recorded death at the hospital occurred in June 1893, when F.E. Martin, a railroad employee, was crushed between two rail cars and succumbed to his injuries shortly after admission.

Transition and Closure

Facing financial challenges and the inability to modernize, the Sisters of Charity closed St. Ignatius Hospital in August 1964. A new facility, Whitman Community Hospital, was constructed and dedicated in November 1968. The original building later served as an assisted living facility and care center for developmentally disabled adults until its closure in 2000 (Note: Some sources use 2003 as the closure date). The building lay abandoned until 2015.

Preservation Efforts

In 2015, St. Ignatius Hospital was added to the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation‘s “Most Endangered Places” list. Subsequently, tours were initiated to raise awareness and funds for its preservation.

While the hospital has been the subject of numerous paranormal investigations and is reputed to be haunted, these accounts are anecdotal and not part of its verifiable history, which is usually the case for haunted places.

Was St. Ignatius Hospital Ever An Asylum?

Despite what you might hear on ghost tours or see on paranormal TV, St. Ignatius Hospital was never an insane asylum, psychiatric facility, or long-term mental institution. It operated as a general hospital from its founding in 1893 until its closure in 1964. The hospital still treated patients until 1968, when it became an assisted living facility and home for developmentally disabled adults.

Like many general hospitals of the early 20th century, St. Ignatius did treat patients experiencing mental health crises. These cases were often short-term, such as individuals suffering from acute psychological distress, delirium caused by illness, or trauma-related breakdowns. In some cases, patients deemed dangerous to themselves or others may have been temporarily confined in secure or isolated rooms, and this was standard practice for hospitals at the time.

Washington State had dedicated facilities for mental health care—Eastern State Hospital near Spokane and Western State Hospital near Tacoma—where long-term patients would be referred. There is no historical record of St. Ignatius being licensed as a psychiatric institution, nor was it equipped to handle such cases over the long term. Still, it did have rooms and services dedicated to the treatment of mentally ill people.

Paranormal Activity At St. Ignatius

St. Ignatius Hospital has become a focal point for paranormal enthusiasts due to many reports of unexplained phenomena within its walls. Visitors and investigators have documented a variety of eerie experiences, including:

Apparitions and Shadow Figures

F.E. Martin’s Spirit: The hospital’s first recorded death was that of F.E. Martin, a railroad worker who died in 1893 after being crushed between two rail cars. His apparition is believed to haunt the premises.

Dark Masses: Witnesses have described encountering dark, shadowy figures, sometimes appearing as a “large, angry black mass” that reportedly rushes toward individuals, causing them to flee.

Auditory Phenomena

Disembodied Voices and Conversations: Visitors have reported hearing voices, including full conversations, in areas known to be unoccupied. For instance, site manager Valoree Gregory recounted hearing a child’s voice conversing with a woman in the former kitchen area.

Unexplained Sounds: Common reports include footsteps approaching when no one is present, doors slamming shut on their own, and sounds resembling a “stampede of people” ascending staircases.

Physical Interactions

Sensations of Touch: Some individuals have experienced being touched, pushed, or even kicked by unseen forces. Gregory mentioned feeling a distinct kick to her foot when no one else was nearby.

Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP)

Captured Audio Anomalies: Investigators have recorded EVPs, capturing unexplained voices and sounds. In one instance, a visitor recorded what sounded like a response to the question, “Rosie, are you here?” with a faint reply, “I’m here.”

Environmental Anomalies

Feelings of Unease: Certain areas, such as the fifth floor—once the nuns’ private living quarters—evoke strong feelings of discomfort and unwelcomeness among visitors.

These accounts have attracted numerous paranormal investigators and media attention, including features on television shows like “Ghost Adventures” and “Paranormal Lockdown.”

Mike & The ParaNorthwest’s Paranormal Adventures

Mike Merle (The Paranormal Roadtrippers) and ParaNorthwest (Shala, Shiann & Miles) joined Val (St. Ignatius Hospital site manager) for a tour and some dark history before their ghost hunt on March 30th.

St. Ignatius & Colfax Spooky Image Gallery

If you’re interested in taking a tour or ghost hunting at St. Ignatius, you can book it right here: https://stignatiuscolfax.com/tours/. Special thanks to Val for giving Mike and The ParaNorthwest a tour and being a great host!

1. “St. Ignatius Hospital.” Spokane Historical, Eastern Washington University, spokanehistorical.org/items/show/598. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

2. Gregory, Valoree. “Ghosts Stir Town Business.” Northwest Public Broadcasting, 31 Oct. 2024, www.nwpb.org/2024/10/31/ghosts-stir-town-business. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

3. O’Cain, Sam. “We Have Real Ghosts.” The Daily Evergreen, 25 Oct. 2022, dailyevergreen.com/144065/life/we-have-real-ghosts. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

4. “The Spirits of St. Ignatius Hospital.” Portland Ghosts, US Ghost Adventures, portlandghosts.com/the-spirits-of-st-ignatius-hospital. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

5. Clouse, Thomas. “TV Show Claims Proof of Ghosts at St. Ignatius Hospital.” The Spokesman-Review, 18 June 2019, www.spokesman.com/stories/2019/jun/18/tv-show-claims-proof-of-ghosts-at-st-ignatius-hosp. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

6. “St. Ignatius Hospital – Colfax, WA.” Haunted Rooms America, hauntedrooms.com/washington/haunted-places/st-ignatius-hospital-colfax. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

7. “St. Ignatius Hospital.” Wikipedia, 3 Apr. 2025, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Ignatius_Hospital. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

8. “St. Ignatius Hospital.” Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, preservewa.org/most_endangered/st-ignatius-hospital. Accessed 5 Apr. 2025.

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Thanks for reading Ghostly Activities, the spookiest blog in the Pacific Northwest. If you’ve had an encounter at St. Ignatius Hospital, let me know in the comments below. Take care!