The Copper Queen Hotel

Posted: 04.15.2021 | Updated: 10.10.2025

We come to you again from the border town of Bisbee, Arizona. This time it’s the Copper Queen Hotel that haunts us. Constructed in 1902, the Copper Queen is Arizona’s longest continuously operated hotel. With over 100 years of history, the hotel has picked up some ghostly guests along the way.

The Phelps Dodge Mining Company originally built the Copper Queen Hotel to host potential investors for its nearby copper mine. The 48-room hotel has a restaurant and saloon, and no two rooms are the same.

Keep reading to uncover the dark secrets of the haunted Copper Queen Hotel. And when you are ready to discover Arizona ghost stories for yourself, book a Phoenix ghost tour and enjoy the adventure!

Who Haunts the Copper Queen Hotel?

Ghost experts have determined that least three ghosts live in the hotel.

• A former sex worker named Julia, most often seen on the second and third floors, who attempts to seduce male guests
• A young boy named Billy who drowned in the nearby San Pedro River, sometimes heard giggling or crying
• An older bearded man with a top hat and black cape, often accompanied by a smoky aroma

Though three ghosts have been confirmed to live in the Copper Queen Hotel, some say that there may be as many as sixteen ghosts roaming around the building.

History of the Copper Queen Hotel

Founded in 1834, the Phelps Dodge Mining Company was one of the major mining companies in the US. It remained so until their acquisition in 2007. They also operated the spooky Jerome Grand Hotel while it was still a hospital. The company did much of their business in Arizona, headquartered in Bisbee until 1961.

At the turn of the 20th century, they needed a place to put up their prospective investors. So they began building the Copper Queen Hotel in 1898. Completed in 1902, the hotel originally had 73 rooms, with one bathroom on each floor.

Two-foot-thick walls kept the hotel cool during the summer. Though the Phelps Dodge Corporation originally built the hotel for guests they invited to Bisbee, it eventually became a hotspot for sightseers and travelers. A fun-loving culture evolved around the hotel, with weddings, gatherings, and parties being commonplace.

Over the years, the Copper Queen saw some major changes. During the first renovation, each room was given its own private bath. This lowered the number of rooms from 73 to 48. A grand swimming pool replaced the original parking lot. The hotel became more luxurious: a destination rather than simply a stopover.

Big names like Marlo Brando, John Wayne, Julia Roberts, and Harry Houdini have all found comfort in the Copper Queen Hotel. But many guests found something entirely different.

Ghosts of the Copper Queen

The Copper Queen Hotel doesn’t hide its haunted past. On the contrary, it advertises its hauntings, hoping to attract thrill seekers and ghost hunters. They even have a ghost journal, where guests can record their paranormal experiences. Most guests have some sort of encounter with the supernatural, while some claim to have a relatively uneventful stay.

Julia

The most often seen entity in the Copper Queen is the ghost of Julia Lowell. She’s described as an attractive woman in her thirties who often tries to seduce men. Before her death, she was a sex worker back when prostitution was legal in Arizona.

Julia used a room on the third floor to conduct her business. She was especially fond of one of her clients, whom she eventually fell in love with. But he didn’t reciprocate the love she professed her love to him. Overcome with grief, Julia committed suicide in her hotel room.

Julia’s spirit remain at the Copper Queen Hotel. She roams the second and third floors, usually on the west side of the building. She’s known for flirting with male guests, often whispering in their ears or playing with their feet.

Guests have also seen her dancing at the base of the staircase. The room where she would take her clients is now called the Julia Lowell Room.

Billy

Billy was the son of a hotel worker who would always play in the halls and dining room with the other children. When Billy was about eight years old, he went for a swim in the San Pedro River. The strong current took Billy downstream. The force of the current proved too much for young Billy, and he drowned as he struggled to get back to shore. His death was one of the bigger tragedies at the Copper Queen Hotel, as he was loved by the hotel staff.

Billy’s spirit never left. His apparition appears playing in the hotel lobby, just as he would when he was alive. Only children can see Billy’s spirit, but adults can soemtimes hear his laughter as well as the pitter-patter of invisible feet. Children of guests talk to and play with an invisible child. Some have “introduced” the ghost to confused parents, convinced that the child has an imaginary friend.

Billy is a mischievous ghost and plays tricks on unsuspecting guests. He likes to steal and hide their belongings. Stuffed animals, wallets, and clothing go missing, only to be found later in another part of the hotel. He also tends to move furniture around the hotel rooms when nobody is there, leaving guests confused.

One guest had her room key stolen then saw it mysteriously floating in front of her face while she rode the elevator. Other guests claim that invisible hands tap them on their lower back. But when they turn around, no one is there.

Many have heard a childish laughter after being the victim of Billy’s tricks. He does have a soft side though, as many claim to hear a boy crying near the sound of running water, as if being reminded of his tragic death in the San Pedro River.

The Bearded Man and Other Ghosts

One ghost in particular remains rather low-key, but his presence is still felt by quite a few guests. The spirit of an unnamed bearded man in a black cape and tophat is often seen hanging around the fourth floor. Guests say that he’s always smoking a cigar, and his presence is accompanied by the smell of cigarette smoke.

His intimidating appearance tends to startle the guests, but he means no harm. He usually appears in shadowy areas around the fourth floor, scaring guests when they catch a glimpse, especially when he suddenly appears inside one of the guest rooms.

Though the Copper Queen Hotel has three known ghosts, paranormal experts and investigators say that there may be up to 16 different entities in the building. Many of the supernatural experiences may be falsely attributed to Julia and Billy, when in fact, another ghost is to blame. Guests claim that many of their encounters did not fit the description of the three known ghosts.

Doors shaking or slamming shut, phantom phone calls, and pictures thrown off the walls are not occurrences that can be attributed to any ghost in particular. Multiple guests claim to have had their electronics suddenly malfunction, with cameras and cell phones being the ghost’s main targets.

Haunted Arizona

The Copper Queen may very well be one of the most haunted hotels in Arizona. It’s certainly become part of the areas haunted lore. But there are so many more phantom-filled locations waiting to be explored.

Feeling brave enough to visit haunted places in Arizona in person? Book a Phoenix ghost tour today with Phoenix Ghosts… if you dare!

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Sources:

• https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/copper-queen-hotel/
• https://phoenixghosts.com/jerome-grand-hotel/
• https://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/23/us/23bisbee.html
• https://paranormallegacy.com/the-history-of-the-copper-queen-hotel/
• https://www.hauntedrooms.com/arizona/haunted-places/haunted-hotels/copper-queen-hotel-bisbee