Asheville is a beautiful and vibrant mountain city in North Carolina, offering plenty to see and do. The area boasts several attractions and numerous paranormal hotspots for thrill seekers who want to zipline through the gorge, sightsee, dine, and add a little spice with some spooky fun after a busy day exploring the city.
Speaking of haunts, why not visit the old Battery Park Hotel? The building is an apartment complex for senior citizens, but it used to be a hotel. We are bumping into one historic landmark after the next on our trip through Haunted Asheville. What was the hotel known for, you may ask? It had a nickname: The Murder Hotel.
Helen Clevenger, 19, was a guest at the hotel along with her Uncle William. On July 17th, 1936, William called his niece to leave her room for breakfast, but was met with complete silence. He went and grabbed the hotel staff to check on Helen, finding her lifeless body on the floor. Nobody heard any signs of struggle because there was a raging storm the night before. As police quickly looked for the suspect, the news broke out about the murder, giving the hotel the horrifying name it’s known for today.
Many believe the suspect was apprehended, while others are not so sure. Nevertheless, Martin Moore, the hotel’s bellhop, had confessed to the crime, and authorities sentenced him rather quickly. Within two years of his confession, Moore died in a gas chamber in Raleigh.
Right around the anniversary of Helen’s death, in mid-July, her room will glow an eerie red. Because of this, the Battery Hotel refused to rent her a room. But it’s not just Helen who seems to be haunting the place. The elevator, from midnight to 3 AM, will begin ascending and descending at random. The creepy part about this is that Martin Moore regularly operated on the same elevator, leading paranormal investigators to believe Martin could have been innocent after all, and now waiting patiently for the truth to come to light.
Although the former hotel is no longer open to the public, many say that in July, you can still see Helen’s room glow red from the inside if you look at her window.
Written By: Israel Petty
