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Tucked away in the quiet suburb of Bothell, Washington is an unexpected gem with a storied past and a curious energy that has drawn locals and travelers alike. McMenamins Anderson School isn’t your average hotel—it’s a 1930s-era former junior high school transformed into a vibrant, art-filled resort with a restaurant, brewery, movie theater, tiki bar, and even a saltwater pool. But beneath its playful ambiance lies a history that is anything but ordinary. Paranormal enthusiasts and history buffs alike will find much to uncover within its ivy-covered walls. Whether you’re here for the craft beer or trying to make contact with spirits of another kind, McMenamins Anderson School welcomes you to explore its classrooms filled with echoes from the past.
The History
From Hallways to Hospitality: The Origins
Before it became an eclectic retreat, McMenamins Anderson School functioned as an educational cornerstone in Bothell. Constructed in 1931, Bothell Junior High was renamed Anderson School in 1956 to honor Principal Wilbert A. “Andy” Anderson, who spent decades dedicating his career to education and community service. For nearly 70 years, the school served generations of students with chalk-dusted blackboards, bell schedules, and time-honored traditions. It wasn’t until 2009 that the building was officially closed by the Northshore School District due to modernization needs.
While the school itself fell silent, the building was far from forgotten. Locals fondly remembered school dances in the gym, science fairs in the classrooms, and plays in the auditorium. The halls may have emptied, but memories lingered like a residual hum. The historical charm and community admiration eventually made the location a perfect candidate for reinvention by McMenamins, a Pacific Northwest company known for revitalizing historic properties with a quirky, folkloric twist.
The McMenamins Renovation
In 2015, McMenamins breathed new life into the Anderson School, a resurrection that was part homage and part artistic reimagining. True to form, they preserved as much of the original structure as possible—keeping the classic brick facade, tall classroom windows, and long hallways intact. In place of desks and blackboards, you’ll now find rich murals on the walls celebrating local legends, odd historical tidbits, and yes, a few ghostly figures.
The old principal’s office became a guest room. The chemistry lab turned into a pub. The school cafeteria? Now a high-end restaurant serving scratch-made meals and locally brewed ales. Despite the upgrades, a sense of nostalgia permeates the building, giving curious visitors the feeling that they’ve stepped back in time… but perhaps with a few unregistered lingering presences still attending after hours.
The Haunt
While McMenamins doesn’t officially label Anderson School as haunted, the rumors persist—and grow—among guests, staff, and paranormal investigators. As with many historic buildings, especially those with past lives as schools or hospitals, energy tends to imprint on the structure. McMenamins Anderson School is no exception. Many who stay overnight or attend events here report strange happenings that defy conventional explanation.
Unseen Students and Staff
Several guests have reported hearing footsteps echoing in empty halls late at night—despite being the only ones on that floor. More than one employee has mentioned the creak of opening and closing doors long after the last guest has checked in. A common story involves hearing lockers slam or voices softly murmuring in what used to be the main hallway, even though the lockers have long since been removed.
The Principal’s Shadow
One of the most well-known eerie encounters centers around the room once used as the principal’s office—now cleverly converted into the “Principal’s Office Bar.” Staff members have seen the shadow of a man pacing back and forth during closed hours, typically between 2:00 and 3:00 a.m. Paranormal investigators who’ve visited the space often report unusually high EMF readings and record strange audio phenomena—whispers, sighs, even the occasional gruff command telling intruders to “Get back to class.”
Disembodied Music and Phantom Applause
In the auditorium, guests have claimed to hear faint piano melodies and applause when no event is scheduled. The old stage, now restored and used for live performances, seems to hold remnants of shows from the past. One local theater group recounts hearing a woman humming backstage, only to find no one there. And this is not an isolated occurrence—the melody is consistent, always in the same key, and appears to come from thin air.
Room 215: The Hotspot
Of all the guest rooms, Room 215 has attracted the most attention from ghost hunters. Visitors frequently report lights flickering and inexplicable cold spots, even during the warmer summer months. Some have claimed the sensation of being watched or waking up to see a shadowy figure standing at the foot of the bed. Though no confirmed history of tragedy exists in that room, intuitives and psychic mediums visiting the hotel often identify it as a spiritual “crossroads.”
Spirit Communication and Investigations
Though McMenamins Anderson School is actively in use and bookings remain steady year-round, it has quietly garnered a place on the list of Washington’s most curious haunted locations. Independent paranormal investigation teams have hosted overnight EVP sessions and spirit box experiments in various wings of the hotel, always with intriguing results. McMenamins staff remain respectfully mum on the topic, neither confirming nor denying the unexplained events, but they do smile knowingly when asked if “anything creepy ever happens here.”
Conclusion: A Paranormal Class in Session
If you’re a paranormal investigator or just ghost-curious, McMenamins Anderson School offers the rare combination of historic preservation, artistic whimsy, and spectral mystery. Its rich past as a 1930s school and thoughtful transformation into a boutique hotel provides the perfect setting to connect with energies of days gone by. Whether you’re ordering a pint in the Principal’s Office Bar or quietly exploring the echoes in the auditorium, something here wants to be remembered.
The best part? You don’t have to rough it in order to ghost hunt. Book your stay in Room 215 (if you’re brave enough), bring your EMF reader and spirit box, and prepare for an unforgettable spiritual field trip. And even if you don’t meet a ghost… the beer’s pretty great too.
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