Do you believe in ghosts? The question is always a hot topic this time of year, but I for one firmly believe in ghosts. I’ve made a habit of seeking out the paranormal, and I’ve done my share of spooky ghost tours, but of all the haunts I’ve seen, few have struck me as much as Mary Reed Hall.
Most people on this campus are no strangers to the fact that Mary Reed is haunted. It’s a common topic on campus tours, and anyone who’s been in the Renaissance Room as the sun sets has felt Mary’s eyes eerily following you across the room. But the story behind why the building is haunted isn’t nearly as popular.
Mary Reed was one of Denver’s most important philanthropists and a dedicated academic. After her husband’s death, she donated most of her fortune, part of which went to DU. Her daughter, Margery Reed, died a mysterious and sudden death in 1925, supposedly from an illness contracted on her travels to Peru. But some say her death was no accident, pointing the finger at her husband who stood to gain a lot from Margery’s death.
As a memorial to her daughter, Mary Reed built the Margery Reed building, and soon after her own. Now students and custodial staff report strange happenings in the building. Books flying off shelves, lights turning on and off, doors opening and closing of their own accord and even the occasional spotting of a female figure in the Renaissance or Du Pont rooms.
I myself have been haunted by Mary. I made the mistake of staying in the Renaissance Room after dark once, and felt the eyes of her portrait follow me as the sun set. I was alone in the room, and suddenly overcome by this overwhelming urge to leave. As I was walking out of the door I felt a pressure on my back physically push me out of the room and I booked it down the stairs and out the door.
As much as eyewitness testimony and the sheer volume of reports might suggest that the building is haunted, they don’t amount to true evidence. Oh but now there’s more than just stories, now I have proof!
Last year I took a trip to the Stanley Hotel, one of the most haunted spots in America and the setting for “The Shining.”While there I went on a ghost tour, and during it they taught us how to spot ghosts in photos.
There is something called ‘orbs’ that appear in photos when a spirit is near. This phenomenon extends past the Stanley tour, and are inexplicable balls of light that appear without any explanation. No camera flare, no dust particle reflection, just a ball of light right in the middle of a photo.
In researching this piece I came across an article about ghost hunting in Mary Reed by a former Clarion writer, and what do you know: right in the first photo is an orb!
If you can’t spot it, I’ll zoom in.
There you have it! This pale yellow ball of energy is all the proof you need that ghosts exist, and they’re right under our noses.
Take a look at your photos around campus or in other haunted spots. You’ll be sure to see more orbs like this, though they’re often green. If you have live photos you can even see them move around.
So when that autumn wind on campus feels just a little too cold, and a chill runs down your spine, look up to the tower, it’s just the Reeds saying hello.
