The Equitable Building

The Equitable Building was constructed in 1892 by the Equitable Life Assurance Society, one of America's largest life insurance companies. The building was designed by the architectural firm of Andrews, Jaques & Rantoul and represented cutting-edge safety technology for its time.

In the 1890s, "fireproof" construction was a major selling point for office buildings. The great Chicago fire of 1871 was still fresh in people's minds, and cities across America were implementing new building codes to prevent similar catastrophes. The Equitable Building was designed to be as safe as engineering knowledge of the time could make it.

The building featured:

• Fireproof steel and masonry construction
• Multiple stairways for emergency evacuation
• Modern elevators with safety features
• Electric lighting throughout
• Advanced ventilation systems
• Fire-resistant materials

These safety features were prominently advertised to attract prestigious tenants. The building filled quickly with law firms, insurance companies, investment firms, and other businesses that wanted the prestige and security of a modern, safe office building.

The Equitable Building became a hub of Denver's business community. Deals were struck in its offices. Legal cases were argued and settled. Fortunes were made and lost. The building witnessed all the drama of Denver's explosive growth from frontier town to major American city.

In 1918, the Equitable Building was the scene of one of Denver's most sensational crimes - a murder-suicide driven by jealousy and passion that shocked the city and left spiritual residue that paranormal investigators claim persists to this day.

The exact details vary depending on the source, but the essential story involves a love triangle. A successful businessman maintained an office in the Equitable Building where he conducted an affair with a woman who worked as a secretary or assistant. When the woman attempted to end the relationship or when the man discovered she was seeing someone else (accounts differ), he flew into a jealous rage.

One evening, the man confronted the woman in the office. Witnesses in nearby offices heard raised voices, then a gunshot. The man had shot the woman, killing her. Realizing what he had done and facing the consequences, he then turned the gun on himself.

The double tragedy was discovered the next morning by cleaning staff. The scandal dominated Denver newspapers for weeks. But beyond the headlines and the criminal investigation, something darker remained. Almost immediately, workers in that section of the building began reporting strange occurrences - sounds of arguing coming from the office where the murder occurred, even when it stood empty. The smell of gunpowder with no source. And most disturbing, apparitions of both the man and the woman, seeming to replay their final, fatal confrontation.

Another tragedy that left its mark on the building occurred in the 1930s or 1940s (exact dates are difficult to confirm). A janitor working late one night was servicing or repairing something in the building's central shaft - the vertical space through which elevators traveled and various utility lines ran.

Exactly what happened remains unclear, but the janitor lost his balance or his footing and fell multiple floors down the shaft, landing in the basement. His body was discovered the next morning. The fall would have been terrifying - several seconds of falling, knowing death was coming, unable to do anything to stop it.

After this tragedy, people working late in the building began reporting the sound of a man screaming - a horrible, terrified scream that seemed to come from the elevator shaft. The sound would last for several seconds then abruptly cut off, as if the person screaming had suddenly been silenced. Night security guards and late-working office staff found the phenomenon so disturbing that many refused to work alone in the building after hours.

Maintenance workers who must access the shaft area report an overwhelming sense of dread and the feeling that someone is about to fall or push them. Some have felt hands on their backs when no one was behind them, as if an invisible force was trying to push them over the edge.

Like most old office buildings, the Equitable has witnessed other deaths over its long history - people who died of heart attacks at their desks, suicides who jumped from windows or hung themselves in offices, and various accidents. Each tragedy added to the building's psychic atmosphere.

The 1918 flu pandemic that killed millions worldwide also struck Denver hard. Some workers in the Equitable Building contracted the flu and died, either at their desks or shortly after being sent home. During Prohibition, the building's basement and hidden spaces were allegedly used for illegal alcohol storage, and stories circulate of violent encounters between bootleggers.

The cumulative effect of over a century of human activity - including violence, tragedy, and death - has created what paranormal researchers call a "spiritually active" location, where the barriers between the past and present seem unusually thin.

The Equitable Building is considered one of downtown Denver's most actively haunted locations, with phenomena reported consistently over many decades by numerous independent witnesses.

The spirits most frequently encountered in the Equitable Building are believed to be the woman murdered in 1918 and the man who killed her:

The Woman's Ghost: She appears most often in the upper floors where the murder occurred, though sightings have been reported throughout the building:

• A woman in early 20th-century clothing seen walking through walls where doors once existed
• The sound of a woman crying or pleading
• The scent of period perfume in offices that have been empty for hours
• A sense of sadness or fear that overcomes people in certain areas
• Witnesses report seeing her face - young, frightened, confused - appear briefly before vanishing

The Killer's Spirit: Less frequently seen but more menacing:

• A male figure in a dark suit, often described as agitated or angry
• The sense of a hostile male presence, particularly felt by women working late
• The sound of heavy footsteps pacing back and forth
• Doors slamming with considerable force when no one is nearby
• Some witnesses report seeing a man standing in corners or at the ends of hallways, watching, before fading away

The Eternal Argument: Most disturbing are reports of the murder being replayed as a residual haunting:

• The sound of a man and woman arguing, voices raised in anger
• A woman's scream
• The sound of a gunshot
• Then silence, heavy and oppressive
• These sounds are reported to come from empty offices or storage areas, particularly late at night or early in the morning

The spirit of the janitor who fell to his death manifests primarily through sound, though some people claim to have seen his apparition:

The Scream: The most common manifestation is the sound of a man screaming in terror - a sound that seems to come from the elevator shaft and lasts several seconds before abruptly cutting off. This phenomenon is reported by:

• Night security guards making their rounds
• Cleaning staff working after hours
• Workers staying late in their offices
• Building maintenance personnel

Witnesses consistently describe the scream as absolutely terrifying - a sound of pure fear from someone who knows they're about to die.

The Apparition: Less frequently, people report seeing a man in work clothes near the elevator shaft:

• He appears to be working on something, using tools
• He seems unaware of modern observers
• Suddenly, he appears to lose his balance
• Witnesses report seeing him fall backward or forward toward the shaft
• Then he vanishes

Some witnesses report that just before his apparition appears or the scream is heard, they feel a cold wind or draft, as if a door to the shaft has opened.

The Push: Most disturbing are reports from maintenance workers who must access the shaft area. Several have reported feeling hands on their backs, pushing them, when no one was behind them. This phenomenon is so well-known among building maintenance staff that many refuse to work near the shaft alone.

Beyond the specific spirits, the Equitable Building experiences widespread paranormal activity:

Elevator Anomalies:

• Elevators calling themselves to floors where no one pushed the button
• Elevator doors opening and closing on empty cars
• Lights in elevators flickering or going out entirely
• Elevators stopping between floors without mechanical cause
• The sensation of someone else being in the elevator when riding alone

Shadow Figures:

• Dark, human-shaped shadows seen moving through hallways
• Shadow figures that appear to walk through walls
• Shadows that seem to watch workers from doorways or corners
• Shadow figures that disappear when approached or when lights are turned on

Door Activity:

• Locked doors found mysteriously unlocked in the morning
• Doors locking themselves when people are inside rooms
• The sound of doors opening and closing when hallways are empty
• Door handles turning on their own

Cold Spots and Temperature Anomalies:

• Sudden drops in temperature in specific locations
• Cold spots that move through hallways as if something is passing through
• Certain offices or corridors that are inexplicably colder than surrounding areas
• Workers feeling cold breath on their necks when alone

Electronic Disturbances:

• Computers turning on and off without explanation
• Lights flickering in patterns that don't match electrical problems
• Phones ringing with no one on the line
• Security systems triggering with no visible cause

The Feeling of Being Watched:

• Workers report an overwhelming sensation of being observed
• The feeling is strongest in certain offices and in stairwells
• Many people report feeling uncomfortable or anxious in specific areas
• Some workers avoid certain parts of the building entirely