The Eerie Figueroa Hotel Hauntings
What is the cause of the eerie Figueroa Hotel hauntings? The Figueroa Hotel has a wonderful heritage of feminism, but why do people feel a sense of doom? Is it a masculine ghost who is still angry that women can vote and stay at a hotel without a man? Or is it dark spirits passing through on the way to somewhere else?
The Figueroa Hotel or the “Fig” as locals call it was financed and built by women for women at a time when single females were not allowed to stay in hotels unchaperoned. Gross! Not sure if the oppressive feeling of the hotel is scarier than the oppressive reach of the patriarchy. I'll get off my feminist soap box now.
Feminist Hotel History
The Fig was built in 1926 by the YWCA as an exclusive hostel for working women and traveling females to stay while traveling and working in LA. Women had only gained the right to vote 6 years earlier. A spirit of progressive and artistic collaboration has always been at the core of the hotel's mission. Actress Frances Farmer would have fit right in here and found some kindred spirits. The hotel just underwent a four-year renovation returning to its original Spanish Colonial 1920s style. The unique coffin-shaped pool is the only ground-level hotel pool left in downtown Los Angeles due to zoning changes.
photo by teakwood / CC 2.0
An important goal of the renovations was to retain as much of the Spanish Colonial design when the hotel was built in the 20s. The YWCA symbol can be seen throughout the Fig today as a reminder of its early days in women's rights.
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Cultural Impact of the Figueroa
Many women's organizations have used the hotel as an event venue over the years. Promoting and displaying art by female artists is a major draw for visitors. The hotel is known for its larger-than-life painted murals on the exterior facing the Staples Center (crypto.com Arena). The art displayed in the Fig is the focal point of the hotel, unlike the Los Angeles Biltmore where the hotel is the art.
photo by Another Believer / CC 4.0
Deaths at the Figueroa Hotel
There are a few documented deaths at the hotel. Unfortunately, this isn't a unique phenomenon for most hotels. Is the traumatic energy from these deaths causing the ominous dark feelings around the hotel? Or did the dark evil vibes influence and contribute to the deaths?
In April 1950, Harry Gordon got in a fender bender and confessed to the other guy that he killed his girlfriend Hallie Oswald. When the police arrived, he fully confessed and was taken into custody. Hailie Oswald was found dead in a Figueroa hotel room with a couple of creepy messages scrawled on her body. One of the messages said, “I loved her too much.” Gordon said he loved her too much and was trying to put her out of her misery. The coroner determined that she died of acute alcoholism. Gordon was institutionalized immediately because he claimed he was on his way to ending his life when he got into the accident.
In September 1951, 73-year-old Ray Bowen drowned himself in the bathtub of his hotel room. He left a note saying he was sorry and didn't want anyone to be burdened with him. I couldn't find much else about him, but maybe he had been diagnosed with a debilitating disease and felt helpless.
Two additional deaths were reported in the LA Times from people falling or jumping from the fire escape on the west side of the hotel and landing on the patio. Neither left noes but both deaths were ruled suicides.
The Eerie Hauntings
However many sources have said they felt an ominous or demonic vibe at the hotel. Some even compare the feeling to the Cecil Hotel. I refuse to believe that a hotel with this brilliant grassroots community could feed a negative and oppressive energy. Could it be that the recent renovations have attracted or released evil spirits? Some say the bad feelings have increased since the renovations. Maybe they feel threatened by the increased collaborative and female-centric atmosphere.
The hotel hasn't been tied to famous ghosts like Marilyn or Valentino, but it still has a true crime connection. When Elizabeth Short first came to LA she rented a room at the Fig, but there is no info tying the hotel to her murder. Maybe the evil energy from her murderer is lingering at the hotel, because he didn't like women and a hotel that celebrates women may make him angry.
The spirit of a guest who took their own life is said to wander the halls. Some guests have reported hearing strange noises from the room where the suicide took place, but I couldn't find the room number in my research.
The elevator moves between floors without anyone calling it. Televisions and small appliances turn on by themselves and won't turn off. Phantom footsteps can be heard strolling down the halls. Other eerie sounds are heard throughout the hotel that don't have an explanation.
Maybe the coffin-shaped pool has something to do with the eerie feelings people have or the fact that people have died on the patio. Rumor says that the pool was built in the shape of a coffin to bury the patriarchy. I like that theory.
Staying at the FIg
The Fig is a 4-minute walk from the Staples Center (now known as the crypto.com Arena), LA Live, and the LA Convention Center. There are many dining choices close by and also at the hotel. The area around the hotel can be rough so be aware of your surroundings and stay in groups if you can (says the girl who travels by herself).
The hotel is popular for Grammy after parties. Also if you don't want to be kept up all night by partiers, request a room on the opposite side of the hotel from the pool. Poolside parties can run very late!
There are many rooms and suites to choose from when booking. The Casablanca suite has a secret passageway to a reservation-only cocktail lounge through a bookcase similar to the Cinegrill entrance at the Roosevelt Hotel.
Touring the Eerie Figueroa
Exploring the Figueroa halls is like taking a tour of feminism. You will find many historical photos of epic women throughout the hotel's history. Also, see how many of the YWCA symbols you can spot.
You can take a self-guided walking tour of Figueroa Avenue and learn about several beautiful buildings in the area. Not far away is the haunted Barclay Hotel an older and more sinister version of the Cecil Hotel.
No matter the cause of the eerie vibes, the Figueroa Hotel is a great example of what can be accomplished when a group of like-minded people work toward a common goal. It would be a good idea for a group of ladies to get together at the Fig and do an in-depth paranormal investigation and report their findings to the world.
Have you visited the Figueroa Hotel or another haunted LA location? I would love to hear your story. Drop me a message! And don't forget to subscribe to the Spooky Traveling newsletter to stay up to date on the latest dark adventure. And always stay weird, Spooky friend!
