The Rise And Fall Of LA’s Real Ghost Chasers

March 6, 2014 3:11 AM

Historic buildings, in particular those forlorn and neglected like the Aztec, have long attracted ghost hunters. On a stretch of road that was once the famous Route 66 in Monrovia, California, a small bedroom community 10 miles outside of Los Angeles, lies a mostly forgotten historic landmark: the Aztec Hotel. It’s known for its beautiful, Mayan-revival façade, an intricate layering of stucco and paint designed by Frank Lloyd Wright’s contemporary, Robert Stacy-Judd. But since its opening in 1925, its fortunes have declined steadily: first Route 66 was rerouted, then made obsolete altogether by the interstate freeway system, leaving the Aztec a roadside attraction without much of a roadside. What followed were years of neglect and mismanagement as it became home to junkies and prostitutes and the colors of its edifice gradually faded. Historic buildings, in particular those forlorn and neglected like the Aztec, have long attracted ghost hunters. Derelict but still standing, both alive and dead, they themselves seem ghosts, and paranormal stories ooze from the creaking doors, the echoing hallways, the dim corners and the cold spots. Some ghost hunters come to these places out of a sincere love of history, for the architectural legacy of the past and a genuine curiosity surrounding the paranormal. But others are looking for something else entirely: a good scare, perhaps, or notoriety. For years the Aztec had stood by itself against the strip malls and gas stations, holding darkness within. But then the ghost hunters found it.
posted by Webblogger (1 comment total)

Is there some actual content hidden somewhere in that link? I think you have copied and pasted the entire page.

Or is this just spam?
posted by pracowity at 3:17 AM on March 6, 2014 [1 favorite]