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| Source: WV History on View |
*Updated October 2023*
The former Borland Springs Hotel was built by banker John Wilbur (J.W.) Grimm in 1908. Grimm, who was born in Pennsylvania on September 22, 1866, built the hotel atop a 240 acre property straddling Wood and Pleasants Counties. When opened, the inn boasted 65 guest rooms, a dining room seating 90, and ample recreational opportunities. However, it was for the healing benefits of the mineral springs that led to its popularity, and at weekly rates of $12-14, including meals, it was affordable for the majority of the population. In addition to services as a resort, Borland Springs also sold its healing spring water through mail order and local stores.
Business did well until August 16, 1918. That year, Grimm's oldest son, Frank 'Chandos' Grimm who was serving as manager of the hotel, shot and killed 24 year old John Maidens in the spring house. According to folklore, the murder allegedly was over a love triangle involving a young woman named Miss Pearson who both young men had fallen in love with. The story is told in Ruth Ann Musick's iconic collection of ghostly tales, The Tell-Tale Lilac Bush. However, in this version, the resort (referred to as Boiling Springs), was the site of not just murder, but of suicide as well. The following is that version of the story:
A man named Mr. Garrison (not Grimm) was a long-term resident of the resort, and had fallen in love with one of the workers, a lady named Miss Peters (not Miss Pearson). Miss Peters, who was kind to Mr. Garrison, unfortunately did not feel the same way about him. One day a man named Martin (not John Maidens) came along to stay at the resort, and he and Miss Peters quickly fell in love. Martin proposed marriage, and Miss Peters accepted.
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| Death Certificate of John Maidens |
However, newspaper articles from the time period give a different (and more factual) version of the events that transpired. It seems as if there were several young women enjoying the spring house, when John Maidens and a companion joined them, and began acting in a 'boisterous manner.' Another Grimm family member and employee, Morris Grimm, went to talk with the lads and tell them to stop, which obviously didn't go over too well. When Chandos heard about the altercation, he grabbed his gun and headed out to clear things up once and for all. A brawl ensued, and Maidens struck Chandos. As Maidens went in for a second punch, Chandos pulled the gun out and shot him dead. It is said that in the spring house, which often hosted dances and other social events, the blood stain of Mr. Maidens remained for years.
Chandos was originally arrested and tried on murder charges, and plead not guilty by reason of self defense. By April of 1919, the murder charge was changed to a charge of involuntary manslaughter. Chandos plead guilty and was ordered to pay a fine of $500.
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| The Baltimore Sun 23 August 1918 |
Shortly after the murder, guests began to report strange noises and other odd happenings around the hotel. Business also took a turn for the worse, and finally, Grimm sold the hotel in 1932 to C.T. Leavitt, a local from Parkersburg. Leavitt did extensive restorations on the declining hotel, including redoing the blood-stained spring house. He reopened the resort in 1934, and operated it until 1938. Hard times required the hotel to temporarily shut down, reopening in 1940-1941, when it was shut down permanently.
By the early 1950s, the former hotel served as a massive chicken coop before burning to the ground in 1967. Today, the property sits outside of the Mountwood Park campgrounds, and is still rumored to be haunted. Did the spirit of John Maidens "curse" the once prosperous hotel, now doomed to walk the property for an eternity, or does the spirit of former owner, J.W. Grimm (who died in 1955 at nearby Camden Clark Hospital) show up to express his displeasure at the fate of his former resort?
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| The Washington Post 30 April 1919 |
*Further information for this blog post was found in the book, The Borland Springs Hotel, by Michael Naylor, published 2004.*
*Theresa's Note: I found out a couple of years ago that this blog entry was used as part of an educational curriculum offered to local schools by Fairmont State's Frank and Jane Gabor WV Folklore Center! My blog post is compared to the original story found in the Tell-Tale Lilac Bush and students are asked questions, comparing and contrasting the original folklore version to an 'updated' version of events. If you're a teacher or a homes schooling parent, definitely look into Ruth Ann Musick's Trunk of Tales Project!*
im a local in parkersburg me and a couple of friends would like to see the site of this old hotel could someone give us directions???
ReplyDeleteare you still on this address? if so, let me know
DeleteI'm not familiar with the area, and the most recent literature I have on the subject is the 2004 Borland Springs Hotel book by Michael Naylor. According to the book:
ReplyDelete"Site: All that remains of the Borland Springs Hotel are parts of the foundation, a concrete walk, an old cistern, steps to the Spring House, and the cables that once held the suspension foot bridge over Bull Creek. The Hotel was destroyed by arson in 1967. There are no markers.
Directions: Take U.S. Route 50 east from Parkersburg, WV for approximately 10 miles. After passing the "Mount Wood Park" exit sign on the right, take the "Borland Springs" exit, the next exit on the left. Proceed for approximately three miles on Campbell's Run Road until you come to a low-water concrete bridge and dthen turn left onto Bull Creek Road. Proceed up the incline for approximately 100 yards until you come to the summit. The Hotel was on the right about 50 feet from the road. Carefully look for the end of the concrete sidewalk that led to the main door of the hotel. On the left side of the road and over the bank are the steps to the old suspension bridge over Bull Creek that led to the Spring House."
BETTER DIRECTIONS TO THE BORLAND SPRINGS HOTEL RUINS (7/11/2020
ReplyDeleteTake U.S. Route 50 east from Parkersburg, WV for approximately 10 miles. After passing the "Mount Wood Park" exit sign on the right, take the "Borland Springs Road" exit, the next exit on the left.
The ruins are 3.2 miles from the turn off down Borland Sprinngs Road. Proceed for approximately 3.1 miles on Borland Sprinngs Road until you come to a low-water concrete bridge. You will see the low-water bridge sign at 3.1 miles.
After crossing the bridge turn left onto Bull Creek Road.
Proceed up the incline for approximately 50-60 yards and you will come to a sharp turn right. Half way through the turn you can find the steps on the right bank that lead to the main entrance of the hotel ruins about 50 feet up the hill.
On the left side opposite the steps to the hotel you will find a series of steps that lead to where the old suspension bridge crossed over Bull Creek that led to the Spring House."
Does anyone have any stories of the hauntings? I can only find the strange noises and odd happenings description, but no individual stories. This was written in the Telltale Lilac Bush by Ruth Ann Musick, but it was called 'Boiling Springs' and a slightly different story, with different names, but same love triangle with a Miss Pearson. Her info all goes against my research on the place other than giving a general idea of location.
ReplyDelete