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Hill Ward
Lakewood, WA



Musso and Franks, Hollywood

Musso and Franks 1919
Musso and Franks present

Few places capture the essence of Old Hollywood like Musso and Franks Grill. Established in 1919, Musso and Franks lays claim to being the oldest eatery in Hollywood. And, stepping into the restaurant, one can see that, since that time, little has changed.

Opened by two business partners, Joseph Musso and Frank Toulet, the eatery has been the haunt … literally and figuratively, for many of the Hollywood Old Guard. Charlie Chaplin held court in Booth Number One in the “old” section of the restaurant, and Raymond Chandler is rumored to have written sections of his novel “The Big Sleep” in the famed “Back Room” of the restaurant, the space of which was leased from the Vogue Theater between 1935 and 1954. When the restaurant lost its lease for the area in the mid 1950’s, the owners then leased the bookstore next door and opened the west room.

The décor of Musso and Franks has changed little since the days that Charlie Chaplin ruled over booth number one. The leather of the booths in the “old” section still gleam with a deep red sheen. The woodwork is still darkly mahogany. The tile floor has seen many a style of shoe, and the counter space invokes a simpler day. The food is still served the old fashioned, elegant way by servers in red and green waistcoats. The menu is mostly ala cart and consists of every food one can imagine, from thick steaks to cracked crab on ice. The waiters themselves often prepare some of the salads and side dishes to ensure their customers have the best.

Indeed, stepping into Musso and Franks is like stepping into a real, live time machine.

And some of the specters of Hollywood past have never left.

Our team ran into the ghosts of several poast stars, especially Charlie Chaplin, thanks to Tammy. You can read all about Tammy's first hand encounter with Charlie Chaplin here on the Haunted Playground Blog.

Charlie wanted his picture taken with us, so we were instructed by him to sit in his favorite booth, where he would pose with us. Note the orb between Tammy and Danielle. That's right where Charlie said he would be! Check out the photo here.


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Hill Ward - Lakewood, WA

Hill Ward circa 1932
Hill Ward present

Overlooking Waughop Lake, the Hill Ward, an addition of the now enormous Western State Mental Hospital, was built in 1932 to house about 300 mental patients who worked on a nearby farm on the Western State Hospital complex.

Western State Hospital lept off to a very rocky start, when Dorothea Dix, a 19th-century social reformer, arrived in Portland in 1869. After investigating treatment of the mentally ill in Washington Territory, she wrote to Governor Alvin Flanders, that "provision and care are both inadequate and unsuitable." She urged, "in the interest of humanity," that the governor remove patients from their Monticello (modern-day Longview) location and take them to Portland.

Dix also wrote to Elwood Evans and to the Daily Pacific Tribune of Olympia. She described housing as barren as a barn, cell-like rooms, sanitation that left "sinks never washed" and "very dirty bedding." In November 1869 a legislator presented the letters to the House Select Committee. He declared "the present system for the government and care of the insane in Washington state to be wholly inadequate... and as an expensive failure." He feared that this "will detract seriously from the rising reputation of our Territory."

On January 15, 1870, Washington's territorial legislature bought the garrison buildings for use as an "Insane Asylum for Washington Territory." Construction of the fort cost $200,000; the territorial legislature paid $850.

The hospital grounds itself, including the Hill Ward, is one of the area’s most significant historical landmarks. The hospital originated at Fort Steilacoom in 1871, several years after the military left.

The fort was one of the first two U.S. posts in western Washington Territory north of the Columbia River. Established in 1849, it cleared the way for settlement of the region, the heart of many bloody battles with indigenous native american tribes from 1855-1856.

The Hill Ward building closed after farming ceased in 1965.

Hill Ward is one of the most haunted locations in Lakewood. With a cemetery housing mental patients as well as members of the military and battle casualties, Hill Ward sits atop an active an unrestful spiritual portal.

Many graves in the cemetery area remain unmarked to this day. On March 22nd of 2004, Washington Governor Locke signed House Bill 2387 into law, which will allowed the release of the names of those buried in the Western State Hospital Patients Cemetery located in the Fort Steilacoom County Park. Currently, gravesites are marked by anonymous numbers. The Fort Steilacoom Patient Cemetery at Western State Hospital was a burial site for not only patients of Hill Ward, but also famous politicians of the day, such as William Henson Wallace (1811-1879), who among many postings, was Governor of the Washington Territory.

The country demolished the ruins of Hill Ward in 1989, but the ruins remain, along with the echos of 130 years of unrestful spirits.The County has plans to level the remaining sections of derelict building and erect a maze built into the hilltop, to accent a quiet nature park.

But can anything with such a violent history become a place of rest and reflection? Judge for yourself by viewing these fascinating paranormal photos taken at the Hill Ward ruins by PSParanormal (Puget Sound Paranormal) investigator Patty Valdez. After extensively reviewing Patty's photos, I don't think any of us here at Haunted Playground will be staying to "peacefully reflect" at Hill Ward after dark!

Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood
Roosevelt 1927
Roosevelt present

Named after President Theodore Roosevelt, the "Hollywood Roosevelt" was financed by the Hollywood Holding Company whose investors included Mary Pickford; Douglas Fairbanks; Louis B. Mayer and. Charlie Chaplin. Headed by property developer Charles Toberman, who had previously created and supervised the building of many Hollywood landmarks, including:- Graumans Chinese Theater, the Egyptian Theater, the Pantage Theater and the Hollywood Bowl.

"The Hollywood Roosevelt" had its grand opening on May 16, 1927. Its opening ceremony being attended by Hollywood celebrities such as Louis B. Mayer, Douglas Fairbanks, Mary Pickford, Will Rogers, Charlie Chaplin, Harold Lloyd, Clara Bow, Greta Garbo and Gloria Swanson. It was built at the then staggering cost of $2.5 million and quickly became known as "The Home of the Stars". The first Academy Awards presentation was held in the Hotel Roosevelt's "Blossom Room" on May 16, 1929. The awards were originally called Merit Awards, and were given for performances and work covering a two year period. This was also the shortest Academy Awards ceremony ever, lasting just fifteen minutes, as Douglas Fairbanks and Al Jolson gave away the awards including Janet Gaynor - Best Actress, Emil Jennings - Best Actor, and to "Wings" starring Buddy Rogers, as Best Picture.

From the its beginning the "Hollywood Roosevelt" has been a favorite "location" site for feature films & television shows including "Internal Affairs" (with Richard Gere), "Beverly Hills Cop II" (with Eddie Murphy), and numerous TV shows such as "Knot's Landing" "Moonlighting", "Almost Famous", "The Dorothy Dandridge Story" etc. The exterior of the hotel appeared in the 1998 film "Mighty Joe Young." Look for it in the scene where the giant gorilla rampages down Hollywood Boulevard then climbs the roof of Mann's Chinese Theatre, with police helicopters circling over the Cinegrill sign.

Each time that the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce honors a Hollywood celebrity, by placing their star on the Walk of Fame, a gala reception is held at the "Hollywood Roosevelt" immediately afterwards for the inductee.

"Hollywood Roosevelt" Haunted 9th Floor Corridor.

While filming the movie "From Here To Eternity" in 1952, Montgomery Clift stayed in room 928, which is located on the 9th floor. Whilst occupying the room, Clift practiced playing the bugle. (His character in the film, Private Pruitt, was the company bugler). Clift also paced up and down the corridor practicing his lines. Many guests residing in the room have since reported hearing a bugle and the sound of footsteps pacing corridor. In November, 1992, a guest felt an invisible hand pat her shoulder while she was in bed.


Marilyn's Haunted Mirror

The hotel's most famous haunting concerns a mirror which sits outside the elevators on the lower floor. Hundreds of tourists pass the full length mirror each day without knowing its strange history. The mirror was originally part of the furnishings in room 246 which was frequently used by Marilyn Monroe. Hotel staff and guests have reported seeing the tragic actresses image reflected in the glass of this particular mirror.

Haunted Playground team members Tammy and Danielle had some exciting paranormal events occur at The Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood -- check out the photos here!

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