THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The former Sir Francis Drake Hotel has a longstanding reputation for unexplained voices, shadow figures, moving curtains and windows opening without apparent cause.
Opened in 1928 as the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, the Union Square landmark was renamed the Beacon Grand after a change of ownership. Its paranormal reputation predates the rebranding. Guests have reported strange shadows, unexplained voices, curtains moving and windows apparently opening on their own. The hotel also has genuine tragic history: in 1965 actor James Davidson accidentally fell eight stories to his death after returning to the hotel with television star Paul Lynde. Ghost stories have subsequently become intertwined with the building's long history, although individual paranormal claims remain anecdotal.