THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The Willard InterContinental has long been associated with reports of spirits connected to its political and social history. Guests and staff have described apparitions, phantom footsteps, unexplained voices, and the scent of cigar smoke when no smoker is present. One of the best-known legends involves the lingering presence of former Vice President Henry Wilson.
The grand hotel has had many famous guests, such as Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Emily Dickinson, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, General John J. Pershing, and Harry Houdini. Another renowned guest, once a U.S. president, is believed to still reside here. An apparition believed to be Ulysses S. Grant has been seen sitting in his favorite spot in the lobby, having a brandy and smoking a cigar.