The University of Montana is said to be one of Montana’s paranormal hot spots. These buildings are some of the oldest on its campus dating back to the early 1900s. Many students have entered the buildings with no knowledge of the strange occurrences that have been reported over the years.
Main Hall
Main Hall (some call University Hall) is the oldest building on campus and is home to the iconic clock tower. It sits at the top of the oval and is one of UM’s highest structures. The building is said to have notoriously creaky floors and loud pipes. There have been a handful of chilling stories that have come from Main Hall. Custodians have heard the sounds of footsteps, heavy breathing, and the slamming of doors. There have also been reports of apparitions. One time an anthropology was attending a night class in the upstairs lecture hall. The student decided to take a quick bathroom break in the downstairs bathroom. When he was washing his hands someone walked into the stall. The figure wasn’t making any noise so the student investigated. When he opened the stall the figure had vanished. On another occasion, a custodian was cleaning the women’s bathroom when he heard a knock. He told the person to come in, but no one answered. He then opened the door, but no one was there, so he decided to stick a wedge in the door to prop it open. When he turned around, he was spooked by the sight of a woman in the reflection the mirror. The woman is said to have dark hair and dresses like she lives in the 1940s.
Rankin Hall
Rankin Hall is one of UM’s oldest buildings dating back to 1909. The building is named after Jeannette Rankin, a UM grad and the first elected woman to US Congress. There have been reports of strange sounds throughout the building. One night a custodian was cleaning the building late at night and heard some noise. It sounded like there was a group discussion going on in one of the lecture halls. The custodian heard hushed whispers and it was getting late. She decided to open the door to kick them out and it turned out no one was in the room. There have also been reports windows opening and slamming shut, as well as chairs stacking themselves. Anyone who has been in this building at night knows how creepy Rankin Hall is.
Brantley Hall
Brantley Hall contains the offices of the UM Alumni Association, UM Foundation, and University Relations. The building was constructed in 1923 and originally functioned as an all-girls dormitory until 1987. Paranormal activity has been reported in the building over the years and supposedly it’s haunted by a girl who once lived in Brantley Hall. The girl is said to have committed suicide after her family took an enormous financial loss during the stock market crash of 1929. People have reportedly smelled her perfume, heard footsteps, door slams, and the sound of clapping when no one is around. One summer, an administrator was working in his office and experienced something strange. He had kept his window open because it was a hot day, but it kept slamming shut. He then felt an incredibly cold burst of air and felt as though a spirit was circling him. The man said it left him with an eerie feeling and left of the building soon after.
Next time you are in these buildings, be aware of paranormal activity. You can never be 100% sure that you are truly alone.
About the Author
Colin Angland is a senior at the University of Montana studying marketing.