The Shilo Inn

The Shilo Inn was built in 1972 at 206s West Temple in Salt Lake City. This 12 story hotel features many great amenities including: on demand movies, cribs/play pens, room service, and valet laundry. I know I would love the valet laundry service! But the biggest and most popular amenity is the unplanned entertainment that is provided.

Although this hotel isn't very old, it still has an interesting history behind closed doors. In August 1978, Rachel and Emmanuel David and their 7 children had been living on the 11^th floor of the hotel for over a year. Emmanuel David was a self-proclaimed God and Prophet and his family and many others strongly believed this. Emmanuel had created a cult which quickly became under the investigation of the FBI for fraud and embezzlement. Knowing the FBI was close to an arrest, Emmanuel took his life by inhaling carbon bin oxide in his car. A distraught Rachel convinced her 7 children that they needed to be with their father again. Four days after Emmanuel death, Rachel and her oldest child threw the children over the 11^th story balcony one by one while onlookers screamed at her to stop. Witnesses say that some of the children were screaming and grabbing on to the railing while others willingly jumped. Rachel then threw her oldest over and jumped over the balcony herself. However, Rachel’s plan didn't work to the fullest. The oldest child who had helped Rachel- survived. She now lives in Aurora Colorado with her uncle and is restricted to a wheel chair with brain damage, but is still convinced that her father was God.

Since the tragic events took place in 1978 there have been many reports of paranormal from both employee’s and guests of the Shilo Inn. Many reports are of hearing voices and laughing coming from the hall of the 11^th floor as well as knocking on doors in the middle of the night with no one around. There have also been reports of wet foot prints around the pool area and splashing when no one has been there. It is said that famous musician Danny Elfman has been a frequent visitor of the 11^th floor of the Shilo Inn since 1984. His first visit inspired him to compose the 80’s classic hit “Dead Man’s Party” and later came back to the hotel where he composed the lyrics to “The Nightmare before Christmas”. 

Danny is among many others with curiosity in the hotel’s history and who frequently visits the hotel. I hope to stay at the Shilo Inn very soon and I am interested to see if I to witness these reports of the paranormal.  

Resources: www.shiloinns.com, www.itjustismedia.net