Bush House Inn | Index’s Haunted Hotel

Posted: 06.01.2025 | Updated: 05.21.2025

About an hour northeast of Seattle, WA, a quaint little town with a hotel was once the site of a massive tragedy. Bush House Inn in Index, Washington, is the only hotel in the formerly busy mining town and one of the most haunted hotels in Washington. 

In its time, it has served as a hotel, a destination restaurant, and a community meeting place. Now, it features 11 guest rooms, a ballroom/conference hall, a lofted event room, and a café/bar.

But, that’s not all it has to offer—some say there’s a ghost haunting its halls to this day. For anyone seeking a spectral thrill, this hotel may be of interest to you.

Of course, there are many other spooky sites to see in the Pacific Northwest. Satisfy your need for thrills and chills right in the city of Seattle, Washington, with a Seattle Ghost Tour. 

Why is the Bush House Inn Haunted?

The Bush House Inn’s storied past includes a tragic tale that led to ghost stories that live on to this day. In the early 1900s, a young woman waited for her husband to return from the mines to the Bush House Inn. 

She soon received the news: there had been an accident, and everyone had died. Now, her ghost haunts the hotel, looking for her lost lover—but that’s not all there is to the story. We’ll give you all the doom-filled details below.

Bush House Inn History

Built sometime in the late 19th century, the Bush House was officially established in 1898. It was built right next to the Great Northern Railroad (now known as BNSF) transcontinental mainline in the current town of Index, Washington. It was given the address 308 Index Ave, now 308 Fifth Street.

Index was not yet an incorporated town. In fact, it had only been platted as a town on a mining claim five years earlier, in 1893. Amos and Persis Gunn planned out the town, and the Great Northern RR built its railway through the area. This railway provided a direct connection to Seattle and Minneapolis. It is still active today.

It turns out, Amon and Persis Gunn were right—the town was perfect for mining. The year before Bush House was established, Sunset Mine began pulling large amounts of copper. This mine was located 5 miles east of Index. This stimulated the local economy, bringing in a need for a hotel. As a result, Clarence and Ellie Bush established the Bush House in 1898.

The Bush House Inn saw many visitors throughout the mining era of the early 1900s. When it was at the height of its historical glory, it was one of five hotels in a city of 500 people. Now, it’s the only hotel in a town of 150. It has stood strongly (and sometimes precariously) throughout the town’s evolution from the middle of nowhere to a bustling mining town to a scenic and historical visitor’s locale. 

Quick Facts

• The Bush House Inn was established officially in 1898 in Index, Washington.
• Index found its footing in the mining economy.
• The Bush House Inn has played host to miners, tourists, and locals alike.
• Annabelle, the woman who was said to haunt the inn, died in the hotel in 1907.

The Bush House Inn’s Storied Past

The house exchanged hands throughout its 130-year history, nevertheless retaining its original name. Initially, it was a place for miners and their wives to stay during the mining era. Beginning in the 1910s, University of Washington students who were majoring in Mining used the Bush House. After that, miners sometimes lived in the house, and sometimes with descendants of the town’s founders.

In 1992, Nordstrom purchased the Bush House from the Sutton family. They then made cosmetic repairs to the house and installed a new septic and drain field. After that, they began operating the Bush House as a destination restaurant for historical tourists interested in visiting the old mining town.

In 1999, an earthquake damaged the side of the building down to the foundation, condemning that portion. The restaurant continued to operate through 2002, when Snohomish County revoked Bush House Inn’s Certificate of Occupancy. They cited public safety concerns as the cause, as the house had fallen into disrepair since the earthquake. 

The house then sat vacant for nearly ten years, raising its risk of damage beyond repair. In 2009, the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation established it as an endangered property.

Luckily, in 2011, the Bush House Inn was purchased by locals Blair and Kathy Corson, who also own the Index Outdoor Adventures Center. This adventure center, renovated from the old Index Tavern, includes a coffee shop, making it a valued community hub.

The couple was interested in saving the Bush House Inn. They immediately got to work replacing the foundation and roof and restoring the building’s original window configuration. Together with their partners Dan Kerlee and Carol Wollenberg (who joined the project in 2015), they brought modern comforts and safety measures to the inn while still retaining its vintage charm.

Bush House Inn Room 9

According to local lore, the ghost that haunts the Bush House Inn belongs to a woman named Annabelle (though the spelling is debated). In 1907, Annbelle’s husband Jacob was working in the Monte Cristo mine northeast of Index. This area had once been rich with surface deposits of ore, but miners had struggled to find anything in recent years.

Jacob wasn’t deterred by the poor prospects, though. Instead, he thought he could revive the mine. Once the mine was revived, he’d hoped to make enough money to support his wife and raise children in Index. 

One day, Jacob was out in the mines, while Annabelle awaited his return in the Bush House Inn. As she watched and waited, the 6 p.m. train arrived in town, bringing passengers to the hotel restaurant. These passengers didn’t just bring luggage; they brought bad news.

There had been a catastrophe: the rain of the past few days had flooded the mines. Annabelle was told that everyone in the mines had died. Distraught, she left her dinner and ran to her room, Room 9. 

The next morning, Annabelle’s husband returned to the room, ready to share how he’d escaped the tragedy, only to find another. Annabelle had hung herself from the chandelier. Some say he continued on, while others say he joined her in the afterlife.

Now, claims of a woman in a white dress walking the halls are common at the inn. Those who see her notice she is often crying for her husband, with tears running down her face to her deeply bruised neck. There have also been claims of the silverware falling off the table where Annabelle ate.

Haunted Seattle

Annabelle’s spirit is said to haunt Bush House Inn to this day, but that’s not the only spirit you may find haunting the halls in historic buildings in Washington. Just over an hour away, there are ghosts galore in Seattle! If you’re still reading, we know you’re down to try to meet them. So, what are you waiting for? Book a Seattle Ghost tour today!

Need a little more convincing? We have more Pacific Northwest historical haunts available on our blog. Or, for more general ghost business, check out our Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

Sources:

• https://dispatchnews.com/news/2020/apr/06/bush-house-inn-a-haunting-reminder-of-index-histor
• https://www.jamesclucas.com/places/ghosts-magic-and-science
• https://dispatchnews.com/news/2020/apr/06/history-hotel-bush-house-inn-makes-a-comeback-in-i
• https://preservewa.org/most_endangered/bush-house
• https://bushhouseinn.com/timeline
• https://pauldorpat.com/2022/06/02/seattle-now-then-bush-house-inn-circa-1900/