It's nearing Halloween -- an appropriate time for a local ghost story.Located at 1309 Michigan Ave., an old three-story house, originally build as a hospital that served railroad workers, is said to be haunted by a former employee of the hospital.
Originally built in 1908, the house is one of the oldest buildings in Alamogordo.
Over the years, residents have told of a ghostly female presence that has been seen and heard in certain places in the house, including a room in the basement that was actually used as a morgue when it was a hospital.
Many people believe the ephemeral apparition is that of a nurse who worked in the hospital. According to local legend, the nurse was found dead in the house, having either falling from an upstairs landing or being thrown over by a deranged patient.
Today, the house is being used as a recovery house and is owned by a corporation.
"Nurse Kratchet lives in the morgue," said Louse Deming, a member of the corporation, in an interview Friday. "Of course, she has been seen and heard in other parts of the house, too."
"She used to raise pigeons," said Tom Shields, who is heading a current renovation on part of the house. "The uppermost part of the house has open windows where the pigeons could come and go from as they pleased. It didn't smell too good up there."
The home is privately owned and is not open to the public.
Old Alamogordo Hospital Haunted
Old Alamogordo Hospital Haunted