The Ghostly Legend of Skagway’s Red Onion Saloon | Paranormal Deep Dive

The Grave Talks | Haunted, Paranormal & Supernatural

Ghost Stores, Haunted, Paranormal & Supernatural Stories

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4.6 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 8 April 2025

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

On this episode, Tony Brueski digs into the haunted history of the Red Onion Saloon in Skagway, Alaska—a place where the Gold Rush never really ended, and some say the spirits of the past refuse to leave. From its days as a high-class brothel to its current role as a historic saloon and museum, the Red Onion’s creaking floors have witnessed more than their share of secrets. But could some of those secrets still walk the halls today? We’ll explore the story of Lydia, a madam whose perfume lingers long after her death, and the countless eerie encounters reported by staff and visitors alike.

Are these ghostly events the lingering echoes of history—or just the product of a town steeped in folklore? Join us as we unravel the facts, the fables, and the chilling reality of one of Alaska’s most famous haunts.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the paranormal deep dive from Real Ghost Stories Online and the Grave Talks.
0:07.1	There's a small town tucked deep in the heart of Alaska's rugged wilderness, a place where gold once flowed like water,
0:13.7	and the promise of fortune lured men from around the world. Skagway. At the height of the Klondike Gold Rush, this was no quaint frontier village.
0:24.5	It was a wild, lawless boomtown, overflowing with miners, con men, outlaws, and opportunists of
0:30.8	every shade. And if you had a few extra coins in your pocket or a lot of lonely nights ahead,
0:39.9	there was one place you were bound to end up. The Red Onion Saloon. More than just a bar, the Red Onion was the heartbeat of Skagway's
0:46.9	vice industry, a combination saloon and high-end brothel where fortunes could vanish, faster than a shot of
0:53.4	whiskey. But for all the flesh and fortunes could vanish faster than a shot of whiskey.
1:00.0	But for all the flesh and fortunes traded there, the red onion is remembered today for something much colder than gold fever.
1:03.6	Ghosts.
1:05.2	One ghost in particular.
1:08.0	They call her Lydia, the madam, who never left.
1:12.9	Over the years, visitors and employees alike have reported eerie phenomena, disembodied footsteps creaking down empty hallways,
1:18.7	the overpowering scent of old perfume, and even the unsettling sensation of being watched.
1:24.4	Whether Lydia was a real woman or a spirit shaped by Skagway's wild imagination,
1:29.3	her presence at the Red Onion is hard to ignore. So what happens when history refuses to die?
1:36.6	Tonight we open the doors to Alaska's most famous, haunted saloon to find out.
1:43.0	I'm Tony Bruske. Let's dig in. The year was 1898 and the Klondike
1:47.5	gold rush was in full swing. Men flooded into the harsh wilderness of Alaska chasing rumors of
1:54.6	gold. So plentiful, it could be scooped straight from the earth, but fortune came at a price. Grueling conditions,
2:03.3	bitter cold in isolation that gnawed at the soul. After weeks or months of battling nature,
2:10.3	those who made it to Skagway, Alaska, were desperate for warmth of any kind, warm food, warm
	...

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