The Ghost of Sister Irene

Over 10,000 gold hungry miners poured into Virginia City, Montana within a few short weeks when gold was discovered at Alder Gulch in 1863. The placer mining* in the area produced over $120 million in profits but most of the miners did not share in this wealth. 

As with most Western boomtowns the discovery of gold also brought murderers and thieves who would do anything for a quick buck. Out of necessity a Montana Vigilante** group was formed to address this violent element.

Amidst this violence three Catholic Sisters of Charity arrived from Leavenworth, Kansas to convert the Madison County courthouse, built in the 1860s, into a hospital for the miners. They called their hospital St. Mary’s and for the next three years they treated miners for cholera, typhoid, consumption, gunshot wounds, saloon fights, and mining accidents.

 By 1879 the rush was over and many miners left the Virginia City area. The sisters closed St. Mary’s and moved away as well.

In the 1950s the building that was the courthouse and then the hospital became the Bonanza Inn. At this point guests of the Inn started to report seeing a ghostly nun in their room. Witnesses stated that they saw this nun sitting on their bed; she often appeared if someone was sick or depressed. Some reported they sensed she wanted to help.

Other sighting of this nun have occurred late at night when Idaho Street is quiet; witnesses state they have seen a dark shadowy female in long dark robes walking toward the courthouse/Bonanza Inn. 

She is also seen walking toward the area where a catholic church once stood, today it is an Episcopal Church and this same apparition is seen inside this church kneeling by a pew. Residents and visitors have reported when they see this nun she seems to be aware of them, in fact, several witnesses over the years state she has made eye contact with them.

This nun is still seen at various spots around Virginia City today. Thanks to research done by a Montana Historical Society Historian, Ellen Baumler, we now have a possible identity for this ghostly nun. According to Baumler one of the three Sisters of Charity was an 18-year old very pretty novice by the name of Irene McGrath. 

Sister Irene quickly became beloved by the women in Virginia City. These women being very concerned about Sister Irene’s safety promised each other that whenever Sister Irene left the safety of the hospital and ventured out among the rough miners that one of them would discretely follow close behind making sure she was safe.

It wasn’t until years later that Sister Irene now Mother Superior at St. James Hospital in Butte, Montana found herself caring for one of these ‘protective’ women. This lady finally told her of how they had all closely watched out for her while she lived and worked in Virginia City. Mother Irene was very touched to find out about these women’s kind devotion to her.

Baumler states that this might be the reason why her helping spirit appears in Virginia City. It could be she is paying back this debt.

The theory that this nun is Sister Irene has been backed up by witness reports. When the courthouse was still in use as an Inn one guest feeling under the weather went back to her room to lie down --Room #2 is often where Irene’s spirit is seen and felt-- this guest reported that unseen hands pulled up her covers and tucked them around her.

Another person that Irene helped was paranormal investigator Russ Wells. Wells had severely injured his knee and as he sat in Room 2 in the former Bonanza Inn he requested that Irene help him. 

He felt a warm soothing feeling go through his knee and as he felt this warmth a camera in the room recorded a bright light above him. Later Wells and another investigator heard footsteps outside Rooms 1 and 2. That same evening they captured an EVP of a female voice saying, “…help you?”

The former Bonanza Inn is also haunted by other entities, not all as nice as Sister Irene but I will leave this to another post…

* Placer mining involves dust, flakes, and nuggets—not hard rock veins of ore.

** In the first two months of 1864 Montana Vigilantes hanged 24 men accused of robbery and murder, not long after a legitimate court and prison were established in Virginia City which took away the need for this vigilante activity.