Larian Motel

Gordon Anderson doesn’t believe it, but some of his friends and guests and even a former maid think his Larian Motel is haunted.

Gordon says he’s never seen any evidence of a poltergeist, but those who believe in its presence cite friendly ghostly feelings and eerie visual sensations as evidence that one exists. Located in Tombstone, Arizona—a town with an ample share of closeted skeletons, if not ghosts—the Larian Motel gets its name from the first names of its original owners, Larry and Ann.

Natives of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Gordon and his parents moved to Tombstone in 1979 because of its weather, beautiful scenery and Western atmosphere. A year later, the Andersons bought the 14-room Larian Motel from the previous owners, and Gordon took it over in 1990, after graduating from Cochise College in nearby Sierra Vista.

Although managing the motel takes up most of his days, Gordon has found time to perform in several films, including The Other Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (produced by Arizona State Parks) and the 1994 movie Wyatt Earp: Return to Tombstone (Gordon was part of the crowd). His largest role was in the History Channel’s Haunted Tombstone, where he played George Dawes, a 19th-century miner who attempted to murder his girlfriend and then committed suicide. Acc-ording to legend, Dawes’ ghost continues to haunt Tombstone. If true, then perhaps Dawes has taken up residence at the Larian. After all, the motel has clean, comfortable rooms and plenty of Western hospitality.

— R.G. Robertson