Haunted Billy’s Bar and Grill: Ghosts of Aberdeen’s Dark History

A dim light flickers in the corner of Billy’s Bar and Grill, casting long shadows across worn wooden tables. Patrons whisper about an unseen presence, a chill that creeps up the spine on warm evenings.

Located at 322 E. Heron St. in Aberdeen, Washington, this historic spot draws visitors eager for a meal and perhaps a brush with the otherworldly. Built in 1904 as the Crowther-Wooding Building, it first housed the Red Cross Pharmacy until 1933, then Evans Drugs into the 1940s.

Later, it became Vann’s Tavern briefly, followed by the Derby Tavern from 1944 to 1979. Upstairs, the rooms served as workingmen’s housing and offices before transforming into the Elenora rooms in the 1950s, a brothel run by Madame Elenora.

A bullet hole in the wall upstairs marks a grim 1940s event: a woman shot her pimp through a bathroom door, where he died on the toilet. Former Police Captain Nick Yanstin recalled discovering the body, adding a layer of verified violence to the site’s past.

The bar itself opened in 1980, named after Billy Gohl, a figure from Aberdeen’s rough waterfront era, though he had no direct tie to the building. Recent patrons report cold spots, a sense of being watched, and the sudden scent of cigarette smoke in smoke-free areas.

Lights flicker without cause. Music blasts unexpectedly. Objects like shot glasses or silverware move or shatter on their own.

Apparitions of ragged sailors and women in period dress appear, while a child’s laughter echoes from the empty upstairs. General Manager Jenn Montoure links much of this to the brothel history, not Gohl, noting flying silverware and coffee cups tumbling off counters when no one is near.

One staff member saw a man at the bar after closing, only for him to vanish. Paranormal teams have captured an EVP upstairs whispering “Whore,” hinting at unrest from the Elenora era.

Aberdeen’s “Port of Missing Men” nickname fuels the intrigue. But is the activity tied to its seafaring days or something more intimate?

Verified Witness Accounts

Stories from those who’ve experienced the unexplained at Billy’s Bar and Grill add vivid detail to its reputation. General Manager Jenn Montoure shared instances of silverware and coffee cups flying off tables unassisted, emphasizing the upstairs Elenora rooms as a hotspot.

“It’s definitely haunted,” she said, pointing to paranormal group investigations that documented these oddities. One employee recounted closing up alone, spotting a man hunched over the bar.

Approaching to usher him out, the figure dissolved into thin air, leaving only a lingering chill. Patrons describe similar unease: a sudden puff of cigarette smoke materializes, evoking the building’s smoky tavern days, though smoking has long been banned.

Upstairs, where the brothel once operated, visitors hear a child’s playful laughter, mismatched with the adult-oriented history. Ragged sailor apparitions shuffle through, perhaps echoes of Aberdeen’s maritime crowds.

A paranormal team from AGHOST, investigating in 2018, witnessed glasses lifting and hurling by unseen forces in the bar’s left corner.

They captured a cooler-temperature figure on thermal imaging, standing near an investigator unaware of its presence. Another group recorded an EVP—a disembodied voice whispering “Whore”—amid the Elenora rooms’ creepy doll displays.

Former Police Captain Nick Yanstin, reflecting on the 1940s shooting, noted the bullet hole remains as a tangible reminder, possibly fueling residual energy. These accounts, drawn from staff interviews and investigation reports, paint a picture of persistent activity.

Yet, all remain unconfirmed by officials, relying on personal testimony.

Expert Perspectives on the Evidence

Paranormal investigators offer insights into Billy’s eerie events, though they note the unproven nature of claims. AGHOST’s 2018 probe highlighted the bar’s activity, with glasses moving autonomously and a thermal figure suggesting a presence cooler than human body heat.

They compared it to an ice water glass for calibration, ruling out reflections. Other teams report flickering lights and blaring music, potentially tied to electrical anomalies or spirits.

Historian Aaron Goings, in his book “The Port of Missing Men,” examines Billy Gohl’s role, convicted of two murders in 1910 but suspected of up to 100.

Gohl, a Sailors’ Union official, allegedly targeted isolated sailors, robbing and dumping them in the Wishkah River. Yet Goings argues many “floater fleet” bodies stemmed from industrial accidents, not murder, and Gohl advocated for safety.

The bar’s own history page echoes this, naming the spot after Gohl for his notoriety but clarifying no direct link.

Paranormal experts like those from Washington Haunted Houses suggest the hauntings stem from the building’s layered past—pharmacy, tavern, brothel—rather than Gohl alone.

EVPs and object movement could indicate intelligent spirits. But equipment limitations mean results are interpretive.

Goings’ research underscores how sensationalism amplified Gohl’s legend, possibly influencing modern ghost tales.

The Skeptical View

Not everyone buys into the supernatural at Billy’s Bar and Grill. Skeptics point to the building’s age—over 120 years—as a source of natural quirks.

Drafts from old windows might create cold spots or move lightweight objects like silverware. Sudden smells of smoke? Perhaps lingering odors from decades of tavern use, trapped in walls and released by humidity changes.

Flickering lights and blaring music could stem from faulty wiring in a historic structure, especially one remodeled multiple times. Apparitions and EVPs often result from pareidolia, where the brain interprets random patterns as faces or voices, amplified by suggestion in a “haunted” setting.

Historian Aaron Goings highlights how Gohl’s crimes were exaggerated by anti-union forces to discredit labor efforts, with only two convictions amid unsafe docks causing accidental deaths.

This media bias might extend to paranormal lore, turning historical tragedy into ghost stories for tourism. Unverified X posts and visitor tales add hype, but without cross-referencing, they remain anecdotal.

Officials have not confirmed any activity. Discrepancies in accounts—like varying apparition descriptions—suggest memory flaws or embellishment.

Cultural and Historical Context

Aberdeen’s waterfront history sets the stage for Billy’s tales. In the early 1900s, the town boomed with lumber, fishing, and sailing, earning the “Port of Missing Men” moniker from bodies washing up—often from accidents, not murder.

Billy Gohl, born in Germany in 1873, arrived as a sailor and became a union rep, fighting for rights amid brutal conditions. Convicted in 1910 for killing Charles Hatberg and John Hoffman, he died in prison in 1927 from syphilis-related issues.

Parallels exist with other haunted bars, like those in New Orleans’ French Quarter, where brothel histories yield similar EVPs and apparitions. Grays Harbor’s rough past, including arsons and shootings, mirrors Pacific Northwest lore, as in Goings’ book.

The 1940s murder at Billy’s fits a pattern of vice-related violence in port towns. Culturally, these stories blend Coast to Coast AM-style intrigue with rational inquiry, noting unproven claims while exploring labor struggles that shaped the era.

The whispers at Billy’s Bar and Grill linger, a playful nod to Aberdeen’s shadowy days. Whether from brothel unrest or waterfront echoes, the activity remains unconfirmed.

Skeptics see coincidence; believers sense spirits. One thing’s certain: the site invites curiosity.

Seen something unexplained? Email Reports@ParaRational.com.