Ogden, Utah — Beneath the polished floors and antique clocks of Ogden’s Historic Union Station, history whispers in more ways than one. Built in 1924, the grand terminal once symbolized progress and movement — but some say not all of its passengers ever left.
Local historians and paranormal investigators now believe that the former railway hub may still be home to the spirits of those who met a tragic end along the “Crossroads of the West.”
A Hub of Life — and Death
Museum Administrator Hope Eggett told reporters that the station’s long and storied past has left behind more than memories. “We have at least 42 documented deaths associated with our space, and 49 additional bodies that passed through here. That’s just the ones we can confirm,” she said.
The numbers, she admitted, make the station one of the most haunted places in Utah. “Everyone who’s worked here long enough has experienced something — footsteps, voices, shadows. And if they haven’t, they probably didn’t stay long.”
One former employee didn’t even last through their first shift. “They came to clean the art galleries, worked for about two hours, saw something, and never came back,” Hope said with a half-laugh.
The Trunk Murders
The station’s haunted reputation can be traced to grisly events from the early 1900s. In an era when shipping trunks were the travel norm, two murders were committed right on-site — the victims’ bodies hidden in luggage and sent away by train.
Standing near the old passenger scale, where baggage was once weighed, Hope pointed to the floor. “This is where at least two trunk murders occurred. Back then, if you wanted to get rid of a body, you’d put it in a trunk and send it far away,” she explained.
One of those victims, she noted, was a young man named Francis. Another was a woman whose tragic death gave rise to the station’s most enduring legend — the Lady in White.
The Lady in White
Known as Isabella Jansen, the Lady in White is said to haunt the Myra Powell Gallery, part of the Union Station Museums complex. According to Eggett, Isabella’s story is one of betrayal and suffering.
“Her husband hit her over the head and stuffed her into a trunk. There’s reason to believe she was still alive when she was locked inside,” she said.
Visitors and staff have reported seeing Isabella’s shimmering figure or smelling her signature lavender perfume moments before she appears. “People say when she’s about to show herself, they smell that perfume — very old-fashioned,” Hope said. “It’s the same scent that once drove a new employee to quit after just three hours.”
Shadows in the Halls
Beyond Isabella, ghostly soldiers are said to roam the upper floors near the Browning Firearms Museum, part of the same building. “People report seeing shadow figures of soldiers moving through the space,” Hope said. Even she’s had encounters — unexplained footsteps echoing through empty halls during closed tours.
“One day, we kept hearing heavy boots above us, but the museum was locked and empty. I just remember saying, ‘We’re the only ones here — so who’s walking?’” she recalled.
A Paranormal Encounter
During a recent nighttime investigation, Eggett and FOX 13’s Spencer Joseph brought an electromagnetic field (EMF) detector into the Myra Powell Gallery. As they called out to Isabella, the device spiked sharply.
“I thanked the spirit, and the readings shot up,” Joseph said. “Then I felt something — like someone grabbing my hand.”
Hope confirmed the sensation, saying it often happens when visitors acknowledge Isabella with kindness. “She responds to laughter and light energy. She likes it when people talk to her,” she said.
Stories That Refuse to Fade
Union Station’s ghosts are more than a Halloween attraction — they’re reminders of Ogden’s complex history. “There are so many spirits here who want to tell their stories,” Eggett reflected. “This building meant everything to them — it was love, loss, travel, tragedy. Their journeys ended here, but their voices didn’t.”
Even after a century, the station remains a place where time — and life — refuses to move on. Those who visit are urged to listen closely; they might just hear the faint echo of a train whistle, or a whisper from a traveler who never left.
