Cafe Margarita – HauntedHouses.com

Paranormal Overview

• Spirits can be playful and move things where they like them

• Some spirits love keeping an eye on the places they loved in life

Cafe Margarita offers its patrons the real flavors of Mexico and a touch of Italy. The owners and staff “take pride in serving our guests authentic Mexican and Italian dishes made with the finest ingredients available.” Their mixed drinks are truly delicious as well. They advertise “Sip on an iced cold creamy horchata or hand blended cactus…

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Cafe Margarita – HauntedHouses.com

ADDRESS:

Cafe Margarita (formerly The Russ House)
131 S 5th St Tombstone, AZ 85638
(520) 457-2277
Website
Friday & Saturday: 11:00AM – 8:00PM; Thursday & Sunday: 11:00AM – 7:00PM

LOCATION:

Cafe Margarita is located on the northwest intersection of 5th and Toughnut Streets; right across from the OK Corral.

DESCRIPTION:

The building that now houses Cafe Margarita, once known as Nellie Cashman’s Restaurant is a 1959, upgraded replica of the original adobe. Inside is like stepping back in time, with wooden tables, decor expected in a Mexican/Italian restaurant in the era in which it first was built. There is a patio/courtyard on the side of the restaurant, with rooms located around the patio. While the rooms are no longer hotel rooms, the rooms I’m sure are being used for a variety of purposes. This building was probably renovated a few times throughout the 20th century to bring it up to code, modernize the kitchen area, etc. but careful to stay within the guidelines of the National Register of Historic District Landmarks.

HISTORY:

In this spot, an adobe was built in 1880 and opened as a restaurant and boarding house. In 1881, Joseph Pascholy and an Irish immigrant by the name of Nellie Cashman, a part time prospector, bought the place and opened their own restaurant and boarding house; “a lodging house with spring mattresses, a reading room and one of the largest dining rooms in Tombstone.” Nellie had many gifts and talents. She made a living while prospecting for silver herself.

She also was terrific at fundraising and as soon as she settled in, she raised money for a new hospital among other things needed for a caring society. The hospital opened in 1881.

She was a gifted business woman, a tremendous cook with high standards for the restaurant and the rooms. When her sister, a widow, and her nieces and nephews came to Tombstone she took them in, and opened up another business; a hotel and ran that with her sister. Her sister eventually died of TB in Tombstone.

She was called “the Angel of Tombstone,” as she took care of down and out miners. She also had a strong conscience, and wasn’t afraid to confront those who had bad ethics. Five outlaws who were doomed to be hung because of the murdering spree they went on, sat in the Tombstone jail. Nellie visited them in jail and converted them all to faith before they died by hanging.

A local man saw the opportunity to make some money from their hanging. He built a observation stand and sold tickets to watch the hangings of all five men. After exhausting her legal ways to stop this, she turned to covert actions. She called upon all of her numerous mining friends for a favor. They tore down the observation stand for the hanging event the night before the hanging that was to happen the next day. No one pressed charges, as everyone who bought tickets admired her so for all the good works she had done in Tombstone.

A variety of lawmen rented rooms here, such as Sheriff John Slaughter, who was the head lawman for the Cochise County, during the time after the Earp/Cowboy confrontations and peace had come to Tombstone.

Nellie also traveled around the southwest, drawn to places with silver strikes, and set up restaurants wherever she went. She always raised money for good works and lived a stellar life to be admired and praised. She came back to Tombstone as a home base, and picked up where she left off at the restaurant. She eventually went to Canada and died at a very old age.

This adobe continued on as a hotel, a boarding house and sometimes a restaurant business throughout the eras, owned by a series of owners. Its location was right across from the major attraction in town: the OK Corral where tourists came for reenactments of that fateful day. Needless to say, their prime location kept it open continuously throughout the late 19th – 21st century. In the 1950s, Mrs.Josephine Keagle rented out rooms and had a souvenir shop in the restaurant area.

In 1959, a fast burning fire, bolstered by 30 mile an hour winds destroyed the old Nellie Cashman adobe. A new replica of the adobe was built with improved features and rooms around the courtyard with an updated kitchen. It opened once again as The Russ House, Nellie Cashman’s Restaurant, and finally it became Cafe Margarita.

HISTORY OF MANIFESTATIONS:

Sometimes spirits will connect to the land where their special structure in this land stood; and will sometimes move into the new structure built on this favored spot.

(Custer House – ND * Fort Abercrombie – ND * Rialto Theater – IN * Pittsburgh National Aviary – PA * Pittsburgh Playhouse – PA * The Red Buffalo Trading Company – AZ)

While the original structure burned down in 1959, spirits connected to the old structure apparently have moved back into the new 1959 structure; probably appreciating all the new improvements.

The spirits who keep the living company here have a connection to this structure. Some possible reasons why for these connections are listed below.

People who enjoyed a special place while alive, like to still visit it in this world, remembering all the good times they had here.

(Brother Sebastian’s Restaurant – NE * Wabasha St. Caves – MN * Biltmore Hotel – FL * Crystal Ballroom – OR * General Wayne Inn – PA * National Pastime Theater – IL)

People who are forced by circumstances beyond their control or do to their own choices to loose what they love to do in life, sometimes try to make up for it, finding some comfort in letting the living know that they are back.

(Liberty Hall – KY * Captain Benson Bailey House – NE * Mile High Inn and Grill – AZ * Hartford Twain House)

People who enjoyed working or owning an establishment, sometimes as spirits continue to work or manage, visit or reside in their old, beloved place of employment or business.

(The Lake Hotel – WY * Saint Andrew’s Inn – IL * Farnsworth House – PA * Menger Hotel – TX)

Some staff members have felt that some friendly eyes have been watching them do their job.

Spirits whose lives are cut short because they were murdered by the hands of another, sometimes are restless, want justice, and /or try to fit into their lives the best they can. They often hang around the property where they were killed.

(The Lumber Baron’s Inn – CO * Newhouse Hotel * Kahler Grand)

A young woman who was a boarder at sometime in this building’s history, was murdered by another boarder of this building too.

Some spirits become upset when they hear the living doubting their existence especially if they try hard to be noticed by the living.

(Hassayampa Inn – AZ * Rex Restaurant – MT )

Customers of the Cafe Margarita need to watch what they say or discuss, especially if they don’t believe in spirits. A spirit has sensitive feelings here.

MANIFESTATIONS:

General activity:electric lights have a mind of their own; being an irresistible temptation to a spectral visitor or resident. Strange noises, crashing sounds, and even muted voices have also been reported by the living. Cold spots suddenly appear with no natural explanation to them.

Spirit of an older Male entity – Dressed in an old fashioned black suit – Perhaps he is a former owner.

This spirit of a gentleman astounded the cooking staff and waitresses when he appeared and sauntered into the kitchen; perhaps to check up on the food?

A solid Spirit couple of a man and woman

Dressed in late 1800s in fine western clothing, this couple walked into the restaurant. They looked like living people. The waitress thought that they were re-enactors. As she came to take their order, the two would-be patrons had melted into the air. Imagine her surprise.

An unknown, female spirit wants to be noticed by the living staff and owner.and gets annoyed with the living patrons to the restaurant who don’t believe in ghosts.

A female spirit has been seen, floating around the restaurant.

This female spirit can be playful. She moves items around to her liking, and does little pranks and jokes to let the living that she is still there.

When patrons misbehave and laugh at the idea that spirits are there, look out! Such a foolish couple sat down for a meal. After scoffing that the restaurant was haunted, a jar of mustard mysteriously fell over into the lap of one of the guests. Oops!!

PARANORMAL FINDINGS:

There have been boatload of reports from witnesses about the paranormal sightings, and activity that have happened here.

No relevant public investigations have been done here, so no hard evidence have been shared. I bet a private investigation was done for the owners, to make sure that all their spirits would not hurt their employees and patrons. The verdict was that the spirits mean no harm, and are pretty much benign; even the one who gets offended.

STILL HAUNTED?

Probably so! The Cafe Margarita may have spectral fans of their cuisine as well as living ones who may enjoy watching others eat and enjoy themselves, and pretend to come to a meal here. A former owner may be keeping an eye on the kitchen. The mischievous spirit may have had her enjoyment working here cut short because of circumstances beyond her control, and is making up for it now.