Cochise County Courthouse - located in Bisbee a small city in Cochise County, Arizona, U.S. It is located approximately 80 or so miles southeast, of Tucson.
On August 3, 1931, the new Bisbee courthouse had been constructed. It was dedicated and opened by Governor, George W. P. Hunt .
The extravagant design given to the courthouse included two large copper-sheathed , entry doors. The lobby inside was paneled with Tennessee pink marble and trimmed with Belgian black marble. The building boasts of beautiful terrazzo staircases & floors, plus mahogany trim, with brass stair railings through-out.
To this day the old courthouse still serves the county. It houses three of the six divisions of the superior court, the office of the clerk of the superior court, and the offices and departments of the court administrator.
But according to superstition and local lore it also houses many spirits or ghosts.
Division "2" Judge's chambers has many stories about the strong scent of cigar smoke and several somewhat strange unexplainable occurrences, noises and such. The original old Cochise county cellblock or jail was on an upper floor. People feel strong sense of negative energy in that area and also odd smells. Just a very foreboding place.
In the morning hours when security opens the courthouse up, numerous events paranormal in nature have happened. There was a report or so it has been told, of a headless judge in a judge's robe, floating across a 2nd floor lobby-like room. Also, security has supposedly mentioned hearing unearthly voices and had incidents where the doors unexplainably slammed shut.
Many other employees who work there have seen and heard things.
If the floating judge is for real, could it possibly be a phantom, dedicated spirit of the honorable Judge J. Ross, who served the bench in the 1930's-40's?
Whether these stories are based on fact or fantasy , one will never know for sure.
One thing that is most certain the Bisbee, Cochise County Courthouse is a stunning piece of architecture & elegance to see. Chances are, it will be structurally sound and still in full use for many, more years to come as a courthouse and also a home for some very sad earthbound spirits..
