I just learned about (and subsequently fell down a very deep Google Hole about) the Clown Motel in Tonopah, Nevada.
From Atlas Obscura:
Catering to bikers, truckers, and other long haul travelers who find themselves off the beaten path, the Clown Motel is the final port of call before yet another stretch of unbroken Nevada desert. It must be this location’s oasis-like location that has kept the establishment in business for so long, as the ever-watchful eyes of the ubiquitous clown figurines seem to serve more as a warning than a draw. From the moment travelers enter the adjoining offices they are greeted by a life-size clown figure sitting in a chair, cradling smaller figurines like familiars. In fact the entire office is covered in shelves and bookcases full of clown dolls, statues, and accouterment of every stripe. Stuffed animals, porcelain statues, wall hangings, and more make up the mirthful menagerie, staring down at guests from every angle.
The current CEO, Hame Anand, took over the Clown Motel from its previous owner in 2017. He started collecting clowns when he was 14 years old, growing up in India. Today, his family owns several motels in Nevada, and his brother bought the Clown Motel for him as a gift — and a place to keep his own clown collection.
“I was scared a little bit,” Anand told Thrillist about first moving in. “I couldn’t sleep in my room. But one day I thought, 'why did I come here? There must be some divine power. They want me here to run this motel. So probably, they are not going to mess with me.'”
Then he heard mysterious noises, from the clown rooms, and the graveyard next door. “This was how I knew that they were telling me, 'we are here, but don’t worry about that,'” he added.
About the ghosts, Thrillist adds:
When asked about which rooms at the Clown Motel are especially haunted, Anand rattles off a list that seems to include just about all of them. Overnight guests experience especially strange incidents in rooms 108, 109, 210, 215, and 217. Bathroom doors open and close, voices whisper after dark. In one case, a group of four women reported a ghost in the bathroom who actually offered to fix the toilet.
Sure, okay.
Clown Motel [Atlas Obscura]
Meet the Man Behind Nevada's Creepy, Definitely Haunted Clown Motel [Krista Diamond / Thrillist]
