OUR TOWN
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Legends in the ‘Burg
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Bigfoot, a ghost and a hole that never ends. What do these three things have in common? They are all urban legends local to Kittitas County. You probably have heard of an urban legend at one point or another in your lifetime. Maybe it was sitting around a campfire while your friends told scary stories, or just maybe you’ve witnessed one of these so-called ‘urban legends’ yourself. Either way there is no doubt that these stories captivate audiences. Ellensburg has a few legends at its roots, some of which are native to one of the main focal points of the community — Central Washington University (CWU).
Lola in Kamola One of these legends is ‘Lola in Kamola’, a ghost that has been said to haunt the students that live in the residence hall, Kamola. The Daily Record explains that Kamola Hall was built in October of 1911 and originally functioned as a women’s hall. As one of the oldest buildings still standing on CWU’s campus, you might think that there is a lot of history, and maybe a couple of stories aligned with this all-brick dorm. You would be right. Lola was a student in the 1940s, according to the article from the Crimson & Black, CWU’s official alumni magazine, “Ask Wellington: Is Kamola Hall Haunted?” The article states that Lola’s fiancé at the time was drafted to the war and was killed; filled with remorse, Lola put on her wedding dress and hung herself from the attic ceiling.
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Students have since told stories of odd experiences in the dorm. “Late at night while walking to the bathroom I felt like there was something behind me,” says Ambree Hollenberry, senior Psychology major and former resident of Kamola. “Sometimes I would see shadows disappearing into walls, especially into the lounge near the stairwell on the second floor.” There have been many stories told of Lola and as the Crimson & Black also points out, someone went so far as to say that Lola is responsible for four deaths in Kamola Hall. Some have even seen these paranormal activities with their own eyes. “The doors in Kamola were thick and heavy, and I would see them open and close on their own,” says Jadin Pearson, a CWU alumnus, former Kamola resident and current lieutenant in the United State Army.
