The Palmer House Hotel; no better place to get a slice of strawberry rhubarb pie, a dollop of whipped cream and a heavy dose of the paranormal. Built in 1901, the hotel was erected after the Sauk Centre House (the area’s first hotel) burned down. It was the first building in town to have electricity, adding to its grandeur and mystique. The Palmer House served as the backdrop of Sinclair Lewis’s “Minniemashie House” in his 1920 novel, ‘Main Street’ as he was a night clerk there. The book, if you remember from my post about his grave, is loosely based on the town of Sauk Centre where he grew up. I warn, it has quite the reputation for paranormal activity. The first account in 2008, the Hotel now plays host to spirits, mediums, psychics, ghost hunters – you name it. The black and white photos strew across the walls keeps that ambiance alive and well, so to speak. As famous as a small-town attraction can get, the Hotel has been featured on countless news outlets and even voted WCCO’s Viewer’s Choice For Best Haunted Landmark in Minnesota. Sustenance, check! Cozy lodging, check! History-filled, check! Haunted, check! A ‘spirited’ place, to say the least!