This century-old postcard appears innocent at first glance, a friendly note sent from Napanoch, New York, to a Mrs. Wolf of Spring Valley. But beneath its pleasantries lies a strange and unsettling coincidence, one rooted in the dark lore of one of America’s most haunted hotels: the Shanley Hotel.
 
Constructed in the mid-19th century and later remodeled into its more famous form in 1895, the Hotel Napanoch (AKA Shanley Hotel) welcomed travelers, dignitaries, and drifters alike. Hidden within its walls was more than just hospitality. Rumors of brothels, secret stairwells, bootleg liquor, and sudden deaths laid the foundation for decades of haunting. The hotel became a place where tragedy lingered—and some never left.
 
Among the spirits said to reside within is the infamous Anna, believed to have once been a lady of the night, offering her services in the hotel’s more discreet quarters. She’s known among paranormal circles for her peculiar affection toward male guests, particularly those with beards. Many have reported feeling the weight of a woman slipping into bed beside them. Others have been woken in the dead of night by phantom knocking at Anna’s door...
 
And then there’s this postcard.
Dated 1909 and postmarked from the Shanley’s location, it reads:
Dear Aurelia—
Having a lovely time. Hope all are well. Love to all.
Sincerely, Anna
 
A simple message. But signed with a name that now stirs something deeper...
 
Was this the same Anna whose presence still roams the halls? Or is it merely a coincidence that her name reappears here, inked in graceful cursive, forever tethered to the hotel’s restless energy?
 
The card features a 1¢ Benjamin Franklin stamp and a stylized Native American profile illustration—standard for its time, but ghostly in retrospect. 
 
Whether this is a charming piece of ephemera or an intimate trace of something left behind, one thing is certain:
Anna isn’t finished speaking.