Entry No. 8 — the Fort Collins file — filed under: haunted
Steamboat Art Museum (Rehder Building)
“After the renovation, everything went quiet — as if Helen finally approved.”
The 1905 First National Bank building is now a polished little art museum, but ask the docents about Helen. Henry Rehder's wife lived out her days in the upstairs apartment, and for years staff caught her in the mirrors — a woman in Victorian dress reflected beside them, gone when they turned around. Lights flickered, footsteps crossed empty galleries, and one locked-up night a man in an old tweed suit stood in the storefront window. After the renovation, everything went quiet — as if Helen finally approved.
The story
Before it was a sleek cultural hub, 807 Lincoln Avenue was a 1905 sandstone landmark built to house the First National Bank. It eventually passed to Henry Rehder, whose wife Helen lived in the apartment upstairs for decades. Long after the bank counters were cleared out, Helen’s presence clung to the sandstone walls, earning the building a reputation as one of downtown Steamboat's most active hauntings.
During the building's transition years, museum staff and late-night passersby reported unsettling encounters. Employees working in empty rooms would catch a reflection in the gallery mirrors—a woman standing shoulder-to-shoulder with them in full Victorian dress, who disappeared the instant they turned around. Footsteps padded across vacant upstairs floors, light switches flipped themselves, and night-time strollers on Lincoln Avenue reported seeing a man in an old tweed suit watching them through the locked storefront glass.
When local artists rallied to secure a long-term lease and restore the historic Rehder Building into the Steamboat Art Museum, many wondered if the noise and hammer blows would aggravate the lingering spirits. Surprisingly, once the polished galleries opened and light filled the space, the hauntings went completely silent. Local consensus? Helen finally approved of what they did with her old home.
What it's like
You’ll find the museum anchored under dramatic sandstone arches right at 8th and Lincoln. Inside, the compact ground-floor galleries showcase rotating regional and Western fine art exhibits that take well under an hour to tour. Street parking along Lincoln Avenue gets devoured quickly by downtown traffic, so pull into the side streets a block off the main drag instead. Make sure to linger by the mirrors near closing time—and if you want the unvarnished ghost stories, book the downtown walking tour online to catch Helen’s full narrative after nightfall.
The move: Wander the galleries near closing and pause together at every mirror, then book the US Ghost Adventures downtown walk to get Helen's full story after dark.
📍 Before you go The museum occupies the sandstone-arched Rehder Building at 8th and Lincoln in downtown Steamboat Springs; street parking on Lincoln Avenue fills fast, so try the side streets a block off the main drag. Galleries are ground-level and compact — a full loop takes well under an hour, and exhibitions rotate a few times a year. The US Ghost Adventures walking tour that tells Helen's story starts downtown after dark and is booked online ahead; it pairs naturally with dinner on Lincoln Avenue in between.
- 📍 Steamboat Springs
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 807 Lincoln Ave, Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
Hours: Added 2026-06-11 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Sunpie's Bistro — Trade fine art and Victorian ghost stories for a cheap drink and Mardi Gras energy on Yampa Street, just a one-minute walk away.
- Steamboat Spring & the Mineral Springs Walking Tour — Walk a block to see where Steamboat's legendary chugging spring bubbled up long before the 1905 bank building went up.
- Howelsen Hill Ski Area — Cross the Yampa River right after your gallery loop to see North America's oldest continuously operating ski hill.
- Strawberry Park Hot Springs — After looking for Victorian specters in the museum mirrors, drive five miles up the dirt road for an after-dark soak.
Good to know
Where is the Steamboat Art Museum located?
It sits in the historic 1905 Rehder Building at 807 Lincoln Avenue, at the corner of 8th Street and Lincoln in downtown Steamboat Springs.
How long does it take to tour the galleries?
The ground-level exhibition spaces are compact, so a thorough loop takes less than an hour.
What kind of exhibitions are featured inside?
The museum hosts rotating fine art exhibitions, primarily focusing on Western, wildlife, and regional art.
Where should I park when visiting?
Lincoln Avenue street parking fills quickly; try searching for open street parking on the side blocks one street back from the main drag.
How do I hear the full ghost story about Helen?
Ask the gallery docents while you browse, or book the US Ghost Adventures evening walking tour online ahead of time to cover the downtown historic district's paranormal history.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · usghostadventures.com · retreatia.com
last checked: 2026-06-11