Formerly known as the Hotel Chateau La Boheme, the gothic-style structure on Lakeland Avenue was originally built as a residence for a Czech baron in the 1920s, before it was turned into a speakeasy during prohibition.
With two floors of guest rooms above, the inn became a popular place to tie one on and sleep it off. Rudolph Valentino spent at least one night in the biggest room on the top floor, and decades later, Deep Purple guitarist Richie Blackmore was reported to be a frequent patron.
Maria, the name given to the Normandy's resident ghost (some sources listed her as Sarah), was brutally strangled to death in the upstairs back bedroom when the place was a speakeasy. It is said that it is she who has haunted the place ever since her death. Maria was said to walk the hallways of the inn back when it was a hotel. She would knock on the doors of guests, mostly in the middle of the night. When the room's occupant would open the door there would be no one there, although a slight wind and chill were often reported. Other strange stories of weird phenomena are cold spots, whispering, strange sounds, and shadowy figures that would move around the kitchen. Footprints seem to appear in the carpeting especially in winter, although no one has treaded in those areas. One of the strangest stories relates to a pile of unidentified bones that were found in the basement during a renovation by some workers and/or the owners, there seems to be some discrepancy in the part of the tale. Whoever it was went for help and upon their return they found the bones had disappeared.
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