Whiskey Pete’s Hotel & Casino, a landmark in Primm, Nevada, isn’t just known for its games of chance and roadside allure. It’s also shrouded in a captivating legend – the haunting of Whiskey Pete himself. Visitors and staff whisper tales of an unsettling presence, the feeling of being watched, and fleeting glimpses of an elderly man in old Western attire who vanishes as quickly as he appears. The lore suggests that Pete McIntyre, the casino’s namesake, lingers in the afterlife, tethered to his former land because his grave was disturbed during the resort’s construction. They say he’s still around, keeping a spectral eye on his property.
While many might dismiss such stories as mere folklore, the legend of Whiskey Pete is rooted in a surprisingly real history. Whiskey Pete was indeed a person, and his grave was actually unearthed, adding a layer of intrigue to the ghostly tales.
The Real Whiskey Pete: From Moonshiner to Nevada Icon
Long before the towering hotels and bustling casinos defined the landscape of Primm, Nevada, a humble service station called the State Line Station marked the spot. It was operated by Pete McIntyre, a character known more commonly as Whiskey Pete, and reputed to be a rather irascible moonshiner. Whiskey Pete was known for his no-nonsense attitude and became a well-known figure, particularly in nearby Las Vegas, though not always for the right reasons. Some felt he operated outside the bounds of the law and got away with too much.
Piecing together Whiskey Pete’s life from historical records is a bit of a treasure hunt. While he remains elusive in the U.S. Census records of 1900, 1910, and 1920, his name surfaces in the 1918 Tulare County jail records. Here, he’s listed as being arrested for running a “blind pig,” a Prohibition-era term for a speakeasy. Though initially sentenced to 30 days, he served over two months due to bail issues. Interestingly, his birthplace is listed as Arizona in these records, differing from later census information, and his occupation is noted as a miner. By 1922, Pete’s run-ins with the law continued, leading to a six-month jail stint in Nevada for bootlegging.
He finally appears in the 1930 U.S. Census residing in Crescent, Nevada, a small mining town near the California border. His profession is listed as the proprietor of a service station. Newspaper mentions begin to surface around 1928, like a letter read by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce from a disgruntled customer. This woman recounted stopping at Whiskey Pete’s gas station late one night for oil, water, and gas. However, when Pete realized she only needed water, his demeanor allegedly turned “abusive and threatening,” refusing her service and forcing her to drive on with an empty radiator and overheating engine to find another station. The Chamber of Commerce noted receiving similar complaints for months from travelers between Las Vegas and California, including accusations of Pete shooting at or threatening to shoot at customers. These incidents were reportedly brought to the attention of the Las Vegas sheriff for intervention.
Pete’s confrontational nature didn’t seem to dissipate for long. By March 1931, he faced serious charges of assault with a deadly weapon for shooting Elgin postmaster Rube Bradshaw in the shoulder. Unsurprisingly, accounts of the event differed sharply. Bradshaw claimed he stopped at Pete’s station with his sons and found Pete already in a “surly” mood. Upon requesting coffee and being met with hostility, Bradshaw decided to leave. He stated that as he reached the door, Pete hurled insults, and when Bradshaw turned to face him, Pete shot him in the shoulder with a pistol.
A preliminary hearing followed, where Pete pleaded not guilty and was released on bail. To reporters, Pete expressed resentment at his negative reputation, arguing that his isolated location necessitated him being armed. He also emphasized that he was covering all of Rube Bradshaw’s medical expenses. Ultimately, the charges against Pete were dropped after Bradshaw failed to appear in court on three separate occasions.
Marital Troubles and Lingering Health Issues
In early 1932, Pete married Lauretta Frances Enders. However, by October, their relationship had soured to the point where Lauretta sought to have him declared insane in court. Physicians determined Pete was mentally sound but physically failing, likely succumbing to “miner’s consumption” (a respiratory illness common among miners). Mrs. McIntyre, the sole witness against her husband, testified that he flew into rages whenever he saw her, accusing her of infidelity. Pete admitted to his temper but retorted, “who wouldn’t when they find their wife running around naked in the hills with other men.”
He recounted that Lauretta had taken him to a sanitarium in Banning, California, and initially cared for him. However, once he showed signs of recovery, she allegedly left him. Upon returning home, he found the service station neglected and his wife “running around with other men.” The judge dismissed Lauretta’s motion, and she largely disappears from the historical record after this episode.
Defying medical predictions, Pete declared in December 1932 that he was “too busy to die” and was already months past his predicted demise. By September 1933, he was back at the Stillwell sanitarium, reporting he was doing “okay.” Whiskey Pete McIntyre finally passed away on November 11, 1933. His funeral was announced to be held in Las Vegas, setting the stage for the more unusual aspects of his story.
Buried Standing Up: The Unusual Last Wish
Sometime before his death, Pete conveyed a peculiar request to his friends: he wanted to be buried standing upright near his service station. His exact, colorful words were, “Bury me up on the hill, standing up facing the valley so I can see all those sons of bitches goin’ by.” Honoring his wish, his friends used dynamite to create a six-foot hole in the limestone cliff overlooking Highway 91, behind his station. Over time, Whiskey Pete’s grave became lost and forgotten. Grave markers were repeatedly stolen until they were no longer replaced. His service station changed hands several times, eventually becoming the site of Whiskey Pete’s Casino in 1977.
On February 2, 1994, construction crews were grading land for a railroad track to connect Whiskey Pete’s to Buffalo Bill’s, another resort across the freeway. While working near the original State Line Station location, their equipment struck a decaying wooden coffin. Inside were the skeletal remains of Whiskey Pete McIntyre. Contrary to some legends that claimed he was buried with a ten-gallon hat, guns, and whiskey, only his bones were found, along with remnants of hair, dentures, and shirt buttons. [1] Remains of Whiskey Pete found -Las Vegas Review-Journal – February 5, 1994
The coffin was reportedly about 80% intact and angled towards the highway. The project manager stated they were aware Pete was buried in the general area but not the precise location. “The tractor caught the edge of the box and the skull popped out. There was Whiskey Pete staring at us.”
While the resort announced plans to rebury Whiskey Pete on the property with a memorial, no memorial seems to have been established, and the exact location of his reburial remains unknown. Rumors persist that his remains were reinterred in one of the caves he used for moonshining, adding another layer of mystery to the Whiskey Pete legend.
The Haunted Hotel: Legend Lives On
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the story of Whiskey Pete McIntyre adds a unique and colorful dimension to Whiskey Pete’s Hotel & Casino in Nevada Primm. The tales of his restless spirit, possibly stirred by the disturbance of his unusual grave, continue to circulate, adding an extra layer of intrigue for visitors. Next time you’re at Whiskey Pete’s, perhaps you’ll sense the watchful presence of the legendary moonshiner and Wild West character, forever tied to his Nevada outpost.
