POCATELLO — The “Ghost Adventures” crew descended on The Yellowstone Restaurant this week, awakening an excitement that possessed the Gate City’s downtown.

All week, the Historic Downtown Pocatello restaurant has been packed with locals hoping to catch a glimpse of the paranormal investigation team from the popular Travel Channel series. The buzz started when word leaked that co-creator and lead investigator Zak Bagans and his crew — Aaron Goodwin, Billy Tolley and Jay Wasley — were in the Gate City to film an episode at one of Pocatello’s most haunted locations.

Built in 1915 as Hotel Yellowstone, the building is steeped in local history and ghost stories. Rumor has it a mischievous young girl appears in the hallways, a dead bride whispers in empty rooms and objects move on their own.

According to restaurant owners Rory and Jennifer Erchul, as many as 27 spirits — “residents” they call them — haunt the dark corridors, remnant hotel rooms and stylish alcoves of The Yellowstone’s 313 Whisky Room and Union Taproom.

For nearly two years, the “Ghost Adventures” team had been in contact with the Erchuls, working to align schedules.

The “Ghost Adventures” crew arrived this week and began filming, hoping to catch some evidence of the haunted building’s specters.

Rory said that nearly every person who has spent significant time at The Yellowstone has experienced an eerie encounter — at times it’s subtle, a shadowy shape flitting against the walls or strange noises echoing from the upper levels. Other times it’s more direct or disturbingly real. On more than one occasion, Jennifer said she has received distinct scratch marks on her shoulder.

“We’ve been told that the majority of the residents appreciate us and like us and like to see that there’s activity back in this building,” Rory said. “There are two that are kind of mean, so we’ve been told. Whether or not people believe in this, that doesn’t matter to me. I’m not trying to convince anybody that this is haunted or that this stuff is real, but all of these stories and these experiences that we’ve had here are things that we simply can’t explain. Whether it’s being touched, whether it’s being talked to, whether it’s hearing voices, footsteps above, or seeing shadow figures in the stairway.”

Time and time again, The Yellowstone staff and its guests find a common connection with the apparitions they encounter.

From “The Distinguished Gentlemen,” “The Bride,” “The Butcher” and the enigmatic young girl “Emmy,” each specter has a distinct personality and history.

With the Erchuls as guides, the “Ghost Adventures” crew investigated The Yellowstone’s restricted upper levels and maze-like basement. Details remain scarce due to nondisclosure agreements, but the Erchuls expressed appreciation for Bagans and his team.

Rory praised Pocatello residents for their respectful behavior as rumors swirled and crowds gathered hoping for pictures and interactions with the famous paranormal sleuths.

“About 250 fans showed up (Thursday) night hoping to catch a glimpse or get an autograph,” Rory said. “Although nothing official was planned, Zak and the team made the decision to step out and say hello for a few minutes. They didn’t have to, it was entirely their call, and they were incredibly gracious. Honestly, that is how they were the entire week they were here.”

According to the Erchuls, the recently filmed episode will air sometime in the spring or summer next year and they will make sure to spread the word for anyone interested in a deeper delve into the former site of the Hotel Yellowstone.

Outside of filming, the “Ghost Adventures” team explored historic downtown shops, visited local breweries and experienced Cherry Springs and other areas around Scout Mountain. Rory said that the Ghost Adventures crew mentioned how much they truly enjoyed Pocatello and would love to return, not necessarily to work, but to further enjoy the area amenities and the gracious nature of its people.

“I gave them stories of the things that have happened here and that just seemed to intrigue them even more,” Jennifer said. “They were like, ‘This is wild. This is crazy. This seems extreme. We really need to get in there.’ They did some preliminary research on the building and the history of it and then they asked questions to learn, ‘Is it spooky? Are there things that maybe we’re going to experience?’ We want to get this story out there, because there’s a lot of things that happen here that we just can’t explain.”