1859 Marshal's Home and Jail
One of Kansas City's four homes built during the civil war era, the Marshal's Home and Jail is a fascinating place for the history buff and paranormal enthusiast. This is a smaller location than the other civil war-era homes but is also the only one directly connected to a former county jail. The jail most famously housed Frank James, brother of Jesse James, after he turned himself in to authorities following Jesse's death. The location is most known for the apparition of Henry Bulger, a former Jackson County sheriff who is seen in the jail wearing a blue suit. Visitors have also claimed hearing footsteps, growling, male voices, and experiencing bouts of nausea and extreme cold spots. More information on the jail can be found at their website here. |
Alexander Majors Home
Another one of KC's 4 civil war-era homes, this is an amazing location to visit during the day and especially so at night. Claims here range from smells, random noises, disembodied voices and an apparition of a lady said to be Louisa Johnston, a former caretaker of the home. Tours of this house are offered during specific times and paranormal tours happen occasionally during the Halloween season. More information on the Majors home can found at their website www.wornallmajors.org. |
Belvoir Winery/Oddfellows Home
Investigated by several paranormal TV shows, including Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures, the Belvoir Winery may be one of the best known haunted locations in the KC area. The Belvoir Winery has previously served as an orphanage, hospital, asylum, and old folks' home. With only one of the 4 buildings on property having been renovated into a winery, there is still a ton of original history to explore here. The claims of activity at this location have covered the range from friendly spirits interacting with children to darker entities in one of the run-down buildings. Voices, apparitions, footsteps, and shadow figures have all been claimed to have been seen here. Tours of the renovated winery building can be had and buy a glass (or a bottle) or wine and the bartenders will share some paranormal stories with you! Check out their website at www.belvoirwinery.com. |
Bingham-Waggoner Estate
The estate was first plotted in 1827 with the current home being built in 1852 alongside the Santa Fe Trail. The estate was owned by George Caleb Bingham, a famous Missouri politician and Civil War artist. The home was sold to the Waggoner family in 1879 and the Waggoner family lived there until 1978 when it was then purchased and operated as a museum by residents and the city of Independence, MO. The home currently is operated as a museum and features original furnishings and paintings by George Bingham. Wagon trails can still be seen in the ground in the backyard of the estate. Not much could be found regarding claims of paranormal activity in the house although it seems the staff may be reluctant to talk about it. One claim is of an apparition of a bride who supposedly tripped on her gown on the stairs and fell to her death. This bride is said to be seen near and on the main stairs of the home. We were unable to find any additional claims and unable to find any paranormal investigations done at this location. Currently, the board of directions for the estate does not allow paranormal investigations but hopefully in the near future they will. Their website can be found at www.hauntedbingham.com. |
Donaldson Mansion
Not much history could be found on this house located in Kansas City, MO. It was built in 1901 and was home to the Donaldson family until 1967 when Mr. and Mrs. Lewin Donaldson sold the home to the Kansas City Art Institute who used the upper bedrooms as classrooms. Claims in the house ranged from a toolbox being thrown to disembodied footsteps to a claim of 8 entities residing in the home with only 1 being friendly. Unfortunately, this home was demolished by the Kansas City Art Institute in 2012 and at last check was just an empty lot with plans to build student housing on the property. Perhaps with a new building will come new reports of hauntings. There is no website information directly related to the home. |
The Elms Hotel and Spa
Located just outside of the Kansas City area in Excelsior Springs, MO the Elms Hotel and Spa was first built in 1888 and was re-built following a fire in 1912 from limestone (said to be a conduit of paranormal activity). The Elms has been featured on Ghost Hunters and is reported to be haunted by the spirits of individuals who sought the healing properties of the natural mineral springs nearby. Claims of a male ghost who was killed by a mob during the days of the speakeasy in the midst of prohibition. This male is said to haunt the lap pool area as is a female spirit said to be looking for her lost child and is said to pull hair and throw things when she is angry. Another spirit is said to oversee the living housekeepers on the hotel's 3rd floor and is seen dressed in a maid's outfit. Their website can be found at www.elmshotelandspa.com. |
Epperson House (University of Missouri-Kansas City)
Featured on Unsolved Mysteries as one of the top 5 haunted houses in America, the Epperson House is located on the campus of the University of Missouri-Kansas City. It is currently used as a school of architecture but was built around 1920 by Uriah Epperson. The famed spirit here is of Harriet Barse, an adopted daughter of Uriah who is seen wandering the home in an evening gown. Students and campus police have reported strange sounds, organ music, and footsteps. One story claimed by campus police describes an officer checking on the house one night and hearing sounds of crashing and shattering glass. When the officer investigated he found no signs of an accident but did note that his vehicle had moved several inches with skid marks under the tires. Another officer reported seeing an arm in blue clothing reach into a room and turn on a light, it is believed that this was Uriah. More information on the home can be found here on wikipedia. |
The Hotel Savoy
Known as the oldest continuously operating hotel west of the Mississippi, The Hotel Savoy has seen its share of history. Several U.S. Presidents have visited this hotel from Harry S. Truman to Ronald Reagan. Claims of activity here are unseen voices, shadows, figures moving about the hotel, doors opening and closing on their own, shower curtains opening and closing, water turning on and off in a particular show (room 505) and apparitions of Fred Lightner, a previous apartment dweller. Currently the hotel is closed for extensive renovations. More information on the hotel can be found on their wikipedia page, here. |
John Wornall House
One of KC's oldest homes and one of only 4 civil war-era homes still standing in KC, the Wornall House has many claims of paranormal activity. From cold spots and smells of perfume to seeing apparitions of soldiers patrolling the house and ground to seeing servants still working in the kitchen. This house has its share of paranormal activity. You can tour the home/museum at almost any time and during the Halloween season, paranormal-based tours are usually offered. Visit their website at www.wornallmajors.org for more information. |
Longview Mansion
The Longview mansion is located in Lee's Summit, MO, a suburb southeast of Kansas City. Built by lumber baron R.A. Long in 1913, the mansion was constructed in just 18 months. R.A. Long was also responsible for building KC's first skyscraper, at 10th and Grand. The mansion is known to be haunted by R.A. Long's daughter, Loula Long-Combs who was known to be an adept horse rider. She is seen and heard riding horses on the property and her bed is often found in disarray as if she had slept in it. other claims include ghostly hooves being heard and apparitions of animals throughout the property. Both R.A. and Loula died on the property. The website for Longview Mansion can be found at www.longviewmansion.com. |
New Century Air Center
Located to the southwest of Kansas City in a small Kansas suburb of New Century, KS, near Gardner, KS is the New Century Air Center, previously known as Naval Air Station Olathe. This small air center was first opened in 1942 and was used as a small naval air station. Famous astronaut John Glenn was in the first class trained at this air center. After WW2 the station was used for both naval and marine air reservists as a training site. The air center is used mainly as a civil airfield although the Army Reserves still uses it as a training ground for Chinook helicopters. The base was featured on A&E network's "Haunted America" as it is said to be haunted by a naval pilot who crashed into a hangar and died in the 1950's. Claims of paranormal activity center around the hangar where it is said this accident occurred and reports of voices, whistles, and footsteps can be heard throughout the building. There are also claims of doors unlocking and opening and closing on their own. Additional information on the air center can be found on WIKIPEDIA. |
Sauer Castle
Sauer Castle is an 18th century mansion built by German businessman Anton Sauer and is a source of contention in Kansas City, KS. Currently owned by a descendant of the Sauer family, Carl Lopp, it sits empty and unused at this time. Neighbors and the City of Kansas City have wanted to see renovations and possible conversion of the property into a bed and breakfast, however, the owner has not done this and has claimed some difficulty in maintaining the property. The fate of the Sauer Castle seems to be as unclear as the possibility of it being haunted. Some maintain that the property is not haunted but that myths about the mansion have cropped up simply because of its age and "haunted appearance". Others claim to have seen mysterious lights, laughter, crying, and shouting coming from the mansion as well as a variety of apparitions from females, males, and a little boy. To the best of our knowledge, paranormal investigations have not been allowed on this property so these claims may never be substantiated. More information on the Sauer Castle can be found throughout the internet and some great history/research on the property can be found at www.ghost-investigators.com. |
Strawberry Hill Mansion
Built in 1887 by the Scroggs Family, the Strawberry Hill mansion in Kansas City, KS is currently operated as a museum dedicated to the Scroggs family and the history of Kansas City, KS. Perhaps the best known spirit here is of the "Lady in Red" who is thought to be a homeless female that was taken into the home and died from a botched abortion. She is often seen asking the same question, "Where is the priest's house?" then disappearing. Other claims include footsteps being heard, lights turning off and on by themselves, and multiple apparitions throughout the home, including one of a young girl seen rocking in a rocking chair. Despite these claims and previous investigations taken place at the mansion, the Strawberry Hill Museum Board, on their website, purports that the mansion is NOT haunted and is not interested in being associated with paranormal activity, thus, not allowing any current investigations of the property to take place. The website for this museum can be found at www.strawberryhillmuseum.org. |
Union Station (Kansas City)
Union Stations are well known in the U.S. with several of them scattered throughout the country, however, the station located in Kansas City has a unique and interesting past. The current structure was built in 1914 as a replacement for the original station built in 1878. Usage of this station peaked in 1945 during WW2, however after the war the station began to see a decline in use until it closed its doors in 1985. In 1996 major renovations began at the station and it reopened its doors in 1999 hosting several different museums and attractions. In 2002 it reopened as an official train station used by Amtrak. In 1933 a mass murder took place in front of the station, known as the Kansas City Massacre during which 3 peace officers and 1 prisoner lost their life. This occurred during an attempt by "Pretty Boy" Floyd and others to free their friend, Frank Nash. Bullet holes from this massacre can still be seen in the front walls of the station. There are many claims of apparitions seen throughout the station, including security seeing entities in their security cameras and upon investigating, finding no one there. Frank Nash is claimed to be seen throughout the station as well. There are 2 bathrooms located here that are claimed to be haunted and voices are often heard with no one present in the bathroom. Union Station (Kansas City) has also been featured on and investigated by Ghost Adventures. Check out their website at www.unionstation.org. |
Vaile Mansion
Vaile mansion is located in Independence, MO just to the east of Kansas City. Built by Colonel Harvey Vaile in 1881, it has 31 rooms and has a 48,000 gallon wine cellar. In 1889 after the Colonel was accused of mail fraud, Mrs. Vaile became despondent and used an overdose of morphine to commit suicide. It is claimed that Mrs. Vaile's spirit haunts the mansion as she has been seen in windows of the building and roaming its halls. The mansion has served as an inn, asylum/sanatorium, a mineral water company, and a rest home for the aged. It is currently operated by the Vaile Victorian Society as a museum. |