The Haunted Road Trip That Visits The Most Bone-Chilling Places In All Of Arkansas
By Carol Ann Carson|Published October 22, 2018
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Carol Ann Carson
Author
Arkansas native, Carol Ann Carson, has written for OnlyInYourState for three years now. She resides in Western Arkansas' Mountain Frontier but calls NWA home as well. The graduate of University of Arkansas - Fort Smith, Carol Ann earned her B.A. in English and will soon be pursing her M.A. in Library Science. She loves exploring the trails around the Buffalo National River and has yet to find a waterfall that wasn't her favorite.
Halloween weekend is fast approaching which means it’s time to get spooked. Arkansas is filled with haunted battlefields, creepy cemeteries, and houses with dark pasts. Sure, animatronics and folks dressed up as clowns can be thrilling, but take on this disturbing road trip for a truly frightening adventure.
The Allen House is located in Monticello. It was built in 1900 by a prominent delta planter, but the stories of its haunting didn’t begin until the 1940s, after LaDell Allen committed suicide there by drinking cyanide. The current family residing the home hosts tours and dinner parties for a chance to hear footsteps and voices coming from the top floor.
While we make our way north we'll take a quick drive by the Markle Murder House in Little Rock. The patriarch of the home murdered his wife and two kids before shooting himself around Halloween. Shudder as you drive past the house and read the chilling recap of the crimes in our featured article right here.
The first performance at the King Opera House after its completion in 1903 was the tragic play Faust. Since then the theatre has seen its share of true tragedies. The building is said to be haunted by the ghost of a murdered young actor who planned to elope with a young woman, much to the dismay of her father. The suitor was allegedly killed by the father and the young man's ghost has been spotted by guests.
Numerous bloody battles were fought in Arkansas during the Civil War. The soldiers have yet to rest at the Pea Ridge Battlefield. Besides feeling like you're being followed while exploring the National Military Park, sounds of canon fire can also be heard.
We'll continue to visit the ghosts from the Battle of Pea Ridge by stopping at the Confederate Cemetery in Fayetteville. Soldiers from Pea Ridge as well as Prairie Grove around the late 1800s. Although many of the men died in battle, most perished from the winter storms and diseased-ridden camps. Ghostly echos of rifle shots have been reported as well as glimpses of diseased and frostbitten soldiers.
Any spooky road trip wouldn't be complete without a stop at the most haunted hotel in America. Take a tour during the evening or test your nerves by staying the night. The Crescent has multiple ghosts from a quack doctor that used to experiment on patients, the unfortunate test subjects, construction workers, and even a cat. Most of the haunts can be heard or captured on camera.
If you dared to spend the night at the Crescent, this next stop will be a bit of a relief. Stretch your legs from the drive along a peaceful hike around the Buffalo River. Cecil Cove Loop may be pretty but don't relax too much since the trail leads to an abandoned cemetery. The Jones Cemetery is a melancholy place filled with early settlers from the area, most of which being children. For more details on how to reach the trail and its history, read our full article right here.
Of course these aren’t the only haunted places in Arkansas but they do make for a memorable and bone-chilling road trip. Where’s your favorite place to get scared in AR? Share with us in the comments below!
