Atchison, Kansas: Birthplace of Amelia Earhart; the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad; and numerous hair-raising phenomenons that have yet to be explained. Are you unaware of just how haunted Atchison is? Or have you experienced it firsthand? Either way, take a look at these legends from the “Most Haunted Town in Kansas”:
1. Jackson Park
Jackson Park (shown here in a 1930s postcard), is home to Molly; a woman who was found hanging from a tree in the park the morning after her prom. Plan to visit at around midnight, sit and listen, for it is said you can see her shadow wandering the ground, moaning and screaming.
2. Atchison Street
Long ago, a woman traveling down the road (formerly known as Ferry Street) fell victim to the steepness of the hill and inevitably rolled to her death in the freezing Missouri River. Though her body was never recovered, she is reported to still be swimming the river, beckoning those who pass by to join her.
3. The House on Riverview Drive
When new owners moved into an older home on Riverview Drive, they found it to be already furnished and decorated---but not to their liking. After removing the pictures from the walls, wrapping them, and moving them to the basement, they went to bed and woke up the next morning to find the pictures unpacked and re-hung in their original spots. (Please Note: This is a stock photo, not the actual home.)
4. The Sallie House
Quite possibly the most famous haunting of all is that of the Sallie House, which was named for a 6-year-old who died in the home during a failed appendicitis surgery. During the 1990', a young couple renting the home reported harmless pranks being played on them, which eventually turned malicious and violent. After consulting a psychic, it was discovered that Sallie wasn't the only ghost haunting the home, but a middle-aged woman as well. (The woman is said to have been behind the more frightening attacks.)
5. Gargoyle Home
Constructed in the late 1800s by prominent lawyer B.P. Waggener, the lavish home was adorned with gargoyles in honor of Waggener's supposed deal with the devil. Since the death of Waggener, several strange occurrences have happened in the home, including the sudden death of a later homeowner who tried removing the gargoyles.
6. The Nellie Trueblood Home on 3rd Street
When elderly schoolteacher Nellie Trueblood passed away in her beloved home, she left behind a legacy... and herself. Legend has it that Trueblood still resides in her old home and can be seen in the form of a large, gleaming ball of light.
7. Benedictine College
It turns out that Catholic schools aren't even safe from hauntings! The good news, however, is that the reported paranormal activity out of Benedictine is that of deceased monks who only want to keep an eye on the place (and everyone there).
8. The Santa Fe Depot
The next time you visit the historic Santa Fe Depot, be sure to say hi to "Hangman Bill," a former railroad worker who was killed by falling cargo from a train car. To this day, staff at the old Depot report hearing the sounds of footsteps overhead, (which is unexplainable given there is no second story).
Have you experienced any of these hauntings firsthand? Know of any others? Let us know in the comments!
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