Kansas is home to quite a bit of superstition and mysterious happenings—if you know where to look. There are entire towns in Kansas that are home to paranormal activity reports and alleged sightings galore, but where are the best places to spot those ghostly beings? Here are 9 great places to start:
1. Theorosa's Bridge - Valley Center
There are multiple stories surrounding this area, which is a good indicator of creepy paranormal activity. All three stories involve a mother and her child, where her cries are heard beyond the grave as she searches for her lost child.
2. Kansas State University - Manhattan
K-State's Purple Masque Theater is locally known to be haunted by those who have heard the footsteps of an unknown being, as well as found chairs rearranged, paint spilled, and loud music played. Two of their fraternity houses are also rumored to be haunted, one of which used to be a hospital.
3. Ft. Leavenworth Cemetery
This cemetery contains the remains of more than 20,000 American soldiers, and as such, there's bound to be something creepy going on every now and then. However, the ghosts that are said to haunt this location aren't soldiers. One of the legends is about Catherine Sutter, a woman who lost her children in a winter storm. Another was a Native who was incarcerated at the fort in 1877 that also wanders the grounds.
4. Hutchinson Public Library
The library in Hutchinson is said to be inhabited by a benevolent spirit that sometimes walks the grounds and sorts books, but usually the librarian's ghost is seen in the basement.
5. Potwin Place - Topeka
This Victorian house in Topeka is supposedly haunted as well, ever since 1972 when the owners began renovating the old house. They felt their mattresses being pushed down, as if someone were climbing on next to them, and they reported many items missing suddenly, as well as heavy breathing that came from neither of them. Pretty creepy!
6. The Sallie House - Atchison
Atchison, home of many a haunted location, is famous for just how creepy the Sallie House is to tourists from all across the Midwest. It was the site of quite a bit of ghost activity in the 90s, when electronic disturbances and rearranging toys led to fires breaking out for seemingly no reason. It's said that Sallie, a previous resident of the house, died under care of a doctor who made this house his office in the 1800s. It's been featured on quite a few ghost hunting shows, such as Sightings and Unexplained Mysteries.
7. Stull Cemetery
Stull Cemetery is notorious in Kansas for allegedly being one of the seven gateways to hell. Though it doesn't look too terrifying, the crumbling buildings of the abandoned town make the area look pretty creepy at night. Rumors of witches and spirits are plentiful, as it attracts quite a bit of tourist attention. However, many of the areas are private property, and entry onto some sites isn't recommended.
8. Molly's Hollow - Atchison
Another location in Atchison, this spot near this specific tree is said to be where a young woman either hung herself or was hung. One legend paints her as a slave from the days of Bleeding Kansas, and another paints her as a teenager who hung herself in a fit of sadness after an argument with her boyfriend. Either way, the spirit of someone hanged isn't something I'd like to imagine.
9. St. Jacob's Well - Clark
In the Big Basin Prairie Preserve, there's a body of water that was created by a sinkhole. Legends say it's haunted by a couple ghostly beings, including an Irishman, a cowboy, and a few other bodies that are said to be at the bottom of the water. In the past, it was believed to be bottomless, but the last measurements taken put its depth at under 20 feet. Shifts in the earth in the area may have changed it since, though, so I wouldn't go swimming any time soon.
Have you ever explored any of these haunted sites? Did you spot a ghost? Share your experiences with us!
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