This Haunted Missouri Winery Is The Stuff Nightmares Are Made Of
By Stephanie Butler|Updated on September 23, 2023(Originally published August 29, 2022)
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Stephanie Butler
Author
A native Midwesterner with a love for family, friends, and learning new things. In second-stage of career life, this former college instructor enjoys contributing to OIYS, blogging, reading, and spending time with her kids.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is a religiously and politically independent fraternal order founded in 1819 by Thomas Wildey in Baltimore, Maryland. They constructed a number of buildings on what was originally a 240-acre farm in Liberty. Now known as the historic Odd Fellows Home District, it was established in 1900. It is now home to Belvoir Winery, an active business. This location is also said to be one of the most haunted places in Missouri.
Only three of the historical buildings remain amongst a sprawl of elegant buildings in the hills of Clay County. This area is currently the home of the Belvoir Winery, and visitors often experience unexplained supernatural phenomena. The historic district is so well known for its hauntings that the SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters filmed an episode there.
The historic buildings include the administration building, the "old folks home," and the hospital. One of the buildings was also used as an orphanage at one time.
It is believed that many of the nearly 600 people who are buried in the cemetery on the site may still be lingering around, haunting the winery buildings. Ghost sightings have included orphan children, a mischievous man, and a singing old lady.
The stories of hauntings abound. People have heard odd voices and noises, including children giggling and running up and down the stairs. Doors have opened and closed by themselves.
The owner tells an account of seeing a little boy in a red shirt, blue knickers, and brown boots, who appeared near the fireplace. Although the boy was visible, the owner could still see the details of the fireplace through him.
Perhaps the most haunted building on the property is an old brick hospital that was constructed in 1923. Located on the northern end of the property, it is now known as Old Hospital.
It was the only medical facility in Liberty for quite some time and even had its own laboratory. Over time, it became outdated, as the halls and doorways were not wide enough for movement of hospital beds and equipment. As a solution, the Nursing Home was built in 1955, and the hospital opened up to paying, non-members of the order.
On select Friday nights each October, the winery offers public paranormal investigations. These events are so popular that they tend to sell out quickly.
The winery and its buildings are also popular with people in the supernatural business. Professional paranormal investigators such as the Ghost Hunters and CREEPZ have found remarkable amounts of evidence.
People have had some odd experiences during some of these investigations. On one occasion while investigating the hospital, a woman had to sit down after feeling unsteady. She stood after a few minutes, but then her head hit a wall, her eyes were rolling back in her head, and she was sweating. When she finally recovered, she had no memory of what had happened.
During the same exploration, investigators heard a deep growl coming from the room known as "the mischievous man’s room." When they heard it again, one woman offered to check it out. As she walked toward the room, she felt an oppressive feeling, like doom or dread. Eventually, she retreated without continuing. The growling ended up being enough for the rest of the group as well. At this point, they were all ready to leave the building.
In an outbuilding once used for food storage, dowsing rods turned up some interesting activity. Supposedly, the orphans used to hide in this storage space in order to avoid their chores.
When investigators asked questions such as "where are your friends?" the rods pointed to locations throughout the room. A conversation through the dowsing rods continued, and when it was time to say goodbye, one woman experienced the feeling of being hugged.
Voices, laughing, and singing seem to be the most common evidence. However, some people have seen apparitions and shadow people throughout the grounds. One man saw someone peeking around a corner.
The feeling of being watched is also common. In addition, much like the woman experiencing the hug, others have reported physical contact such as being grabbed by the shoulders.
Belvoir Winery is an active business and does acknowledge and capitalize on the hauntings and old buildings. Besides the public paranormal investigations in October, they also provide guided tours. Other events at the winery include murder mystery dinners. Keep an eye on the calendar events on the winery's website.
They are located at 1325 Odd Fellows Road in Liberty. For more information about the winery and events, visit the Belvoir Winery website.
Check out this spooky video by CREEPZ Ghost Commandos:
Before now, would you have believed there was a haunted winery in Kansas City? Have you ever visited Belvoir Winery or the Odd Fellows Historic District? Would you like to? Let us know in the comments! Then, take a peek at these haunted houses in Missouri. You could even pack up the car or rent an RV from RVShare and take a haunted road trip in Missouri.
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More to Explore
Haunted Hotels In Missouri
Beth Price-Williams|September 02, 2022
Are there any haunted hotels in Missouri?
Besides the Belvoir Winery's history of hauntings, there are plenty of other inns and hotels that might give you a creepy overnight. Here are a few haunted hotels in Missouri:
Finding a cozy place to stay overnight is never difficult, especially if you want to stay in one of the haunted hotels in Missouri. Request a room on the third floor at Hotel Bothwell in Sedalia, if you want to experience the paranormal. The floor is said to be haunted by chattering children and an annoying woman who tends to talk a little bit too loud. If you go swimming at The Elms Hotel in Excelsior Springs, you might just catch sight of the spirits of gangsters who frequented the hotel when it served as a speakeasy during Prohibition. A woman, desperately searching for her child, is also seen running through the hotel. She may even tug on your hair. Request the Rosen Room at the Walnut Street Inn in Springfield. It’s home to the spirit of its former owner, who might grab your blankets off of you as you sleep or sit on the edge of the bed, waking you up.
What are some other haunted places in Missouri?
Haunted Kansas City hotels are not the only place to get intense goosebumps. Some other haunted places in Missouri include:
Missouri is teeming with the paranormal, and chances are you won’t have to travel too far from home to visit one of its most haunted places. If you’re a history buff and a fan of the paranormal, plan a visit to Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield in Republic, MO. At the site of a Civil War battle, some of those weary souls still roam the battlefield. You might, in fact, see Civil War soldiers marching across the otherwise tranquil battlefield and hear the firing of cannons. Some even claim to hear soldiers chatting in the wooded areas of the haunted Missouri battlefield. Missouri is home to all kinds of haunted places, in fact, including the Missouri State Penitentiary, Creve Coeur Lake Memorial Park, and Oak Ridge Cemetery.
