We Dare You To Visit The Ruins Of This Civil War Haunting Ground In Oklahoma
By Ashley|Published September 16, 2016
×
Ashley
Author
Ashley has lived in Oklahoma for 30 years and is the Oklahoma staff writer for onlyinyourstate.com. When she isn't writing about Oklahoma, she enjoys visiting the beach and exploring new areas.
Fort Washita was established in 1842 as a military post near Durant, Oklahoma. The fort was built to safeguard the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations from the rival Plains Indians but was later abandoned at the beginning of the Civil War. It was then overtaken by Confederate soldiers and was used as a hospital and supply headquarters. At the end of the war, Fort Washita was burned to the ground and was considered obsolete…except for a few haunted spirits left behind. The hauntings of these spirits have drawn in visitors and ghost hunters from around the country to investigate this eerie place.
After the war, the federal government sold the property to a Chickasaw Indian, Charles Colbert. Mr Colbert rebuilt many of the barracks and moved onto the property with his family and 32 dogs. Mr. Colbert realized very quickly that the property was haunted after their dogs would disappear every night and he would have to go find them the next day. After several strange events taking place on the grounds, the Colberts finally decided to move.
The next residents also encountered strange hauntings on the grounds of the fort as well. After the second set of residents moved from the property, nobody dared to move into this haunted place.
The grounds are said to be haunted by the ghost of Aunt Jane (along with several other ghosts). Nobody is exactly sure of the story, but somehow Aunt Jane was beheaded and now her headless spirit roams the property. Even though the story is sketchy about how Aunt Jane died, it is believed that she was killed sometime between 1842 and 1861.
Visitors that have stayed overnight for living history events have reported many strange events. From sensations of being strangled in the middle of the night to personal items disappearing to apparitions, Aunt Jane has spooked many visitors.
The Oklahoma Historical Society acquired the property in 1962 and the site is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark.
Fort Washita is now a museum open to visitors on select days of the week to view the old buildings, forts and other structures that still stand. Just remember...an encounter with Aunt Jane is always possible.
If you are looking for more haunted places in Oklahoma to visit, check out the Sacred Heart Mission here.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
