JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A certain chill in the air gets people thinking about campfires,
hayrides, hot apple cider and of course, ghost stories. Speaking of
haunts, there are several spooky legends and hillside tales that
continue to send chills up and down Missourian’s spines.
If you’re headed toward the Springfield-Branson area to view the beautiful fall foliage, you might catch a theatrical production at the Springfield Little Theatre, www.SpringfieldLittleTheatre.org. This historic landmark has been entertaining Springfield residents since opening in 1909 and is rumored to be the home to a few ghosts. On December 19, 1920, the theatre suffered an extensive fire and one of the janitors working that day died in the blaze. His spirit has been known to appear on the balcony; often sighted by the actors and actresses on stage. In addition, visitors of the Little Theatre often say they hear the sound of a baby crying, and that is soon comforted by the voice of a lady in the balcony area.
Epperson House: Located on the University of
Missouri at Kansas City’s campus, the Epperson House has been featured on Unsolved Mysteries for it’s unusual occurrences.
For those spook-seekers headed toward the Kansas City area, there are numerous haunts to get your ticker beating. Showcased on Unsolved Mysteries and listed on the National Register of Haunted Houses, the Epperson House on the University of Missouri at Kansas City campus, www.umkc.edu, is known as one of the most haunted places in the area. This house, complete with several secret passageways, is believed to be haunted by a young woman. Both police and students have seen lights switching on and off, in addition to hearing footsteps when the building is empty. Also located in the Kansas City metro area is the Alexander Major’s House, www.AlexanderMajors.com. In case you may not know, Alexander Majors was one of the founders of the Pony Express and gave Buffalo Bill Cody his first job. Major’s charming historic home can be toured and some claim it’s haunted by Louisa Johnson, who spent the majority of her life restoring the old home.
If you dare to make a road trip to the St. Louis area and you’re feeling especially brave, book a stay, or stop in for a bite to eat at the infamous Lemp Mansion, www.LempMansion.com. Located on Demenil Street in the brewery section of South St. Louis, you’ll travel back to the early 1860s when John Adam Lemp owned the house. In addition to a beautifully appointed inn, the Lemp Mansion also offers haunted tours of the house on Monday evenings. Said to be full of ghostly experiences, visitors to the mansion often claim seeing shadowy figures moving about the house along with slamming doors and the occasional movement of objects. While you are in the St. Louis area visit St. Charles,one of the most haunted cities in the United States, St. Charles’ South Main Street is the home to numerous ghost stories, www.HistoricStCharles.com. From a ghost who loves to cook to the Lady in White, you never know just who or what you’ll bump into when you take a stroll down this quaint street filled with antique shops and specialty stores.
Just 119 miles northwest of St. Louis is Hannibal. It’s in this area where you can take a tour of the city either by bus or on foot to learn more about Haunted Hannibal www.MissouriGhosts.net/hannibal.html. Tour the Ratcliff Mansion or trek over to the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, home to many spooky stories. While you are there, you can also tour the Mark Twain Cave, www.MarkTwainCave.com, Missouri’s oldest show cave, which is also thought to be haunted.
A tour of haunted Missouri wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the Missouri Governor’s Mansion, www.MissouriMansion.org, in Jefferson City. Around Halloween, this beautiful Victorian-aged home is transformed into a magical haunted mansion complete with friendly ghost storytelling, face painting and music to celebrate the fall season. While many claim the mansion is truly haunted, this celebration is geared specifically toward children.
To discover more haunted Missouri spots or to get a free copy of the 2009 Official Missouri Vacation Planner, log on to www.VisitMo.com or call toll-free 800-519-4800.
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Contact:
Bill Patterson
Missouri Tourism News Bureau
816-926-9022
bill@nationranch.com
Sarah Luebbert
Missouri Division of Tourism
573-522-5501
sarah.luebbert@ded.mo.gov |