Feeling brave? Haunted places in Kansas are quick road trip from Wichita – you can get to all of these spooky spots in under 3 hours. Book a tour or even spend the night…if you dare!
Theorosa’s Bridge – 109th at Jester Creek, Valley Center
Valley Center is just north of Wichita and a short 15 minute drive. Theorosa’s Bridge has many iterations connected to it, but the haunting remains the same. The stories all revolve around a woman who has lost her baby. Some say it was a settler whose baby was stolen from her, others say a mother threw herself and her baby over the bridge, and still others say a baby was drowned when it was determined who the father was. Either way, the hauntings always include seeing and hearing a mother wailing for her lost child. Some witnesses have also felt temperature changes and seen strange lights and orbs in the area.
Boot Hill Museum – 500 W. Wyatt Earp Blvd., Dodge City
Dodge City is approximately 2 ½ hours west of Wichita. It’s a straight shot on 54 and a pretty easy drive. While Boot Hill Museum is said to be haunted, there are several places around town that also have a haunted history. Boot Hill Distillery is where the original Boot Hill Cemetery sat and it was named because the cowboys who were buried there were buried with their boots on. Boot Hill Museum is located around the corner and houses some original buildings from the beginning of the city’s history. One such building is the Hardesty House. Built in 1879 and named after Colonel Richard “Jack” Hardesty and was one of the finest homes in early Dodge City. The house has been moved 3 times, with the last to the current location at the museum. Haunted sightings at the house include lights being on after the staff had turned them off and hearing voices as visitors wander the house.
Sallie House – 508 N. 2nd St, Atchison
Atchison is a longer jaunt, 3 hours northeast of Wichita, but well worth the trip to visit one of the most well-known, haunted places in Kansas. The Sallie House was originally just a normal house built at the turn of the century and owned by a local doctor. The doctor had an office space and exam rooms on the main floor and he and his family lived upstairs. The story goes that a frantic mother came in with a child who was having severe abdominal pain. The doctor diagnosed appendicitis and knew she needed immediate surgery. Without waiting for the anesthesia to kick in, he began surgery and while he was operating, the young girl – Sallie – died. Since then, the house has been a known haunted house, but in 1993 when a young family began renting the home the hauntings became sinister. There were several fires started on the main floor, their dog would bark and growl at nothing, and the temperature in the room which used to be an operating room would become cold. The ghost was also said to scratch the male renter or move objects when he was around, but never harmed the woman or child. Currently the home is no longer occupied but visitors can take a self-guided tour during the day. If you’re brave or don’t believe in ghosts you can even stay the night. It might change your mind.
1322 Maple House of the Dead, Atchison KS
Stay the evening or take a ride with UHaunted Haunted Taxis Ghost Tours! Follow them on Facebook here. To book a stay or visit the house, check out their website: 1322MapleHouse Of The Dead.com
McInteer Villa – 1301 Kansas Ave, Atchison KS
If you’re looking to do a haunted weekend, you definitely need to head to Atchison! In addition to the Sallie House & McInteer Villa, they offer trolley tours and other spooktacular events in the fall.
The McInteer Villa is one of Atchison’s most unique residences. Built in 1889-1890 for John McInteer, a pioneer businessman of Atchison, KS.
Haunted occurrences at the Villa include:
- Lights turning on and off in the tower, which does not have electricity
- Figures seen in windows when no one is at home
- A speaker thrown off the counter and boxes moving
- The rocking chair that “Goldie” died in has been known to rock back and forth on it’s own
- Sounds of slamming doors throughout the night
- Footsteps walking down the hallway on the second floor throughout the night
- Some feel uneasy on the second floor, feeling as though they are being “watched”
- Items tend to be moved from one location to another
- Creaks of turning doorknobs
- Lights turning on and off
- Dramatic changes in temperature
- Voices of both male and female
- The door to one of the sitting rooms upstairs opens on it’s own and a “shadow” person has been seen a few times
- The scent of a powdery woman’s perfume and the hint of cigarettes
Midland Railroad Hotel – 414 26th St., Wilson KS
Wilson is located about 2 hours northwest of Wichita. The Midland Railroad Hotel is over 100 years old and was a popular stop along the Union Pacific railroad that ran from Denver to Kansas City. It is still a working hotel, so if you don’t want to drive home you can eat at their on-site restaurant or grab a drink at the bar. Because so many people have called the Midland “home” since 1899 you can imagine it has seen some things. The Midland has been gutted by a fire in 1902, raised chickens to serve guests throughout the Great Depression, and has even been the background of the movie Paper Moon. While the hotel has seen many memorable things, the most memorable may be the ghost sightings the guests have witnessed. If you’re able to get a room watch out for a little girl who runs the hallways and will jump on your bed. There have also been ghost sightings on the stairs and objects have been known to be thrown in the kitchen.
Brown Mansion – 2019 S. Walnut St., Coffeyville
Coffeyville is located about 2 ½ hours southeast of Wichita. The Brown Mansion was built in the early 1900s and owned by the Brown family until Violet, the eldest child of the family donated the home to the Coffeyville Historical Society in 1970. W.P. Brown had the home built for his family with many amenities ahead of its time. W.P. and his wife Nancy had 3 children who survived birth, but their 2 sons died before adulthood. While there is no physical proof of the house being haunted there are several stories of the power being turned off in the home but people seeing green glowing lights on the grounds. In addition to the lights, visitors have claimed to see several Brown family members, servants, and have even smelled Mr. Brown’s pipe tobacco in the dining room and library.
