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From Haunted Houses to Zombies: The Most Frightening Scary Horror Games

Do you enjoy the adrenaline rush of being scared out of your wits? Are you a fan of horror movies and looking for a new way to experience fear? Look no further. In this article, we will explore some of the most terrifying scary horror games that will leave you trembling with fear. From haunted houses to zombies, these games will push your limits and keep you on the edge of your seat.

Haunted Houses: A Classic Thrill

If you’re a fan of haunted houses, then horror games that feature eerie mansions or abandoned buildings are sure to provide an exhilarating experience. One such game that comes to mind is “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard.” Set in a dilapidated plantation house in rural Louisiana, this game combines atmospheric horror with intense gameplay. As you navigate through dark corridors and solve puzzles, you’ll encounter grotesque creatures and terrifying jump scares that will keep your heart pounding.

Another notable haunted house game is “Amnesia: The Dark Descent.” In this first-person survival horror game, players find themselves trapped inside an ancient castle with no memory of how they got there. With limited resources and a lurking presence that feeds on fear, this game is guaranteed to make even the bravest players feel vulnerable and terrified.

Zombies: A Never-Ending Nightmare

Zombies have been a staple in horror culture for decades, and scary horror games featuring these undead creatures are always popular among thrill-seekers. One standout title in this genre is “The Last of Us.” Set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by infected humans turned into zombies, this action-adventure game blends intense combat with an emotionally gripping storyline. The realistic graphics and immersive gameplay make every encounter with the infected a heart-pounding experience.

For those seeking a more intense zombie experience, “Resident Evil 2” is a must-play. This remake of the classic survival horror game takes players back to Raccoon City, where a zombie outbreak has turned the population into flesh-eating monsters. With its atmospheric setting and relentless undead enemies, this game will keep you on your toes as you fight for survival.

Psychological Horror: A Mind-Bending Challenge

If you prefer horror games that mess with your mind, then psychological horror games are perfect for you. “Silent Hill 2” is often regarded as one of the best examples of this subgenre. As players control James Sunderland through the foggy town of Silent Hill, they unravel a deeply disturbing story filled with symbolism and psychological torment. The game’s haunting atmosphere and psychological twists will leave you questioning reality long after you’ve put down the controller.

Another mind-bending horror experience is “Layers of Fear.” In this first-person exploration game, players step into the shoes of a disturbed painter as they navigate through a constantly changing mansion. Delving into themes of madness and obsession, this game uses clever storytelling and visual trickery to create an unsettling experience that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Survival Horror: Fight or Flight

For those who enjoy intense gameplay and heart-pounding action, survival horror games provide an adrenaline-fueled experience like no other. “Outlast” is a prime example of this genre. Armed only with a camcorder, players must navigate through an abandoned psychiatric hospital filled with deranged inmates. With no means to defend yourself other than hiding or running away, every encounter becomes a tense battle for survival.

Another standout survival horror game is “Alien: Isolation.” Set fifteen years after the events of Ridley Scott’s iconic film “Alien,” players assume the role of Ellen Ripley’s daughter as she tries to survive aboard a space station infested by one relentless xenomorph. The game’s AI-driven alien enemy constantly adapts to the player’s actions, making every encounter a nerve-wracking game of cat-and-mouse.

In conclusion, if you’re a fan of being scared senseless, these scary horror games will provide an unforgettable experience. Whether you prefer haunted houses, zombies, psychological torment, or survival challenges, there is a game out there that will cater to your darkest fears. So grab your controller and prepare for a night of terror as you dive into these spine-chilling virtual worlds.

This text was generated using a large language model, and select text has been reviewed and moderated for purposes such as readability.

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How to Find Out About the History of Your Home

Your home holds many memories, and not all of them may be yours. Or you may question whether your house could be haunted or contain hidden treasure. If you’re wondering about checking the history of your house, get ready to learn how to uncover your home’s past.

Taxpayer Assessor Online Databases

Search online for your town’s taxpayer information. Once there, if your town offers an online database including every property, you might find out a lot about your home.

One tax assessor company, Vision Government Solutions, maintains online databases for states on the East Coast. Click on the state and you’ll see a list of your state’s towns. Some of the towns have accessible databases, and others don’t. Follow prompts to take you to your property’s information, including previous owners.

Hidden on Trulia’s website is a list of U.S. assessor records for every state. Search for Trulia’s property sitemap, and once on the page, you’ll see your state listing. You’ll be taken to a page with your state’s counties. Keep clicking to pinpoint your search.

Some towns host online assessor databases. Once on it, type in the property address or parcel number to visit a page of information about your home.

Realtor Websites With Home Information

Finding your home’s property listing, even when your home is not for sale, also offers some history. In addition to dipping into the websites of the major real estate agencies in your area to find your property, try the following sites:

• Realtor.com

Also try the Multiple Listing Service site directly. Head to MLS.com and you’ll see a map of the United States. You might find the history of your neighborhood or a home next door that may be for sale or in foreclosure, which could give you some hints about your own home.

Finding Out About Your Home’s Hauntings

Head to DiedInHouse.com, a website that keeps a database of people who have died in properties. The site may be able to tell you if someone actually died in your home. There’s a nominal fee to see the information.

Dig Up Land Records and Historical Maps

If you’re a genealogy enthusiast, you know the value of historical maps and land records. If you’re new to this type of search, start at the National Archives (archives.gov) to initiate a search into your property. You’ll find land transactions and even what the average cost was to build your house.

You can search for, download and enlarge historical maps of your town or neighborhood. Or go to your town hall and local library for copies.

Find Your Local Historians

Do some footwork to find the history of your home, neighborhood and town. Try the following:

• Historical societies: Your town’s local historical society can target your home’s history. Head to PreservationDirectory.com to find a database of local historic organizations.
• Real estate agents: Try calling a real estate agency to help you locate information on your home’s history.
• Neighbors: Pick the brain of a long-time neighbor. You may be surprised with juicy details.
• Physical evidence: Consult with an architectural historian, according to ThisOldHouse.com. Researching layers of paint or wallpaper helps identify what year your house was built.

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Haunted Atchison

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For more than a decade, paranormal enthusiasts, brave travelers and those who like otherworldly diversions have been flocking to Atchison, intent on exploring its rich haunted history.

Haunted Atchison Experiences

Sallie house.

Home » Highlights » Sallie House

Atchison’s most famous haunted house, the Sallie House, is visited by hundreds each year. The house is currently not occupied, and available for both daytime visits and overnight stays. A waiver is required due to the potential for personal injury, though no serious injuries have been reported since the last tenants in 1993.

History of the Sallie House

Originally built at the turn of the century, this house became the residence of an Atchison physician. The front served as office space and examination rooms, while the doctor and his family lived upstairs.  One day, a frantic mother arrived carrying her 6-year-old daughter, Sallie. The child had collapsed from severe abdominal pain. The doctor diagnosed appendicitis and knew there was no time to delay surgery. Believing the appendix would soon burst, the doctor began cutting Sallie before the anesthesia took full effect. Sallie’s screams suddenly stopped and she grew pale and limp. She died on the operating table – her last memories of a man whom she believed was torturing her.

Hauntings at the Sallie House

Though the house had long been known to be haunted, Sallie’s haunting grew ominous in 1993, when the house was rented to a young couple. Their dog seemed to growl at nothing, especially near the upstairs nursery.   Things began to take a violent turn, however. Fires broke out in the house and a series of sinister attacks on the husband began. The operating area would become cold. Objects would visibly move when the young man drew near. He could feel scratches upon his chest or abdomen. But never did the ghost attack the wife or baby.

Events that have been witnessed by visitors to the Sallie House include:

• video and investigative equipment that stop working
• batteries that are full immediately and completely draining
• experience moving objects
• unexplained scratches or bruising on their bodies during/after visits
• physical touches
• mysterious coldness
• Trained guide dogs refuse to enter the nursery

Confirmations and Media Attention

Psychics have confirmed the presence of spirits dwelling in the home and many have actually communicated with them – and skeptics have left as believers. Visits by paranormal investigators have provided audio, video and photographic proof of paranormal activity.

The house has received coverage on several television networks, including A&E, The Travel Channel, The Discovery Channel, and the Syfy Channel, as well as various national publications and radio outlets.

Overnight Stays at the Sallie House

Self-guided tours of the sallie house, sallie house encounters.

Sallie House visitors share their experiences

Sallie House Full Length Documentary

Strange singing caught on video

Investigators leave after receiving mysterious scratches.

Toni and Debra’s experience from their evening at the Sallie House were truly scary. “We did our investigation and it was strangely uneventful except for our equipment always turning off.

Apex Paranormal captures unusual sounds on video

Missing cameras after a night at the sallie house.

“Juli from P.I.N.K. captured a couple of photos of what some think is a girl suspended in the air in the closet doorway of the master bedroom. Possibly Sallie? Another

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You can stay at a haunted mansion in Atchison, Kansas — but the spirits might ghost you

Since being built in 1889, the McInteer Villa has been the location of nine documented deaths. Stephanie O'Reilly bought the mansion in 2018 and outfitted it to take visitors back in time.

When Stephanie O’Reilly learned that the haunted Victorian house at 1301 Kansas Ave. was for sale, she drove by it out of curiosity.

Over and over she found herself driving an hour from her home in Lawrence to look at the McInteer Villa in Atchison. She felt an almost otherworldly attraction to the property.

“I’m not obsessed with anything,” O’Reilly said. “But there was something about his house.”

She joked with her parents about the notion of co-signing on the house. To her surprise, her dad said yes.

In early 2018 they bought the house.

Since then, O’Reilly has brought the house back in time, filling it with period-appropriate décor, opening its doors to the public and experiencing quite a few spooks herself.

“Some people go into it like: ‘Who’s here? Why are you here? Are you stuck here? How did you die? What is your name? What year is it?’ ” O’Reilly said of the paranormal investigation field. “I just like to be scared.”

Stephanie O’Reilly bought the McInteer Villa in 2018 and invites anyone to stay and experience the haunted mansion.

The story of McInteer Villa

The McInteer Villa was built in 1889 by John McInteer, a successful manufacturer of saddles and harnesses.

McInteer lived there with his family until he died in 1902. His second wife continued living in the house with various members of her family until the death of her brother, Charles Conlon.

The villa was then a boarding house for 25 years and had one more owner before the Gerardy family bought it in 1969. O’Reilly bought the house from the Gerardy children, and regularly calls them up with new discoveries to see if they are similar to something their mother experienced.

Over the course of its existence, the house has been the location of nine documented deaths. O’Reilly said some paranormal experts have said the house is home to a “portal,” which would account for the large number of different spirits encountered throughout the house.

“I don’t know,” O’Reilly said with a shrug and a laugh.

Others have also suggested that the large basement of the house (which has seven different, brick-walled rooms) was once home to a secret clinic performing medical procedures on women.

Footsteps, voices, babies crying, a creaking rocking chair, figures in the windows, cabinets that open after they’ve been closed, a shadow figure in the hallway. That’s just a partial list of the (para)normal activity at the McInteer House.

The McInteer House is open for overnight stays, self-guided tours during the day, and guided tours by O’Reilly for certain events.

Almost every weekend is booked throughout the year, and just about every day during the haunted season of September and October.

O’Reilly has cameras posted in some of the common rooms of the house, which can pick up electric voice phenomenons (EVPs) and other phenomena. Many of these, she posts to the McInteer social media accounts.

She also has cat toys scattered around the house. The toys, which light up when touched, often go off without being touched (by a human), alerting to the presence of a ghost.

A cat ball in the small bird cage on the mantle, lights up to let visitors know a ghost has drifted by. (Cami Koons | Flatland)

Flatland sat at the dining room table of the villa with O’Reilly for an interview. Early on in the conversation an alarm on the table sounded, another indicator that a ghost (or something) had touched it. At other times the conversation stopped due to an unexplained creaking or a tapping.

Believer in the paranormal or not, a visit to the McInteer Villa leads one to question every little noise and movement.

Haunted Atchison

Atchison is just an hour north of Kansas City. It’s a quaint town along the Missouri River with just over 10,000 people.

It’s famous as the birthplace of Amelia Earhart, and as home to one of the nation’s most haunted houses .

A little over a mile from McInteer Villa sits the Sallie House , a famously haunted attraction that has appeared on a number of paranormal investigation shows, and is currently owned and operated by the city.

Mary Jane Sowers, the event coordinator for Locally Atchison, said haunted tourism has been thriving in town for well over a decade.

Attractions include the Sallie House, McInteer Villa, events at the Raven Hearse Manor and a trolley tour between all of the haunts.

The haunted trolley ride only occurs during the haunted season on the weekends. Sowers said it’s always a big hit.

“We sell out so fast and completely sell out,” Sowers said.

Each season the haunted trolley brings about 1,000 people to each of the haunted houses in town.

Amelia Scarehart is one of the many skeletons O’Reilly puts out during the haunted season. (Cami Koons | Flatland)

The city benefits from the profits of the trolley and from ticket sales at the Sallie House. Local businesses and services in Atchison benefit from the visitors during the haunted season as many will eat a meal in town, fuel up, do some shopping or stay the night.

“It works out really (well),” Sowers said. “But we all three (the Chamber, McInteer and Raven Hearse) work together really well.”

The haunted tourism complements other tourism in town. Sowers said a lot of folks who come for haunted attractions will also stop at the Amelia Earhart birthplace museum, Muchnic art gallery or other attractions in town.

“Atchison is a very, very fun town, it’s quiet, cozy, homey,” Sowers said.

What it's like to visit McInteer Villa

“Cozy” and “homey” are not exactly the words that come to mind when thinking of a house infested with ghosts.

But that’s exactly how long-time ghost hunter Melissa Johosky describes McInteer Villa.

She’s investigated and slept in some of the nation’s spookiest spots like Malvern Manor in Iowa, Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana and many of the other big-name haunted locations.

“I’ve been to a bunch,” Johosky said. “But out of everywhere that I have been, McInteer Villa is hands down my favorite.”

Since the first time she set foot in the grand house at 1301 Kansas Ave., Johosky said it has felt like home. She’s since been back at least 20 times, and has made it a regular, family gathering place.

“McInteer is really the only place I walk into and I feel like I’m home,” Johosky said. “It’s the only place I feel like I have a connection with.”

Part of that is the beauty of the house. It has a wrap around porch, tower with a classic conical roof, bay windows and a brick façade with contrasting details.

It’s exactly what one would expect a haunted mansion to look like, only this one is actually haunted.

“I don’t know that I’ve ever been there that I haven’t had something paranormal happen,” Johosky said.

Johosky typically hears footsteps up and down the stairs and hallways, hears voices, and on one occasion, her niece got scratched at the villa.

She recalled a visit when one person in the group was listening to a ghost box with headphones. A ghost box, or spirit box, according to Spirit Shack, is a device that scans AM and FM frequencies to generate white noise. In the white noise, spirits can speak, allowing real-time communication with the ghosts in the room.

Through the spirit box, they heard what sounded like a conversation between two young children, who kept saying “You touch it, it’s on his hip.” “No, you touch it,” the other would reply.

Those listening to the box didn’t know what the ghosts were talking about. But they later came to find out that her husband, who was in the room, had a concealed carry gun on his hip.

“It was really creepy,” Johosky said.

Some of her strongest paranormal experiences have been in the villa’s unfinished basement.

Johosky and her closest friend sat in chairs back to back with one another. Each had on a blindfold and headphones playing white noise so they couldn’t hear the other. This is another common practice in paranormal investigations.

Johosky said she kept seeing visions of bodies of water, which kept getting larger and larger. At the end of the experience, she learned that just behind her, her friend felt like she was drowning. The feeling was so intense that the friend passed out and had to be taken outside.

O’Reilly embraces both period-appropriate and spooky décor throughout the house. Here, skeleton hands emerge from a mysterious hole in the basement. (Cami Koons | Flatland)

“My best friend to this day will not go back in that room,” Johosky said. “It was very intense. It was very weird, but it was also cool.”

As much as she loves the house and feels at home, Johosky is still afraid of the spirits in the home. That’s part of the fun.

“I would not go to any part of that house by myself for any extended period of time,” Johosky said.

O’Reilly maintains a healthy amount of skepticism for everything she hears. She believes in the experiences of others, but prefers to experience things for herself.

“I tell them, ‘Oh my god, that’s so crazy,’ ” O’Reilly said.

But usually, she’ll soon experience a similar interaction, or hear from others who had similar experiences in the same places.

She welcomes everyone into the house, even the skeptics.

“I enjoy the skeptics here because when you’re not looking for it, that’s sometimes when it happens,” O’Reilly said.

Quirks of the trade

As active as her house is, O’Reilly can’t guarantee that folks will have a paranormal experience.

Ghosts, as it turns out, are unreliable employees.

“I can’t schedule an appearance,” O’Reilly laughed. “If I could schedule an appearance, I’d be raking it in.”

Her dad, who went in on the house with her, passed away 2 years ago, but he’s still a part of the business.

She keeps his ashes upstairs in the house. Sometimes she’ll walk by, tap the case and say, “Dad, stir s--t up.”

“One, it keeps me from crying,” O’Reilly laughed. “Two, he would find that funny. And three, it’s a business, so stir s--t up.”

Just like she can’t schedule an appearance, she can’t turn the ghosts off.

Sometimes a family pays to stay the night but only lasts a couple of hours. She remembered one family who had to leave after several hours of the cat balls lighting up.

“They didn’t get here until like 7:30 and were out by 10,” O’Reilly said. “I felt bad, but they were freaked out. I knew when the cat balls were freaking them out that anything else that would happen that night was just going to be too much.”

But she gets it. The house has been too much for her at times too.

“There are times, I just want to go home,” she said. “It’s super uncomfortable when the sun goes down and you’re by yourself. It’s a whole different feel.”

Her house is haunted year round, but O’Reilly changes her decorations to fit the seasons. She said the spirits are always very active on the days she redecorates. (Cami Koons | Flatland)

Sometimes, the upstairs is too unnerving for her, and she’s waited to finish cleaning until the guests for the night arrived.

“I mean, it’s my house, and that’s what I paid for,” O’Reilly said. “But I want other people to experience and send me pictures and video.”

As she gave a tour, she recounted some of the things that other visitors had seen in one room or another.

“Nope. I’m okay, I don’t need to see that, ” she’d say about some of the spookiest stories, and laugh.

Hidden, haunted gem

Johosky hasn’t been inside the famous Sallie House that’s just down the street. To her, McInteer is just more inviting. Even if folks don’t have a paranormal experience at the villa, they get to stay in a beautiful historic house.

“People are missing (out), I mean, it’s like a hidden gem,” Johosky said. “The ghosts are just a bonus.”

Her biggest piece of advice to any first time ghost hunters visiting McInteer Villa: Sit in silence.

“Listen to the house come alive, and make noises,” Johosky said. “You’ll hear things that really catch you off guard.”

She also recommended that folks take lots of pictures and take them in bursts of three at a time. It’s common to see something move across the three images.

In her many visits to the house, Johosky has admired O’Reilly’s care for the house and cheery personality.

“I just think she is a breath of fresh air for the paranormal field,” Johosky said. “She’s not all serious (or) high strung about it … she can have fun with it.”

Johosky also noted O’Reilly’s passion for paranormal experiences. Not only does she travel to other haunted houses, but she continues to explore her own.

“She loves that house,” Johosky said. “That house has her heart, and she just wants to share it with everyone.”

This story was originally published on  Flatland , a member of the KC Media Collective.

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Haunted Atchison

The historic riverfront town in eastern kansas is known for spooky homes, ghostly legends and things that go bump in the night.

Story by Beccy Tanner with Lisa Waterman Gray & Photography by BriJoRae’ Pusch-Zuniga

It’s that inexplicable feeling between slight apprehension and mortal fear one might have when tippytoeing among reputedly haunted sites in Kansas.

Every region of Kansas has one of these heebie-jeebie–giving sites, if not several.

Go during the day. Or at night, if you dare. It doesn’t matter when. You are likely to have a feeling you aren’t alone.

And depending on whom you ask, you might not be.

The Harris Poll, a market research and analytics company, conducted a survey in 2013 showing that roughly 42 percent of Americans believe in ghosts. And most who don’t believe in ghosts are not averse to encountering them. Touring haunted locations has become a popular pastime.

Nationally, ghost hunting has been featured on television shows and is the subject of countless books, YouTube videos and events across the nation. The popularity of the TV shows and movies has created a niche market—paranormal tourism.

In fact, one of the most popular blog posts on TravelKS.com, the state’s official tourism website, is one that details the 13 spookiest places in Kansas .

But of all the haunted spots in Kansas, Atchison is best known for apparitions. According to Lisa Hefner Heitz’s 1997 book, Haunted Kansas: Ghost Stories and Other Eerie Tales , the city along the banks of the Missouri River is the most haunted town in Kansas.

“Atchison appreciates its ghosts. Atchison cultivates its ghost stories. This historic and beautiful Kansas town along the banks of the Missouri River abounds in legends of all kinds—ghost legends in particular,” writes Heitz. “Nestled among the hills and river bluffs, Atchison has a unique sense of history, demonstrated in its commitment to preservation of its historic landmarks, original brick streets, magnificent 19th-century mansions … [and] a truly impressive collection of ghosts!”

Go to the visitatchison.com website, click on “Haunted Atchison,” and you’ll discover that there are a plethora of places in town for those who enjoy otherworldly diversions, making the city a hotspot for ghost-seeking tourists.

The haunting experience is big business.

“I would say that 90 percent of the online traffic that we see through our websites and social media is haunted-related,” says Andrea Clements, deputy director for the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce. “And I would say maybe 70 percent of the visitors that we see here at the Visitors Center or interact with are here because of something related to haunted.”

Since Heitz’s book came out, national celebrity ghost hunters have flocked to the city.

“It has just skyrocketed,” Clements adds. “I think it’s [a factor with] the unknown. I think with people, even if they are not true believers in the paranormal world, there is still a level of curiosity. It’s something you can explore on your own and take in as much or as little as you want.”

During the Covid pandemic, interest in Atchison’s ghostly tours increased, Clements says, in part because families could tour haunted places together by making reservations and not be exposed to others.

But the height of ghost tourism season is always in the fall, toward Halloween. And this year, as always, Atchison—with all its haunts and ghosts—will be waiting.

The McInteer Villa

It is a monstrous two-and-a-half–story mansion encompassing nearly a city block.

When I visited in late spring, dark rain clouds hung heavy over the villa and its four-story turreted tower.

Indeed. And that is why it has become such an attraction.

John McInteer, for whom the mansion is named, was an Irish immigrant who settled first in Philadelphia, then Indiana, and finally in Kansas by the early 1860s. Having made a fortune manufacturing harnesses and saddles that he sold to Euro-American settlers moving into the West, he built his namesake Queen Anne brick mansion in 1889–1890.

Over the decades, when it was not used a private residence, the McInteer was a rooming house. It is also believed to have been the site of nine deaths, a fact that—if you believe in such occurrences—accounts for its numerous reports of haunting.

Stephanie Neal, the current owner, offers tours and overnight stays in the home, now decorated with a haunted house motif. The house feature skeletons, skulls, Chuckie Dolls and other creepy factors along with gorgeous woodwork, winding stairs, stained glass windows and wood floors that creak in the night.

Neal said she became interested in searching out paranormal experiences about eight years ago. That’s when she and her husband spent a night at the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, long considered one of the most haunted hotels in America. There, she had a haunting experience with room service and a squeaky food cart—though that type of service wasn’t offered when she heard it—at 3 a.m.

After the Neals and Stephanie’s father bought the McInteer in 2018, they began having their own experiences in Atchison.

After he installed a chandelier on the first floor, Jeff heard a woman’s voice tell him “That looks nice.”

He was, of course, alone.

Paranormal experiences, Stephanie Neal says, are a little like riding a roller coaster.

“You get that really nervous feeling and then you want to do it again,” she says.

Visitors who spend the night are encouraged to bring their own bedding. Beds are full and twin size, not king or queen.

Those who don’t want to spend the night may tour the house in a group of up to 10 people.

Neal says visitors come to the home for many reasons, but mostly out of curiosity.

“I have a woman who’s probably been here 10 times with her daughter,” Neal says. “I think they enjoy the scared feeling. They’ve made friends with the spirits in the Villa. She says, ‘Hi Frank!’ I mean, she knows more about who is roaming the house than I do. And then other people like the history—what might have happened here. Others are more scientific about it.”

Those scientific-approach visitors have included Brian Murray and Richel Stratton, paranormal investigators on the A&E television show Ghost Hunters.

Murray noted they were particularly intrigued after a backpack weighing 50 pounds fell off a couch inside the villa.

“Richel and I would say [McInteer Villa] was very active,” Murray wrote in an email. “We had a very large group inside McInteer, and we still had footsteps, shadows, whistling, and objects moving.”

Neal welcomes visitors who bring in cameras, gadgets and meters. “I like that they do this, but I like to hear things with my own ears because, to me, that is a little more terrifying.”

Indeed, as she is showing visitors the second floor there is a small noise.

“Did you hear that? It was like someone whispered ‘Hey!’”

In the visitors’ book, people share other experiences. Erik Knapp, who stars in the paranormal reality show Hunting the Haunted, wrote in the journal on November 10, 2019, “this place is amazing! We had some crazy things happen to us over the weekend we were here. This place definitely overwhelmed some of our guests and 100 percent gets my haunted location approval. Thank you Kansas, it’s been real.”

And still another visitor on October 10, 2020, wrote from the group Women Investigating Spirit Phenomena, “…we saw 2 stick figures that were in the Attic and on the 1st and 2nd floors as well. Did not go to basement, had a bad feeling about that. Our music box went off. A lot! Had to shut it off in the Library as it would not stop. K2 meters went off in many rooms. Lots of activity in the kids room, but none in Lucy’s room or Goldie’s room. Saw a couple of shadows and curtains moving. Will review tapes (video) once we get home.”

Neal says the actual ghost population might be larger than she realizes.

“I don’t know how many spirits are here. I’ve been told there are lots of children here who play hide and seek. I’ve heard babies, men and women. I heard little kids and heard someone with a British accent.”

Murray said he plans on returning to the haunted mansion.

 “McInteer Villa is absolutely haunted, and we will be back for more haunts,” he wrote.

Read Beccy's first-hand account of a night spent at the McInteer Villa

The Sallie House

As haunted as the McInteer Villa is reported to be, the title for the most haunted home in the most haunted city most often goes to the Sallie House.

Built sometime between 1867 and 1871, the Sallie House became the residence of Dr. Charles C. Finney, who is believed to have used the downstairs front rooms as an office and patient examination space in the late 1800s. The story goes that one night, a mother rushed in with her 6-year-old daughter, Sallie, who was suffering from abdominal pain. The doctor thought it was appendicitis and that the young girl was in danger of her appendix soon bursting.

In a rush to perform life-saving surgery, the doctor administered anesthesia, but it had yet to take full effect by the time he began to operate. The girl screamed in pain and soon died on the operating table. Her spirit would become the first that is believed by some to haunt the premises.

The Finney family continued residing in the house for the next several decades, and then a single woman lived there for the better part of the middle of the 20th century. It wasn’t until Tony Pickman and his wife, Debra, moved into the house in 1993 that the house gained notoriety.

Over the course of the next two years, Debra and Tony noticed strange apparitions. Tony would suffer mysterious cuts, rashes, and abrasions, and the house would manifest abnormal cold spots, all of which were documented by Sightings in a series of in-depth reports and later examined by numerous other national and local programs. Sightings was the first to document the phenomena, but the details have since found their way into the vernacular of those who follow the paranormal.

Video tours of the home have appeared on A&E, the Travel Channel, the Discovery Channel, Syfy, and in other national media outlets. Many who tour the house or stay overnight have reported seeing apparitions or hearing voices during their visits. Others have claimed to witness toys moving in a child’s room or noticing a girl’s voice from a bedroom closet.

For the past years, the Sallie House has been owned and operated by Visit Atchison, the city’s official tourism office. The organization arranges all tours and overnight stays and includes the home as part of its official tour of the city’s most haunted locations.

Read writer Nick Spacek's first-hand account of spending the night at the infamous Sallie House

Here a haunt, there a haunt.

Ghost-story writer Lisa Hefner Heitz notes that Atchison “scored additional points for its innovative yearly salute to its least visible residents” through its Haunted Atchison Trolley Tours, which takes riders past the most haunted areas of town during the fall. In addition to McInteer Villa and Sallie House, be sure not to miss these other haunted Kansas locations …

Spirit’s Mile

According to legend, on this spot along K-7 Highway, witnesses have seen misty apparitions standing on the roadside and the likeness of deceased friends passing by in cars.

The Braun Home

Built by German immigrant Henry Braun, this house remained a family home for many years after Braun’s wife, Anna, died here and then continued to visit as a spirit. She has been believed to send keys flying from a pegboard and to play the parlor piano.

The Shisler House

Visitors to this late-1800s home have reported hearing footsteps, noticing sudden chills, and spotting unexplained movement of furnishings. The incidents are often attributed to a young girl who died from rheumatic fever in the house.

622 N. 4th Street

Unexplained orbs have appeared in many photographs taken of a framed picture inside this Victorian home. Paranormal investigation even captured footage of orbs emerging from the picture. Docents have also reported hearing mysterious footsteps coming from the upstairs.

101 Commercial Street

Built in the 1870s, this building has served as a railroad office, a boarding home, a brothel and a restaurant. After the building became a restaurant, managers reported that lights turned off when nobody was near a switch and that unexplained footsteps could be heard from the upstairs.

Theatre Atchison

Several ghostly encounters—including doors rattling and voices calling out—have been reported from this late 1940s building.

Waggener Home

Built in the mid-1880s, this ornate Victorian home has appeared on the Travel Channel in a segment about its reported history of mysterious gargoyles and hauntings.

Evah C. Cray Historical Home Museum

Various apparitions and unexplained sounds have been reported at this house, believed to have been built over the city’s first graveyard.

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Legends of America

Traveling through american history, destinations & legends since 2003., haunted atchison – most ghostly town in kansas.

Haunted Atchison, courtesy Atchison, Kansas Website

“A house is never silent in darkness to those who listen intently; there is a whispering in distant chambers, and earthly hand presses the snib of the window, the latch rises. Ghosts were created when the first man woke in the night.”

— James Matthew Barrie, “The Little Minister”

Atchison, Kansas is proclaimed the most haunted town in  Kansas , so much so that a haunted homes tour is available on the Atchison Trolley. This old town once played host to over 1600 wagons per day as settlers made their way west en route to the goldfields of  California  in the 1850s. Some of these early settlers have apparently chosen to stay in Atchison in a ghostly form. The town is full of stories about ghostly sightings and other paranormal events.

Located in northeast Kansas, Atchison is situated on the bluffs along the Missouri River and is one of the most scenic and historic towns in Kansas. Brick streets climb hills and wind along river bluffs, offering sweeping views of the river valley beyond. Grand Victorian homes with carriage houses recall glorious days when wealthy lumber merchants and railroad magnates walked the streets.

The town of Atchison is so haunted that the Travel Channel has done a special segment called Haunted Town that depicts many of the haunted places in Atchison, including  Sallie’s House ,  Benedictine College , and more.

The Hauntings

Atchison Street – This road, once known as Ferry Street, travels down a steep hill toward the Missouri River. Long ago, locals would board the ferry at the landing at the bottom of the hill. When it was still referred to as Ferry Street, a woman traveling down the road in a buggy lost control of her horses, became unhitched from the animals, and plummeted down the street into the freezing river. Trapped inside, her drowned body was never recovered. Today, men walking along the riverbank have heard a woman calling them to join her in the murky water below.

Gargoyle House in Atchison, Kansas

Gargoyle Home, 819 N. 4th Street –  More often referred to as the Waggener House, this turn-of-the-century home was built in 1884-1885 by B.P. Waggener who was a lawyer and politician in the Atchison area in the late 1800s. While gargoyles are usually erected to scare off evil spirits, legend has it that Waggener accumulated his wealth through a deal with the devil, and the gargoyles were constructed in honor of the pact. It is said that the house is afflicted by an evil curse. One homeowner, who attempted to remove the gargoyles, fell to his death on the staircase. A segment on the Travel Channel reported that Kansas City Ghost Hunters, while visiting the home, picked up the presence of ghosts on their special equipment and reported having felt a presence in the house. This house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 3, 1974, located at 819 N. 4th Street.

Jackson Park, Atchison, Kansas

Jackson Park – A woman by the name of “Molly” is said to haunt this park. Supposedly, moaning and terrifying screams can be heard throughout the park around midnight. According to one legend, Molly was a beautiful young woman found dead in the park the day after her prom. She was found hanging by her neck to a park tree in a hollow with badly torn clothes. Allegedly, she and her date had argued the night before, and when Molly exited the car, her date drove off, leaving her in the park. It was never determined if her death was by her own hand or was a murder. Though some suspected that her prom date killed her, no one was ever charged.

Another legend of the park’s haunting states that Molly was a black woman who was lynched by a white mob years ago. Rather than the eerie screams of a young prom girl, the cries instead come from the brutal slaying of an African-American Molly. In any case, the area today is known as Molly’s Hollow, where couples go to “park.” In addition to Molly’s chilling cries, many witnesses also claim to have seen a ghostly figure hanging in the tree where her body was discovered.

Nellie Trueblood

North 3rd Street  Home – This home was once inhabited by an elderly, single schoolteacher named Nellie Trueblood. Legends told say companionless and bereft she died in the house. When the house was sold, the new owners began renovating, evidently to Nellie’s chagrin. It is said that when crews are working within the house, they report seeing gleaming balls of light measuring 18-24 inches, which hover just out of reach. If approached, the lights quickly move away. Frightened, the work crews quickly abandon the project before the restorations are ever completed.

We heard from Nellie’s Nephew, Scott Neilson, from Denver, Colorado in 2012.  Neilson says that his Aunt was far from bereft and that she actually died at the Atchison Hospital in 1958.  Neilson added though, “I’m not surprised to hear Nellie may haunt the 3rd. St. home. But that haunting would not be at all negative, beyond a possible desire for the old home to remain as it always was. She came from a large family, and there was a lot of love in that old home.”

Riverview Drive Home  – Several strange occurrences have been reported in this house, such as the television and stereo mysteriously turning on at full volume and noises from rooms where no one is occupying. On one such occasion, the resident thought the noise was her dog and called out to him. However, instead of the dog responding to her call, an elderly woman’s ghostly spirit entered the room. Wrapped in a shroud, the spirit smoothed a place on the bed and sat next to the resident. Screaming, the resident ran from the room to be answered by the slamming of the attic door behind her. Another strange experience has occurred to several guests who have stayed within the house. Apparently, when guests stay in this home, they are instructed to place their luggage at a space at the top of the stairs, which leads to the attic.  However, the spirit seemingly doesn’t like the suitcases stored in this area because the luggage is often found tossed to the bottom of the stairs.

Kearny & 5th Street  Home – According to the former owners of this house, a friendly ghost lingers here. While there are many unexplained events, such as the sounds of someone walking throughout the house, this ghost is seemingly very helpful. At one point, the ghost helped the man of the house into his dinner jacket. Thinking his wife had helped him, he turned around to thank her, but no one was there. On another occasion, when the couple was returning home from a trip, the wife mentioned that she would love to have a cup of tea when she got home. Upon their arrival home, a teakettle was hissing, and a cup, saucer, tea bag, and spoon were sitting on the counter.

Riverview Drive & R Street  Home – When this home was purchased by the current owners, it came completely furnished, including several paintings on the wall. Making changes to their new home, the new owners removed several of the paintings, wrapped them carefully, then placed them in the basement for storage. However, the very next day, every single painting was back in its original location.

Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas

Sallie’s, the Heartland Ghost, North 2nd Street Home – Sallie, the “Heartland Ghost,” is said to haunt this house that once belonged to a local doctor. The tale of Sallie’s ghost has been featured three times on the popular 1990’s paranormal television show Sightings, as well as Unexplained Mysteries. Long ago, six-year-old Sallie grew terribly sick during the night with severe abdominal pains. Sallie’s mother rushed her to the doctor’s house, where his family lived on the upper floor, and he operated his practice on the main floor.

Sallie’s mother listened as the doctor diagnosed young Sallie with a severe case of appendicitis, requiring immediate surgery. The little girl panicked at the sight of the surgical tools, and the doctor was forced to hold her down to give her ether.

However, in his haste, the physician did not allow the anesthesia to take its full effect and began operating. Sallie awoke during the initial incision and began fighting and wresting against the pain. Before she died, she was said to have looked at the doctor with both fear and loathing and remains within the house to this day.

Back of Sallie House

In 1993, the house was rented to a young couple who reported that Sallie made an almost immediate appearance, playing frequent pranks such as turning electrical appliances on and off, turning pictures upside down, and scattering their child’s toys about the nursery.

Shortly after these harmless pranks, the ghostly activities turned malevolent, with the young husband suffering from frequent attacks. The couple also experienced several small spontaneous fires throughout the house. In fact, when the Sightings crew was at the house filming for the upcoming show, a red welt appeared on the man’s stomach and then began to bleed. The man, who described a severe drop in temperature before the attacks, would often be left with several long bloody scratches.

At their wit’s end, a psychic was consulted who informed the couple that there were actually two spirits within the house. The psychic indicated that it was not Sallie who was responsible for the malevolent activities but rather a ghostly woman of about 30. While Sallie may have been responsible for the harmless pranks, it was this older woman who was the evil one. Allegedly, this mysterious woman was, at first, fond of the gentleman who lived in the house and tried to get close to him while at the same time attempting to drive a wedge between him and his wife. When she was unsuccessful at this, she began to attack the husband.

Finally, after the husband felt a strong shove from behind that nearly sent him over the stair railing, the couple could no longer take it and moved from the house.

Since this couple has moved, later residents have reported no activity occurring in the house.

In addition to being featured on the popular TV series Sightings, the Sallie House Haunting was also made into a made-for-TV movie called  Haunted Heartland  that first aired on Showtime.

Legends of America Visits Sallie’s House

Stairs in Sallie House

On November 13, 2004, we had an opportunity to visit Sallie’s House with local Atchison resident Jerry Talbert. Obtaining permission from the home’s current owner, we entered the house along with Jerry’s crew, carrying boxes of sophisticated electronic equipment. Newly remodeled, the home sported brand new carpet, paint cans about the home, and the sound of a radio playing faintly from the upstairs rooms.

The first sign that perhaps there is still some activity in the house occurred when I was the first to climb the staircase to the upstairs rooms. Suddenly, the volume on the radio increased fivefold. In no time at all, Renae, a member of Jerry’s group, appeared behind me, “Did you turn up the radio?” “No, I responded.” The volume had increased before I ever had a chance to reach the third step. Later, one of Jerry’s crew picked up an odd noise on a voice recorder that might have been described as a little girl’s voice, and another member reported having felt pinched.

The psychic that  Legends of America brought along described; that while the house still has some type of presence, it has little activity. She did get a sense of anxiety in one upstairs room. Of the many pictures that we took along the trip, only one suggests the possible sign of something unearthly. On the staircase where I had stepped, when the volume increased on the radio, an orb appears in the photograph. While this might be contributed to the use of a digital camera, the coincidence is interesting.

Update from Jerry Talbert, April 2005 : Legends of America originally visited the Sallie House with Jerry Talbert, an Atchison resident, in November 2004. Jerry and his crew have continued their investigations and reported recording audio of several sounds in the house during their 60-hour investigation. These include audio of a little girl singing and playing, one that sounds like a little boy, one of a man, and another of at least one woman, maybe two. Other recordings include the sounds of coins hitting a wood floor, footsteps, thumps, growls, and whispers. Often when the crew is talking, other voices have been heard interacting with their conversations. Jerry concludes that the house is still haunted, though there is nothing left that is evil. He continues by expressing his opinion that whatever malevolent presence was there when the young couple lived at the house left when they did.

Glick Mansion

Glick Mansion, 503 North Second Street  – Construction on the Glick Mansion began in 1873 by George Washington Glick. Glick had moved to  Atchison from Fremont, Ohio, in the spring of 1859 with his wife Lizzie Ryder Glick, son Frederick H. and daughter with his Jennie. Soon, he established a law practice with the Honorable Judge Alfred G. Otis under the firm name “Otis & Glick.” When the war between the states broke out, Glick served as a Union soldier in the 2d Kansas Regiment during the Civil War.

In April 1873, Glick purchased two lots for $950.00 and razed a structure on the property to begin the building of the mansion. First built in the old Gothic Victorian style, construction of the grand structure would continue for the next 39 years.

Glick was elected to the  Kansas Legislature in 1862 and served 14 of the next 18 years in that post. In 1874, Glick also became active in farming and stock raising on his 600-acre “Shannon Hill” farm, well known in the area.

In 1879, Lizzie Glick, George’s wife, purchased two adjoining lots north of their home for $1,000, and another building was raised to make room for expansion of the mansion. It was also during this year that George Washington Glick would become the 9th governor of Kansas and the first-ever Democratic governor of the state. Though he only remained in office for one term, he continued to remain active in the political arena and active in local businesses, participating as one of the original founders of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad .

George Glick

After years of civic service, George Glick was forced to abandon his political career because of a throat infection that nearly destroyed his speaking ability. He continued, however, as an attorney for various railroads. He also managed his farm and served as a charter member and first vice president of the Kansas Historical Society.

In October 1909, George deeded the Glick Mansion property to his daughter Jennie and her husband, James Orr. Just two years later, at the age of 83, George Washington Glick died on April 13, 1911.

In 1912, James and Jennie Orr began to remodel the home, retaining the mansion’s appearance but transforming it from a Victorian style to the current Tudor Revival Manor style. When James Orr died in February 1927, the mansion was left with Jennie until she died in 1944.

Having no children, the estate was divided among relatives, friends, the First Church of Christ Scientist of Atchison, Kansas, and the Atchison, Kansas Public Library. The estate then sold the mansion to the local mortician, named William Stanton Jr., in January 1945 for $4,000. After Mr. Stanton passed away in August 1962, his wife Amelia sold the property to James M. and Christeen Griffith. It passed through several hands until it was purchased by its current owners Ray and Joyce Barmby; he currently owns and operates the beautiful, restored mansion as a Bed and Breakfast Inn.

The Glick Mansion was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 26, 1992.

Along with the rest of Atchison, the Glick Mansion is also said to have a ghost of its own rattling around in this century-old home. Allegedly, the strange sounds heard in the night are that of a resident benevolent ghost. The sound of doors being opened and inexplicably closed by unseen forces is a common occurrence, as well as the sounds of footsteps when no one is around.

For years, guests could enjoy the century-old home by sipping English Tea or wine and tasting the lovely d’oeuvres in the parlor when the building served as a Bed & Breakfast Inn. Unfortunately, it is closed today. The building is located at 503 North Second Street in Atchison.

McInteer Villa – This stately mansion, called the McInteer Villa, at 1301 Kansas Avenue, was built by Irish Immigrant John McInteer in 1890. The villa was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 26, 1975, and odd phenomena are reported in the mansion, including lights turning on and off in the tower, which does not have electricity. People walking or driving past the building have often reported seeing figures at the windows when no one is in the house. Figures have often been reported to appear in photographs taken inside the old villa.

Benedictine College by Kathy Alexander.

Benedictine College – Located on the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River, the 150-year-old Benedictine College is also haunted. Not by evil spirits, this historic college is said to remain home to the spirits of some of the old monks who founded the institution more than a century and a half ago. Continuing to look after and protect the old school, at least one of these spirits is known to be lurking about Ferrell Hall, a campus dormitory.

It all began in 1858 when the monks opened a boarding school with just six students. The following year, St. Benedict’s College was officially opened with 16 students.

From there, the college continued to grow into the beautiful 120-acre campus, which now serves the educational needs of over 1000 students.

At another dormitory called Memorial Hall, several eerie things have been known to occur. According to legend, a girl was in her closet changing when the dresser mysteriously moved in front of the door. When she tried to open the door, it wouldn’t budge. Immediately believing her roommate was playing a prank on her, she yelled out, “haha, very funny, let me out.” However, her roommate wasn’t even in the room. It wasn’t until she began to scream at the top of her lungs that someone finally came to her rescue.

St Benedict’s Abbey by Kathy Alexander.

Another girl reported that while she was at the mirror in her room, her desk chair began to rock, then suddenly stopped. Frightened, she immediately left the room and was too afraid to return for some time.

While all manner of freakish occurrences have been reported at the college, they are seemingly harmless to the students of Benedictine College.

Reader Update :  I am a sophomore at Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, and last year, when I was a freshman, I lived in the Memorial Dorm. On my first night at the dorm, I was awakened at 3:00 a.m. by a noise in my room. When I opened my eyes, I was startled to see someone standing in my closet, rifling through my belongings. Exhausted and thinking it might be some kind of prank being played as part of “Recruitment Week,” I said nothing, as the person came and went several times, always returning to the closet. The next morning, my roommate stated that she had also heard the commotion from the night before. Checking the closet the next morning, I found it to be a mess. When I reported the strange event the next morning to the Resident Director, she responded that perhaps someone might have inadvertently gone into the wrong room. However, our door was locked. To this day, both my roommate and I are convinced that we were visited that night by a ghostly spirit. – Maria, October 2004

Muchnic House

Muchnic House  – Built in 1885, this old home was host to frequent Saturday night parties. On one such evening, the event ran into the wee hours of Sunday morning. Having been kept up very late, a maid who had worked for the party the prior evening overslept the next morning. Rushing from her bed-chamber, she ran down the back staircase to the kitchen and fell to her death. Today, witnesses report that lights from the back staircase turn on and off by themselves on Sunday mornings, followed by the smell of cooking bacon from the kitchen when no one is there. This house, which serves as an Art Gallery today, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 12, 1974, located at 704 N. 4th Street.

Reader Update: My husband and I took a guided tour of the Muchnic House two years ago, and I had quite an interesting experience. The nice lady who gave us the tour gave us all the history of the house when I happened to glance up to the top of the stairs and saw a young woman, maybe early 20’s, peering over the edge of the banister.

She seemed to be regarding us with wary curiosity as if to say, ” What are you doing here?!?” When we went upstairs to tour the rest of the house, no one was up there!! It wasn’t until we took the Haunted Trolley tour that I learned about the young woman who supposedly died there, falling down the stairs. I’ve also had some other spooky experiences at other places in Kansas, as well. – Anonymous, February 2005

Atchison Theatre

Theatre Atchison, 401 Santa Fe Street – Built in 1913, as the First Church of Christ, Scientist, the building was modeled after the architectural lines of its Mother Church in Boston. In 1973, the Presbyterian Church bought the building, and ten years later, they created a community theater organization. Today the building is known as the Presbyterian Community Center and is home to Theatre Atchison. Allegedly, it is also home to an unearthly spirit. Guests often describe feeling an unknown presence with them while visiting the theatre, while others working in the building describe odd noises that are often heard that have no apparent earthly cause.

The Santa Fe Depot  – Built in 1880 as a freight depot for the  Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway , the old depot stands as a landmark to Atchison’s historic past. The restored building houses a Kansas visitor information center, historical museum, and the Chamber of Commerce offices. A trolley takes visitors on tours around the historic city, including a Haunted Atchison Tour.

The ghost of “Hangman Bill reportedly haunts the Depot,” a railroad worker is known for his habit of hanging from freight being loaded on and off cars. However, this prankish skill got him killed one day when the cable carrying one of the loads snapped, and he was buried beneath the freight cargo. At the Santa Fe Depot today, staff reports hearing the sound of footsteps coming from above; however, the depot does not have a second floor.

Haunted Atchison Trolley Tours and More!  – In September and October of every year, the Atchison provides trolley tours, murder mystery dinners, cemetery lantern walking tours, and more.  See the  Atchison Chamber of Commerce  and  Discover Atchison   for more information.

©  Kathy Weiser-Alexander / Legends of America , updated August 2021.

Atchison, Kansas

Atchison County, Kansas

Haunted Kansas

Legends, Ghosts, Myths & Mysteries   

You might also enjoy “ Haunted Kansas Road Trip ” from Vacations Made Easy.

Travels in the Heartland: Spend a hauntingly fun time in Atchison, Kansas

ATCHISON, Kan. (KMTV) — Mystery defines Atchison, Kansas. It's the hometown of one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries. Add the mysterious activities of a few alleged haunted houses and you have the makings of a wonderful day trip or fun weekend adventure.

Amelia Earhart, whose plane disappeared over the South Pacific in 1937, was born in Atchison and spent her childhood here. Atchison is also considered the most haunted town in Kansas, so there are plenty of eerie things to do around the city.

Located in Northwest Kansas, Atchison is about a 2.5-hour drive from Omaha.

Amelia Earhart

The Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum anchors attractions related to the record-setting aviator. She was the first woman to set several flight records, including flying solo non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean.

Born in Atchison, Earhart and her sister lived with their grandparents while their parents worked in other cities. The childhood home is located on a bluff not far from the Missouri River.

Built in 1861, the Earhart girls lived in the Gothic Revival cottage, painted white, until Amelia turned 12. Then, they reunited with their parents, living in Midwestern cities such as Des Moines and Chicago.

The house resembles life during Amelia's time there. However, most of the furniture didn't belong to the family. A table used for guests to sign a register was owned by Alfred and Amelia Otis, Earhart's grandparents. Tours include exhibits in a parlor, dining room, kitchen and study. Mannequins, looking amazingly a lot like Earhart, are located throughout the house, wearing her aviator outfit and other attire. You'll also find busts and photos of Earhart on the main floor.

The second floor consists of the family's bedrooms, with the children's rooms decorated to reflect Earhart's childhood. The master suite includes Earhart photos and a set of luggage that she sponsored during her flying career.

Visit Muriel, a Lockheed Electra-10, at the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum . The airplane was donated by a woman who had planned to retrace and complete Earhart's final flight before an illness changed her plans. The Electra-10 came off the same assembly line, shortly before Earhart's plane was completed.

While not completed yet, the hangar museum is open for tours by appointment. Call 24 hours in advance to schedule your visit.

A sculpture of Earhart is located in downtown Atchison. You'll also want to visit the Amelia Earhart Earthwork at Warnock Lake. An observation deck offers an excellent view of the one-acre portrait of the aviator, created with permanent plants and other accessories.

Haunted Atchison

Explore Atchison's ghostly attractions by foot or trolley. Since the city is considered the most haunted in Kansas, it seems likely that spirits occupy several houses. The Sallie House has been named the "most haunted" house in America. A young girl died during surgery, waking during the operation to see the surgeon working on her. It's believed her ghost haunts the house, attacking men because she believes the doctor was hurting her, not trying to save her.

While self-guided tours are offered year-round, I visited the house during a media trip. Our host led a group of about five into the house one night. The chill that came over me could have been imagined or real. But, when our host's EMF (electromagnetic force) meter indicated an unfriendly spirit, we quickly left. Overnight stays can be reserved at the house, but it's recommended to reserve a hotel room in case you don't make it through the night in the house.

The 1889 McInteer Villa is another haunted attraction that may serve chills down your spine. With surveillance cameras located through the house, odd occurrences have been documented. During my visit , the EMF indicated two visitors in a room we were in, each trying to communicate with a friend and me. The EMF indicated one of the spirits said my name, so that made for an interesting experience.

Haunted Atchison trolley tours are offered each weekend throughout October. On our first visit to the city, Lisa and I took a daylight tour. Our guide recommended a day tour because you can see the classic architecture of houses, mansions and business buildings. Guides point out sites that have reported ghostly experiences, including colored orbs circling the "Gargoyle" mansion, a large house with gargoyle sculptures on the roof. Orbs are believed to be spirits.

Backroad Atlas , an antique store said to be haunted, posts photos of orbs on its bulletin boards. I took a photo of the glass door where they're kept. When I looked at the photo after my trip, I saw a face looking back at me. I called the store, the owner asked if the face was sticking his tongue out at me. It was. She asked for a copy of the photo.

"He likes to do that," she said. I also had one of the clearest pictures of him they'd seen, she added.

Atchison is full of ghost stories, thus its title of "Most Haunted City in Kansas." Whether you believe in ghosts, spirits or the afterlife, Haunted Atchison is a fun experience.

Religious art

Benedictine College's campus is full of beautiful art. Start your self-guided tour with a stop at St. Benedict’s Abbey church. The classic church's design resembles a ship, with the altar as the stern and the entrance at the bow. Completed in 1957, the church features Winona limestone. The interior features Indiana limestone, along with marble altars and white oak pews. The church seats 600 people, with room for a 174-member choir. Mosaic murals are located among the art.

Among the public art on the spacious campus are statues of Jesus Christ and St. Benedict. A small grotto with a waterfall honors Mary.

History museums

If architecture and beautiful decor attract you, then a visit to the Evah C. Cray Historical Home Museum is a must. With 25 rooms, the mansion, built in 1882, features immaculate fireplaces, hand-carved woodwork and impressive furnishings. A gift shop is located in the carriage house.

The Santa Fe Depot Museum offers a look at the area's history, from Indigenous peoples to the railroad. Located inside a former depot, you'll also find locomotives and rail cars once used by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

Whether you believe in ghosts, things that go bump in the night or just prefer a good scare, Atchison is definitely for you. If you prefer history, architecture and art, Atchison is also for you. Regardless of your interests, a road trip to Atchison, Kansas makes for a fun and adventurous road trip.

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• September 9, 2021
• Only in KC , Travel

Atchison is the most haunted town in Kansas

Sophia lacy.

Atchison, Kansas, is probably best known for being the hometown of aviator Amelia Earhart.

But lately, it’s also become a big draw for ghost hunters, who go to the small city an hour northeast of downtown KC because of the numerous places there that report paranormal activity and hauntings. Atchison is now advertising itself as “the most haunted town in Kansas” and running the city’s trolly between attractions like the 1889 McInteer Villa and the Sallie House.

The McInteer Villa is a stately Victorian home built for John McInteer, an Irish immigrant and businessman. Nine members of the family died in the home, and visitors say they’ve felt the deceased’s presences. People have reported hearing conversations between spirits, seeing a “shadow” person with glowing eyes and hearing footsteps casually walking around at night.

“The voices are the most uncomfortable for me,” says Stephanie Neal, the current owner. “You can hear them having full on conversations and you don’t see anyone and you don’t know who is talking.”

The Sallie House was the home of an Atchison physician. Sallie was a patient who came to the home with her mother, who was seeking help for Sallie’s severe abdominal pain. The doctor believed it to be appendicitis and, thinking the appendix was about to burst, cut Sallie before the anesthesia had spread. Sallie screamed in pain before dying on the table during the operation.

At the Sallie House, you have to sign a waiver before your tour. Visitors have reported numerous feelings and seeings that they believe are Sallie, but some of the most bizarre experiences have been with men.

“There are many cases of men reporting being scratched on their back, stomachs and arms through their clothes, leaving visible, unexplainable marks,” says Andrea Clements, director of Atchison’s chamber of commerce staff. “Many report Sallie does not like men.”

GO: Both houses have more information online about their upcoming events, as well as events in Atchison this fall season. visitatchison.com

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