16 Of Kansas City's Favorite Haunts
Everyone loves a good ghost story around the campfire. Whether you believe it or not, we've got quite the creepy history spattered about KC and surrounding areas. Here are some of our favorite local haunts.
Updated: October 2024
Built in 1914, Union Station carries a dark history. In 1933, the Kansas City Massacre unfolded here, where "Pretty Boy" Floyd and others killed four during a failed rescue. Bullet holes from that day still scar the walls.
Hauntings run rampant—security cameras catch figures that vanish upon inspection, and visitors report hearing crowds and train horns in the dead of night. Some even claim to see Frank Nash himself, lingering in the shadows. Ghost Adventures couldn’t resist.
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Built in 1888, this hotel has a chilling history of hauntings. Room 505 is infamous for the eerie drowning of Betsy Ward—guests report unseen eyes, strange voices, and faucets turning off on their own. In 1990, a manager was murdered on the second floor, and now visitors feel watched and often sick. On the fourth floor, a ghostly little girl roams the halls, and a man vanishes into thin air.
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Photo by Keith Myers
Overlooking downtown KC looms the eerie Sauer Castle. Legends say every Sauer family member is buried on the grounds, including one who hanged himself in the tower. Another tale claims a later resident murdered his family and buried them before taking his own life. Neighbors report floating lights, ghostly voices, and a woman pacing the widow's walk. On Halloween, a couple is seen dancing in the tower. Rumors also swirl of buried treasure and a secret tunnel to the river.
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Photo via John And Sigrid's Adventures
The house was constructed in 1858, just in time for the Civil War. It was near the Battle of Westport and became a makeshift hospital for both Union and Confederate troops. Many died in the operating room. Those who enter report feeling sick and feel tugging on their arms and legs. Other reported hauntings are armed soldiers patrolling the doors and balconies, the smell of tobacco and a rocking chair rocking with no one in it. One incident reported by a staff member is when the guns
hanging in the home all turned to aim at the front door. Another reported a sighting is of a man in the carriage house
pacing back and forth. Neighbors were so scared that the carriage house windows were painted over. Another sighting were children Civil War period clothing running around in the front yard at night. After a neighbor called about this, the
children disappeared.
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It was built in 1887, making these stories more than a century old. The oldest spirit is of the
"Lady in Red" who is thought to be a homeless female that was taken
into the home where she quickly died from a botched medical operation.
She is often seen appearing to guests asking, "Where is the priest's
house?" then disappearing. Other
claims include footsteps being heard, lights turning off and on by themselves,
and multiple apparitions throughout the home, including one of a young girl who is seen rocking in a rocking chair.
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This mansion was built in the 1920's by Uriah Epperson and
is currently used as a school of architecture by UMKC. The infamous spirit that
haunts here is Harriet Barse. She was the adopted daughter of Uriah. Harriet
can be seen wandering the home in an evening gown. Students and campus police
have also reported hearing strange sounds such as organ music and footsteps. One incident reported by campus police describes an officer
checking on the house one night and hearing sounds of crashing and shattering
glass. When officers investigated they found no signs of an accident but did
note that their vehicle had moved several inches with skid marks under the
tires. Another officer reported seeing an arm in blue clothing reach into a
room and turn on a light, it is believed that this was Uriah.
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Photo by Melissa Kothe
This enormous house was built in 1881 by Colonel Harvey Vaile. He was very successful, or thought to be until 1889 when the Colonel was accused of mail fraud. His wife because severely depressed after hearing this and committed suicide in the house. It is claimed that Mrs. Vaile's spirit haunts the mansion as people have witnessed her in windows of the building and roaming its halls. Over the years the mansion has served as a hotel, asylum, a mineral water company, a nursing home and now a museum. All of these changes are sure to have welcomed more ghosts than just Mrs. Vaile.
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Photo by Kevin Anderson
This frat castle was once the home of Kansas Governor Walter Stubbs. The house has long been rumored to be haunted by Virginia, the mistress and housekeeper of the governor. According to the story, when Mrs. Stubbs found out about the affair, she became upset and threatened Virginia. Out of fear, Virginia, who was only 17, hung herself from the rafters of the house in 1911. She is reportedly buried in the wall of the first floor fireplace.
The mistress' ghost is occasionally sighted by fraternity brothers who live there now. International ghost hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated the fraternity house in 1999 and another paranormal investigator checked it out in 2009. Both investigations solidified the ghostly claims that have been told throughout the years.
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Photo by Sarah Cutright
The sight of a run down stone church and forgotten cemetery is the perfect scene for a haunting. According to legend, it is said that witches and occult groups use the old church for dark satanic rituals. An old cut down tree is said to have been used to hang witches in the 1800's. Near the cemetery is a trail named “Devil’s Road,” where a man set fire to his own son, killing him. Another man was found hanging from a tree by the side of the road.
The main folktale of Stull is a flight of stone stairs hidden in the woods near the church. The entrance to the stairs only opens up on Halloween and the Spring Equinox. If you are lucky to stumble upon the stairs, you are able to walk straight into the gateway of Hell at the bottom.
On Halloween, you may even catch the devil visiting the grave-site of his witch mistress with whom he had a child.
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This cemetery was first established in 1862, right in the middle of the civil war. Reports of soldiers in uniforms can be seen walking the grounds looking severely injured. One ghost is said to be wearing a union uniform. He has been reported to approach people as if he has a question, then disappears before speaking. One of the oldest legends is of Catherine Sutter, an early pioneer whose children were thought to be lost in a winter storm while looking for firewood. Catherine searched for them all winter long, before catching pneumonia and dying. Shortly after her death, her children were found. Her ghost has been seen wandering the cemetery grounds, holding a lantern. Other reports have been of her voice calling out for her children.
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Photo by April M.
This ancient winery is so well known for its hauntings that
it has frequent ghost investigations as well as has had Ghost Hunters film an
episode there. Since 1887, it has been many different things from a hotel, an
orphanage, hospital and nursing home. There is a cemetery onsite, which has
nearly 600 people buried in it. These ghosts also contribute to the many
hauntings. Ghost sightings have included orphan children
moving objects, running up and down the halls, laughing and tugging at
visitors. Children's voices have also been heard singing “Ring Around the
Rosy”. An old lady reportedly sings in the old hospital wing as well as other
reported odd voices and noises, including doors opening and closing by
themselves as well as the piano playing on its own.
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Photo via Richmond Public Library
According to local stories, the park is haunted by a young girl named Molly. What happened to Molly depends on which story you are told. There are three possible instances. One is that Molly was killed by her prom date following an argument, another is that Molly killed herself following a fight with her prom date or the last is that she was killed by someone else when her prom date left her at the park after a fight. Either way, Molly went to the prom but ended her night pretty badly. The approximate area where these legendary tales are set is known as “Molly’s Hollow”.
The paranormal reports are of hearing disembodied screams and moaning in the park.There are also reports of a ghostly apparition hanging from a tree in the park, near the “Molly’s Hollow” area. According to some of our sources to really get the Molly experience, you are supposed to visit "Molly’s Hollow" at midnight, turn off your car, and then sit and wait. Cars that are turned off are said to stall and when they stall, disembodied screaming sounds can be heard from inside.
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Built at the turn of the century, this house was the residence of an Atchison physician. The front of the house served as office space and examination rooms, while the family lived upstairs. One day, a 6 year old girl named Sallie came to the doctor with severe appendicitis. She came too late and there was no time to delay surgery. The doctor began cutting Sallie open before the anesthesia took full effect. She died on the operating table. Reports of Sallie haunting the house became prevalent in 1993, when the house was rented to a young couple. They would hear voices and see objects move, but things quickly took a violent turn.
Random fires broke out in the house and cuts and scratches started appearing on the occupants. The operating area would become cold, and objects would visibly move.
Events that have been witnessed by today’s visitors are camera and video equipment stop working or batteries completely draining. Visitors also experience moving objects, have felt being touched, becoming cold and noticing scratches on their bodies.
Psychics have confirmed the presence of spirits dwelling in the home and many have actually communicated with them.
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Photo by Jonathan Tasler
This creepy place was built in 1884 by B.P. Waggener who was a pretty important attorney with the Missouri Pacific Railway Company for the State of Kansas. This house is said to be one of the most known haunted houses in Atchison. The house got its name for the large gargoyles surrounding the perimeter of the roof. It is believed that Waggener’s wealth and success was because of a deal he made with the Devil. The gargoyles on the roof of the mansion are the symbols of the covenant he made.
According to legend, when one of the former owners tried to remove the gargoyles, he fell to his death down a staircase.
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In 1898 the hotel was built so people could enjoy the healing powers of the mineral spring. Unfortunately, the hotel had a devastating fire in 1898 but was rebuilt in 1909.After the fire is when things started to get scary.
Reported hauntings by both guests and staff are of gamblers hanging out by the lap pools. Al Capone, a frequent visitor, is supposedly seen before disappearing into thin air. Other sightings have been by guests who see housekeepers in 1920's style uniforms walk into rooms and disappear. Another ghost is that of a woman desperately searching for her child. After seeing her people have had their hair pulled or seen things thrown. It is believed it might be the woman’s child.
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Photo by Tom Uhlenbrock
Nicknamed the “Bloodiest 47 Acres in America”, this jail has been around since 1836. During its height, it held some of the country’s most dangerous criminals
Strange occurrences here happen on the regular. One evening, a tour guide was alone in the jail. They passed through a control center with locked lockers. After passing through again,they noticed all the locks were off and the lockers were open. Ghostly occurrences like this prank are thought to be done by "Fast Jack", who used to work at the jail. When he is spotted he is usually wearing a white lab coat and carrying a clip board, and is often confused with being a current employee by visitors. They quickly realize he does not work there when he disappears before their eyes. A number of people have reported hearing the sound of disembodied voices interacting with them in the dark corridors of the prison, or seeing shadowy shapes that seem to watching and waiting from the dark corners.
