There are many haunted places of Atchison, Kansas. Located along the area of the popular Missouri River, many different people have traveled in and out of this popular town all throughout history. When it comes to paranormal activity in the State of Kansas, it has been said that this is the most haunted town! The locals, as well as those who simply traveled to and/or through the town of Atchison have claimed that this particular town hosts a large number of spirits. Here, you will be introduced to the haunted places of Atchison, Kansas.
Sallie’s House
The ghost of Sallie is often referred to as the “Heartland Ghost”. The home that is often called “Sallie’s House” originally belonged to a doctor that served the town of Atchison. In the days when the doctor served the local people, the home actually served as an office, while the top floor of the home is where the doctor and his family enjoyed their home life. It is said that one night, a local girl by the name of Sallie became terribly sick. Her mother realized that the sickness was too intense to handle on her own, so she immediately took Sallie straight to the home of the doctor.
Once the doctor examined little Sallie, who was a mere six year olds, he determined that she was suffering from appendicitis. Immediate surgery had to be conducted on the child. However, she became very violent. She was frightened, and the actual anesthesia was not able to have a full effect prior to the doctor starting the operation. Once the child felt the first cut, she once again became violent. With one last look at the doctor, she died on the operating table. It is said that the spirit of the child became trapped in the home and continues to haunt it even to this very day.
It is believed that the small spirit of Sallie is playful and energetic, and that there is another spirit in the home that is actually a bit on the “evil” side. It is believed that the spirit is a female of about thirty years of age. She has been attributed to attacks on men, small fires, and other mischievous activity. This home has been featured on many popular television shows, such as “Sightings” and has been studied over and over by paranormal investigators. All research leads to the fact that there is still paranormal activity occurring in the haunted home.
The Gargoyle Home
The Gargoyle Home is considered to be one of the most haunted and most cursed areas in all of Atchison, Kansas. This particular home was constructed by a man with the name of B.P Waggener in the year of 1884. This man was a prominent figure when it came to politics, as well as the laws of the area during his time. He grew to be extremely wealthy. It is said that he made a pact with the devil himself to become as rich and powerful as he was. It is then said that the devil made the man place gargoyle statutes around the establishment in order to openly display his agreement. Those who have attempted to remove the statutes from the home have said to have died in an untimely fashion, and it is believed that spirits walk in the home, as well as outside the structure on the grounds.
The Santa Fe Depot
In the year of 1880, the Santa Fe Depot was constructed in Atchison, Kansas. This building served as a depot for the freight train that ran through the area. Today, it is open to visitors as a museum, but is apparently haunted. It is believed in the early history of the train, there was a man by the name of Bill that worked on the train. He was known to be a bit on the daredevil side as he often hung from the actual freight while the train traveled. People who knew him often called him “Hangman Bill”. One day, though, his luck ran out and the freight he hung from actually snapped and he fell to his death. Today, it is said his spirit haunts the depot building and the grounds around it. Several have reported the sounds of footsteps when no one is present, and other unexplained phenomenon.
Muchnic House
The Muchnic House is an apparent location to a very unique haunting that seems to be more residual based than intelligent. This home was constructed in the year of 1885. There was a maid that served the family that resided in the home on a regular basis. The family would often hold parties on Saturday evenings for other people in the community. One Saturday night party ran late and did not finish until early on Sunday. The maid, being completely exhausted and worn down from her week’s work accidentally woke up late that morning. She was in such a rush to get downstairs in fear of being excused from her job that she fell hard. When she hit the floor, she passed away. It is said that lights turn on and off and that her spirit can be seen and felt on Sundays. Several have spotted this young maid not realizing it was a spirit until later.
Atchison Street
While you can expect to hear about haunted houses and various other types of buildings in Atchison, it is interesting to hear of a street that is considered to be haunted. However, if you walk along Atchison Street, near the river, you can sometimes hear the faint calls of a woman urging you to go down into the river. This is because a lady lost control of her horse and carriage on the steep hill on this road during the winter. When this occurred, she fell into the river, which was covered in ice at the time, and met her untimely death. Today, it is not uncommon to see a shadow of a female along Atchison Street, hear her calling, or even the sound of a carriage.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are several haunted places to go when it comes to Atchison, Kansas. If you have an interest in ghost hunting, or simply enjoy learning about the history of a town that has a long line of it, Atchison is the place to visit!
