Outside of the Midwest: A Haunted Tour of Kansas

 

Hollenberg Pony Express Station - Photo from the National Park Service

When I was younger, my older brother was in the Army and stationed in Kansas. On a trip out west to visit him one summer I remember seeing a lot of cornfields and not a whole lot else. Of course, now I wish I knew then about all the haunted sites this state has to offer.

First is the Hanover, Kansas haunted site Hollenberg Station. The Hollenberg Station was once a stop on the Pony Express and was used for nearly two years before the telegraph put an end to the need. The town of Hanover should be commended for its early preservation efforts because once the building ceased being used, it took steps to save it. Knowing that the Hollenberg Station was such an important part of their past, they took steps to preserve it. Today it's used as a museum and is part of a historical park recognized by the state of Kansas.

The ghosts there all seem to be connected to the Pony Express. At night those in the area hear the sounds of horses running through the area and the sounds of people talking and shouting in the nearby vicinity. Some believe this is a residual haunting while others think it's just the mind playing tricks.

Perhaps the most famous ghost is that of Sentinel Hill at Fort Hays. Many people believe the female ghost is Elizabeth Polly. The woman lived in the fort during a cholera epidemic and worked to make the men feel as comfortable as possible and even saved a few men. It shouldn't be surprising that she too came down with cholera and eventually passed away. She was buried on-site and left there until her body was moved in 1941.

Today Elizabeth walks the area around Sentinel Hill. Wearing blue clothing from the 1800s, she seems to pace around the hill. According to legend the woman wanted her final resting spot to be on the hill and is letting locals know of her wish even years after her death. Others believe the officers' quarters of the old fort are also haunted and those who have lived there claim to hear odd sounds in the middle of the night.

Another haunted fort in Kansas is Fort Leavenworth. The original chapel burned down, but one of the old ghosts is related to that chapel. Father Fred now haunts a private home that was built using bricks from the original chapel. Many people have spotted the man in his old robe walking around the building and he's even been photographed before.

Catherine Sutler is another ghost residing at Fort Leavenworth. The Sutler family came to the Fort for a short visit, but the two youngest children disappeared and were believed to be dead. Catherine refused to give up hope and spent her remaining years constantly searching for missing children. Oddly enough the children were found years later, living with a group of local Native Americans.

That hasn't stopped this loving mother though. Many people have spotted the ghost of Catherine walking along the river and still looking for her children. Others have seen a ghostly light similar to an old lantern, bobbing along the riverbanks.

Fort Leavenworth is also home to a Lady in Black. This woman appears in a specific home at the Fort, wearing an old-fashioned black dress. She sometimes looks through the windows of the house and often helps out with the chores when it looks like the family needs some help.

The old fort also has a ghost that died a violent death and now appears at the Rookery still posed for an attack that never comes. This same house also has an elderly woman content to talk to herself, an old man that bothers those sleeping, and a small girl.

The officers' quarters are haunted by a man who walks around late at night, while the old cemetery is haunted by an old Indian chief who was once held on the base. The Sheridan House is also haunted, this time by a woman who died there after her husband left her.

As if that wasn't enough, General Custer also haunts Fort Leavenworth. The man was court-martialed after leaving the Army to care for his sick wife. The man still walks around the site where he was held during his sentencing.

Kansas has another haunted fort in the form of Fort Riley. General Custer also haunts this fort, a place where he and his wife once lived. The man walks around a museum where many of his things are on display. Quarters 124 is haunted by a woman who drowned in a well. People living there have heard the sounds of someone moaning and gurgling even though the well is now gone.

Fort Riley also has the haunted Lower Parade Ground where people once kept an eye on things from horseback. There are reports of people seeing men on horses riding through the area, seeing men in old-fashioned clothing standing in the sable, and even the sounds of horses running through the fields.

Kansas State University in Manhattan is also haunted. A ghost named Nick haunts the Purple Masque Theater on campus. Supposedly he was a school athlete who died in the building and now likes to play pranks on those working there at night. He makes things move or levitate and also likes to scare actors trying to rehearse.

Also haunted is the Phi Gamma Delta House where yet another student died, only this time it was during his induction into the fraternity. Once the old fraternity turned the building over to the Phi Gamma Deltas, the ghost made his presence known. He plays with the doors and lights to remind the students that he's there.

Not to be outdone, the Kappa Sigma house is also haunted. When the house was used as a private residence, a young boy killed himself. Today those inside hear the boy running around and sometimes he's seen as a dense white fog.

The former hospital on campus is haunted by two ghostly spirits. The first ghost is that of a former nurse who dozens of people have spotted walking around the building just as she did in life. The other ghost is an old man who died there when the hospital was in use. He plays with the electricity, opens the doors and generally likes to make a nuisance of himself.

Theorosa's Bridge is also haunted by the familiar tale of a crying baby. Supposedly Theorosa was traveling across the bridge with her child when they were attacked and the baby was lost. Another story claims the woman tossed her baby off the bridge when she realized the shame of being an unmarried mother. Yet another version claims she was killed by her lover and the baby tossed in the water. All versions end with people seeing a strange woman near the water, sometimes screaming for her baby or the sounds of a baby crying.

Perhaps the most famous ghost in Kansas is that of Sallie. Sallie was supposedly a little girl who died in a house though the story of how she died varies from person to person. The girl either died because of improper care or she died during what should have been a simple operation. Those who lived in the house woke to find themselves covered with small scratches and found that things in the house seemed to move or work on their own and things tended to be moved, especially toys. The house was once a doctor's office and Sallie only ever brought her frustration on the men living there.

The case of Sallie became even more famous when it was shown on the television series "Sightings". During the filming the crew was able to see firsthand the attacks and catch on camera the husband being covered in scratches. Oddly enough after the family moved from the house, Sallie never made another appearance.

Maybe had I known some of these stories before my trip, I would have paid just a little bit more attention to my surroundings...

Fort Riley - Photo from the U.S. Army