Happy (almost) Halloween, Missouri REALTORS®! Now that spooky season is officially upon us, we wanted to celebrate accordingly. Missouri has quite the haunted history, so we took inventory of the eeriest, most haunted homes across the state. From Kansas City to St. Louis, here’s what we found. But beware--these stories are not for the faint of heart.
The Lemp Mansion
The Lemp Mansion, in St. Louis, Missouri, was named one of the 10 most haunted places in the United States. The mansion was built in the early 1860s and was utilized as both a residence and auxiliary brewery office. Shortly after moving in and renovating the space, the Lemp family experienced tragic death after tragic death in the now haunted home. (It wasn’t quite the American Dream of homeownership they were hoping for.)
The mansion has since been transformed into a dinner theatre, restaurant and hotel. Daring visitors can wine, dine and spend an entire evening with the Lemp family ghosts.
Beattie MansionThe original owner of Beattie Mansion, a wealthy businessman and the first mayor of the city, died mysteriously in 1878. His wife Eliza passed away two years later. The home, one of St. Joseph's grand Victorian residences, served many purposes in the years to follow. At different times, it was a refuge for the city’s homeless, its aged and its orphaned.
Psychics believe the mansion’s history of housing distressed souls of those displaced and unwanted is left inside the structure today, manifesting in strange occurrences and events.
In attempts to renovate the space again, contractors have noted bone-chilling, paranormal activity ranging from strange humming noises and shadowy figures to full body apparitions.
Pythian CastleThe Pythian Castle was built by the Knights of Pythias as an orphanage in 1913 in Springfield, Missouri.
According to St. Louis Magazine, “The home served its function as an orphanage until World War II, when the military demands on the homefront pressed it into service as a hospital unit and social club for wounded veterans convalescing after foreign tours.” While soldiers occupied the main areas of the castle, a “dungeon” housed captured German and Italian prisoners of war--prisoners who continue to haunt the property to this day.
Pythian Castle is now privately owned by Tamara Finocchiaro. In 2010, the castle opened to the public for tours and events, such as history tours, murder mystery dinners, ghost tours and special holiday parties.
Do you live in or near a haunted house in Missouri? Maybe you have even helped sell one? We want to hear your stories all October long! Leave a message with your own paranormal run-ins, and tag a friend who may have a spooky story as well.