Boomer Destinations: Atchinson, Kansas
By Tim Trudell
Growing up, we’ve all heard ghost stories, whether they were told around campfires or, in my case, by older brothers at bedtime with hopes of creating nightmares (score one for my big brothers). In Atchison, Kansas, ghost stories are a way of life.
Considered the most-haunted city in Kansas, Atchison, about 2.5 hours south of Omaha, is home to several homes frequented by spirits, as well as businesses where ghosts run rampant. The city of about 11,000 may have enough apparitions to open a Ghostbusters franchise.
October is the month of ghosts, ghouls and goblins. In Atchison, the month is akin to Oktoberfest in Munich, cherry blossoms in DC and fall foliage in the northeast US. Tons of would-be ghost hunters find their way to Atchison, about three hours south of Omaha, in hopes of other-worldly encounters.
Guided trolley tours take you around town, with views and stories of haunted houses and buildings. Tours include stories about a haunted train and other back-of-the-neck hair-raising tales. There’s the house protected by four gargoyle statues on the roof, known for attracting colorful orbs – signs of spirits in the sky. Other houses are sites of spiritual encounters.
While trolley tours are offered throughout the day and evening, I recommend day views, so you can see the houses in the light of day. Night tours may add a little fear, but I think the stories are enhanced by seeing the house.
Two houses stand out in Atchison, with each offering tours.
The Sallie House is considered the most-haunted in America, where a young girl died during emergency surgery.
Video purports to show toys moving by themselves. Men – not liked by the spirit of Sallie – have allegedly been known to have scratches randomly appear on their backs without warning. Voices have been heard. A radio in the house turns on-and-off by itself.
Sallie House has been the focus of paranormal investigations, as well as television series. They have all tended to lean toward the house being haunted.
During my last visit to Sallie House, our guide, who had an EVP app on her cell phone, had a conversation with what she believed to be a demon. He wanted to play games with our group, so she had us immediately leave the house. Quality guides won’t put you in a risky situation.
The McInteer Villa had a personal connection for a friend and me. A few of us on our tour entered a second floor sitting room. Our guide noticed the EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) app was signaling a lot of energy. She asked if someone (a spirit) was there. “Bill,” the EVP energized a word, to communicate with us. What? Then “keys,” followed by “Toyota.” My first name is William (Bill for short). I originally didn’t think much about it. But, I started to put pieces together. I had used my car keys (to a Toyota) to try to loosen a stuck battery in my camera earlier, shortly after entering the house.
Our guide thought maybe it was trying to talk to me. I asked if it was either my biological father or my step-dad. It wouldn’t acknowledge. Then, it said “Shoot” and “pose.” Our guide told us to take pictures of the mirror, in case it wanted to reveal itself to us. I took pictures with my camera.
We would each stop at times and look to see if we had anything. My pics showed only our group. Then, one person noticed an odd reflection. Where my friend Sara should be standing was a face of a man, unknown to our group. Then, a second one was noticed, sticking his tongue out. I’m not sure about you, but when I saw the photo, I was stunned. Neither face was recognizable.
Then, another word “Forgive.” For some reason, we then thought the spirit was reaching out to another person. It started with additional words, which led a person to believe it was a close relative lost in an accident. So, the conversation shifted toward trying to help her communicate with the visitor.
Then…“Tim.”
Both my first and middle names were spoken. So, our guide believed, there were two spirits trying to talk to two of us. More questions were asked. Answers included “Father,” “group” and “prophet.” It was difficult to determine to whom they were talking.
Then, “hair.” “You want to touch them?” our guide said. She suggested we put our hands next to our sides. We did. Then, my left hand went cold. The other person experienced a similar situation. I noticed a portable air conditioner was running in the corner. I asked another person to stand between it and me. “It’s so cold,” she said, standing about six feet from me.
Then, after a minute or so, the energy disappeared and hands were warm again. It was then that I noticed the closet door next to me had a draft, kicking out warm air. This was getting a little too real for my taste.
Did I really have someone reach out to me from the spirit world? Or, was it all a coincidence? It’s difficult to rationalize the words that came across the EVP. Even if you could preprogram the app (we looked into this during the visit and afterward), why would you bring up something so personal and traumatic for at least one person? No quality organization would do that. So, we ruled that out.
As if a personal connection wasn’t enough, the following day, during a visit to Backroad Atlas, an antique store known for being haunted, I had my third encounter in Atchison.
The antique store is stocked with lots of vintage wares – appliances, dinnerware and tools, among the items – it’s also home to at least one teenager, likely killed in a car accident in the 1950s.
Exploring the store alone, there was no indication of a ghost or spirit. As I prepared to leave, a sign above a door caught my fancy, so I took a few photos.
The next night, after I returned home, I flipped through photos. I noticed something in the middle glass frame of the doorway. It was a face.
The following day, I called the antique store and asked about the door’s glass frames.
“Was he sticking his tongue out at you?” the owner said.
“Yes.”
“He does that all the time,” she said.
The owner asked me to send the photo to her. She replied that I had the most clear photo of him she’d seen.
Whether you believe in ghosts or just enjoy haunting stories, Atchison is the perfect place to visit, especially in autumn during the Halloween season.
Amelia Earhart’s hometown
If you prefer more earthly attractions, then maybe a stop at the childhood home of Amelia Earhart is the best option. Enjoy a tour of the house where she and her sister lived with their grandparents.
Some of the furniture in the house actually belonged to the Otis family – Earhart’s grandparents. Some pieces are from the period they lived there and others have been donated.
Each room has some type of Earhart memorabilia. The table that’s used for people to sign the guest book was donated by her sister, Muriel.
The house, itself, appears to have been a large one for the late 1800s and early 1900s. The front parlor is spacious.
While Earhart’s childhood home remains a major attraction in Atchison, just outside of town, a hangar houses a replica of the plane Earhart flew on her doomed flight. “Muriel” is a Lockheed Electra Model 10E, a twin-engine prop plane. The plane was donated by owner and pilot Grace McGuire, who had planned to follow Earhart’s footsteps with the 1937 flight, but an illness sidelined her.
Named for Earhart’s sister, McGuire’s donation is the anchor exhibit at the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum. “Muriel” is the last remaining of the 15 10Es produced by Lockheed.
A sculpture of Earhart can be found in downtown Atchison, along with other unique pieces. Deafy Boular was a master bricklayer, who was recognized by “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” for laying 46,000 street bricks in eight hours. Boular was 10 when he lost both legs after being run over by a train. He wore special shoes that allowed him to walk on his knees.
The city has a river walk that runs about two miles along the river banks. You can check out veterans memorials, including sculptures recognizing each branch of the military, along the path.
Whether you’re a fan of the spirit world or more traditional attractions, Atchison is definitely a Boomer Destination worth the drive.
