7 Most Haunted Places in Missouri

Many ghost hunters regard Lemp Mansion as the most haunted place in St. Louis. In fact, LIFE magazine once called it one of the 10 most haunted places in America. Constructed in the late 1860s, the tragic history of the Lemp family began in 1901 when 28-year-old Frederick Lemp died. He was the adored son of founder William Lemp, who took the death hard and became a recluse before taking his own life in 1904. The daughter of Lemp also took her own life in her own home, and her brother, Will, did the same thing. Many paranormal investigations uncovered restless spirits and guests report cold spots, electrical failures, a feeling of deep sorrow, tapping on their shoulders, and strange objects in their photos. On a tour, you can learn about the Lemp family’s bloody history and hunt for paranormal activity.

3. Missouri State Penitentiary, Jefferson City

Missouri State Penitentiary is notorious for its paranormal activity. Dubbed the “bloodiest 47 acres in America” by Time magazine, the penitentiary housed inmates for 168 years. Some say the prisoners’ spirits roam the prison decommissioned in 2004. Many paranormal investigations, including those by Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters members, found supernatural occurrences. Some of these experiences include apparitions, shadowy shapes, and disembodied voices.

4. Stephens College, Columbia

Formerly Columbia Baptist Female College, Stephens College was the setting for the tragic love story of Sarah Wheeler and a Confederate soldier named Isaac Johnson. Sarah hid the stowaway soldier in the college, and when they tried to escape, they drowned in the river. However, a darker story suggests that he was executed in the streets, and in her distress, Sarah hanged herself from the bell tower. Whatever happened, Sarah’s ghost still wanders Senior Hall. Students report terrifying tales of hearing a baby cry and apparitions of the Blue Ladies who sing to students and tuck them into bed. Talk about things that go bump in the night!

5. The Elms Hotel & Spa, Excelsior Springs

Several spirits haunt The Elms Hotel & Spa in Excelsior Springs, and this place is so haunted that it was featured on SyFy’s Ghost Hunters in 2013. The building suffered two fires. The first in 1898 and the second in 1910. Rumour has it that a spirit was involved in one of the fires. Guests report paranormal activity around the pool area, which was once a popular hangout for gangsters such as Al Capone during the Prohibition era.

6. Union Station, Kansas City

The ghost of criminal Frank Nash haunts Union Station in Kansas City. Frank Nash and four peace officers were killed during a rescue attempt. Nash’s faceless ghost still wanders the station keeping passengers on their toes. Other reports include seeing a pair of polished shoes with no owner. The crew of the paranormal television program Ghost Adventures has also investigated the haunted activities in the station.

7. Pythian Castle, Springfield

Constructed in 1913 as an orphanage and a retirement home for the Knights of Pythias members, this building was later owned by the military and used as a site for prisoners of war. Today, it is the site of much paranormal activity, so much so that the castle has been featured on the Travel Channel. People report seeing orbs and hearing voices, especially in the basement.