Oklahoma has multiple historic and public buildings that are considered haunted.
With Halloween days away, there is no shortage of opportunities to tour these places or hear ghost stories and legends.
Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation created a guide for planning Halloween adventures across the state.
Why Is Oklahoma So Scary?
Some sources say Oklahoma has the third-highest number of haunted structures and ghost sightings per capita.
Much of that reputation stems from incidents that happened long ago throughout the state and are ingrained in local lore.
Kaitlyn Rivas with Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation says the state’s history and reported paranormal activity give Oklahoma a scary reputation.
“Some of our biggest cities, including Oklahoma City and Tulsa, have decades of ghost stories and legends and alleged hauntings all over,” Rivas said.
In Oklahoma City, the Skirvin Hilton Hotel, the Civic Center Music Hall and Saint Joseph's Old Cathedral are often included on ghost tours.
The historic Henry and Anna Overholser Mansion, built in 1903, is a featured destination on specialty tours like Mysteries of the Mansion or Scary Tales.
Several historic venues in northeast Oklahoma are said to be haunted.
Cain’s Ballroom in downtown Tulsa, known as "The Home of Bob Wills," is reported to be haunted by the ghost of Bob Wills himself.
Some say the ghost may have contributed to the success of the venue which dates back to 1924.
There have also been sightings of a "lady in red" who has been seen, heard and felt by both employees and patrons at Cain’s.
At the historic Poncan Theatre in Ponca City, it has been reported that a ghostly woman in white has been seen in the balcony along with other apparitions.
The historic Constantine Theatre in Pawhuska, one of the oldest operating theaters in Oklahoma, is the known for ghosts of a 1900’s actor and a female patron in a balcony.
Rivas said the city of Guthrie, Oklahoma’s first capital, is famously known for its haunted tales and spooky ghost stories. Guthrie is the largest Victorian city in the U.S. and claims more ghost stories than any other community in the state.
“One of the most well-known is the Stone Lion Inn, known for a ghost child named Irene.
Another one is the Blue Bell Saloon, where people think a ghostly cowboy appears at times. Another one that is known around the area is the old Santa Fe Depot, supposedly haunted by phantoms from its past,” Rivas said.
The historic Pollard Theatre in Guthrie is considered the oldest haunted theater in Oklahoma.
“The Pollard is said to have ghostly activity, including the sound of a ball bouncing down the stairs, a boy laughing, a dog barking, and the reflection of an angry looking man in the mirror,” Rivas said.
Ghost Tours, Haunted Houses, Frightful Fun Halloween Activities
To learn more about the history and reported paranormal activities, tours are offered of historic buildings, military forts, cemeteries, private facilities and more. Many cities call the excursions Ghost Walks or Ghost Tours.
Rivas said the Oklahoma City Ghost Tour features stops and stories about mysterious and spooky sites in the city. An expert paranormal guide leads the tour.
“This is a walking tour that will take you on a mile-long spooky journey through some of the most haunted and historic locations,” Rivas said. “They’ll deep dive into the history and the lore of these locations. It's something really cool if you're a history and you're into the spooky stuff as well.”
A popular scary destination is The Castle of Muskogee. It’s considered Oklahoma's largest haunted attraction with more than 62 acres of indoor and outdoor spaces.
Organizers say the castle offers activities, vendors, games, shows, rides, shops, food and live entertainment for all ages.
“They've been doing that for about 20 years. So as a visitor of the haunted Castle of Muskogee, I can say that they have mastered the scaring!” Rivas said.
The thrill of being scared along with Oklahoma’s historic haunted buildings attract visitors year-round, but Rivas said interest picks up each fall.
“Lots of people from across the state and neighboring states come here to Oklahoma to see what the talk is all about and to experience some of our hauntings and some of haunted houses and our ghost tours and those spooky cemeteries that are really unlike any other in any other state,” Rivas said.
