Arkansas is certainly not short of a creepy tale or two! The state has several very well known haunted locations as well as a few hidden gems.
If you plan a trip to take in the state’s sights, these are just a few of the haunted locations in Arkansas that you will not want to miss!
Let’s dive right into the most haunted places in Arkansas…
1. Peel Mansion, Bentonville
Peel Mansion was built in 1875 by Samuel Peel, and it is now said to be haunted by both Samuel himself and his daughter Minnie Belle. Minnie is commonly seen as a white figure wandering around Peel mansion, and she is often heard playing the piano just as beautifully as she did in life. However, it is said that if anyone enters the room while she is playing, then the music will abruptly stop!
Samuel Peel, a former United States Congressman, is also said to haunt his former home, and his spirit has been seen in various parts of the house. Peel Mansion embraces its reputation as a haunted building, and even hosts ghost walks every Tuesday and Thursday, culminating in a dinner!
2. Jacksonville High School, Jacksonville
One of Arkansas’s most well-known ghost stories is probably ‘The Mumbling Man.’ This is a story about a male spirit who haunts Jacksonville High School. The story goes that this man haunts the auditorium of the high school.
People have reported hearing strange noises in the auditorium that cannot be explained, the most common being the sound of a male voice mumbling away to himself when nobody else is in the room.
It is also common to hear footsteps walking on the catwalk above the stage, again when nobody is there.
3. The Clayton House, Fort Smith
The Clayton House is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. It was once the home of William Henry Harrison Clayton, and over the years, it has come to be one of the best-loved buildings in all of Arkansas.
The house was completely restored to its former glory in the seventies, and it is now like stepping back in time when you visit. There are even several priceless Clayton family belonging on display in the house.
Former Clayton House director Martha Siler claimed to have started having paranormal encounters quite soon after starting work at the house. She has described how one particular bedroom on the second floor terrifies everyone who visits. People report hearing doors slamming, boots stomping up the hall, and music from empty rooms.
She also claims to have seen the apparition of a woman dressed in a linen shirt and brown skirt appearing in Mr. Clayton’s study.
Read more about the haunted Clayton House in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
4. Basin Park Hotel, Eureka Springs
The Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs is undoubtedly proud of its spooky reputation – to the point where they use ‘Boo at the Basin’ as one of their slogans!
Many of the guests who stay do so purely to have the chance of snapping a picture of one of the Arkansas ghosts that call the Basin Park Hotel home!
The most commonly sighted ghosts at the hotel include a translucent young woman with steel-blue eyes and cotton candy-like blonde hair and the spirit of a little girl with pigtails and a yellow dress.
Orbs of light are also common around the hotel, and objects often move seemingly of their own accord.
The Basin Park Hotel runs ghost tours every Friday and Saturday night guided by two mediums who explore the hotel in search of ghosts and who will also offer a rundown of the hotel’s haunted history! [BOOK A ROOM]
Read more on the Haunted Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas
5. The Allen House, Monticello
The Allen House in Monticello is haunted by former owner Joe Allen who built the property, but he is not the only spirit clinging to the place they once called home. The ghost spotted most often is that of his daughter LaDell Allen who is believed to have committed suicide on the property by drinking cyanide.
After her death, Joe moved the rest of the family out of the building, and it was converted into smaller, more affordable apartments. When this construction began, people started to report seeing LaDell’s ghost!
A doctor who lived in the house did not hold much stock in ghost stories and told people that rumors of the hauntings were nothing but silliness. However, he was forced to eat his words after developing some photographs he had taken of the house and finding a clear image of LaDell Allen in one of the house’s mirrors!
Read more about the Haunted Allen House in Monticello, Arkansas.
6. Crossett Lights, Crossett
According to local legend, the Crossett Lights in Crossett, Arkansas, is the lantern of a long-dead railroad worker who either lost his head in an accident or was decapitated by a disgruntled colleague sometime in the early 1900s.
Whatever the origin of the eerie lights, there’s no denying that they exist. If you travel outside Crossett to 425 Ashley Road at night, you may see this mysterious ghostly light bobbing along where the old train tracks used to be.
They can sometimes look like old railroad lanterns, and other times they can appear in different forms and colors.
7. The Crescent Hotel, Eureka Springs
It has retained much of its Victorian character and boasts a rich history peppered with ghost stories. In fact, it is not only one of the most locations in Arkansas, but it is regarded as one of the most haunted places in the entire United States!
The hotel is said to have several different ghosts, and staff are constantly hearing reports of unexplained activity from various rooms in the hotel.
An apparition was photographed by a guest in Room 202, while in room 218, guests have reported seeing full body apparitions and feeling strange sensations, and hearing unexplained noises!
There have also been reports of a ghostly nurse pushing a gurney down the hall and through a solid wall in the middle of the night. This fits in with some fascinating history as the property was once a retreat for cancer patients. [CHECK AVAILABILITY]
Read more about the Haunted Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas
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