In The Wizard of Oz “there is no place like home,” in Kansas. People love living in and visiting the state Midwestern state with flat land for miles, farms, and for being known as “the breadbasket” of the United States.
Wichita, Kansas specifically is known for the many outlaws that lived in or passed through the city. To professional and amateur paranormal investigators Wichita, Kansas is home to a number of spooky locations.
Let’s take a look at some of the most haunted places in Wichita, Kansas that paranormal fans enjoy investigating.
11 - Bel Aire
One might not expect to find a water tower on a list of haunted places in Wichita, Kansas, but according to reports one in Bel Aire is haunted.
During the construction process it is believed that one of the workers fell roughly 184 feet to his death. Once it was discovered he had fallen his fellow workers did not want to undo all the work they had done so they simply continued to build the water tower over his trapped body.
Ever since that time people have stated they can hear the man tapping on the inside walls of the water tower while others hear voices.
10 - Central Plains Novelty Store
It should come as no surprise that the Central Plains Novelty Store is among the haunted places in Wichita. The building is over 100 years old which makes it a prime location for paranormal activity.
Some of the reports made by patrons of the store, as well as staff, include the appearance of strange lights, the sound of disembodied footsteps and the smell of perfume.
In random locations around the store people have said apparitions in period clothing appear out of nowhere and then disappear just as quickly.
9 - Kansas Aviation Museum
The Kansas Aviation Museum has been a part of Wichita, Kansas since the 1920s. Prior to being a museum it served as a very active airport terminal. It was also used during World War II by the military for aircraft construction.
There is far more to the Kansas Aviation Museum than its colorful and lengthy history. It has a history of varied paranormal activity.
One ghost spotted in the museum appears to be from the 1940s based on his attire. A pilot that perished in a yellow crop duster on display is said to have never left his plane and continues to haunt it.
In addition to seeing physical apparitions and ghosts former and current staff at the museum has experienced a host of activity.
Over the years people have heard old-fashioned music, doors slamming, and voices of people talking that sound extremely happy.
Other employees have mentioned feeling like someone was following them around or watching them. One account stated lights would go from dim, to bright, to completely off in the hall of the storage area.
8 - Brooks Middle School
Haunted places in Wichita, Kansas can have exceptionally sad stories behind the reason for the hauntings. When it comes to Brooks Middle School the ghost that haunts the hallway where locker 303 is was killed in the most horrific of ways.
She was raped and murdered in the school’s auditorium and then her body was stuffed into the locker. Since the murder it is said anyone that walks alone down that hallway and passes the locker can smell her decomposed body in the locker despite being long removed.
The hallway also echoes when people yell down the hallway, no other hallway in the school echoes.
7 - Henrion Gymnasium
When it comes to one of the haunted places in Wichita, Kansas, the reason behind the haunting is due to an accident. Back in the 1950s when a maintenance worker was tending to things in the Henrion Gymnasium he accidentally came in contact with a live wire. He perished from the contact.
Sadly if he had a hard hat on there is a good chance he would have survived. Since his death decades ago many stories of seeing him at the gymnasium have been reported.
The most common time to see him is either during the extremely early morning hours or late at night. Other ghostly figures have been spotted wandering around the gymnasium in the early in the morning.
6 - Theorosa’s Bridge
There are many different stories behind Theorosa’s Bridge, one of the various haunted places in Wichita, Kansas. The common factor amongst most of them is that Theorosa was a mother whose child died.
Whether the child died at her own hands remains speculation. What is not speculation is the fact that her ghost is often seen wandering on and near the bridge.
Most say she is searching for her dead child. It is also reported that if you say her name and that you have her baby five times she will push you off the bridge.
Other stories say she will appear near the water that touches the bridge.
Some people have stated they have heard the sounds of chanting and Indian drums, as many stories state Theorasa was an Indian.
There are some reports that people who cross the bridge and stop will have their car shaken. People have even reported hearing a baby crying, sad voices, and odd floating balls of light.
5 - McConnell Air Force Base
McConnell Air Force Base has been around since 1929. It gained its name from two World War II veterans who were air force pilots. Over the many decades of use McConnell Air Force Base also gained some permanent residents in the form of ghosts and unusual activity.
One of the strangest reports on the base occurs on Halloween. When Halloween night is foggy people have reported seeing what appears to be an aircraft landing that was used during World War II.
After appearing to land it vanishes into the fog. Other people have reported seeing odd lights over the air force base.
People working on equipment and aircraft on the base at night have reported hearing strange noises.
Some people have experienced activity that has shaken them so much they refuse to give details.
One thing is certain, McConnell is definitely among the many haunted places found in Wichita.
4 - Rest Haven Cemetery
According to paranormal investigators that have gone to Rest Haven Cemetery it is one of many haunted places in Wichita.
Claims of hearing the voice of a child are common. Some people have even claimed to have recorded the child’s voice.
Additional claims have been made by other investigators that anomalies have shown up on camera footage taken when exploring the old cemetery.
3 - Wilbur’s Grocery Store
At one time Wilbur’s Grocery Store was a home for wayward women and also an orphanage. With so many children and women in and out of the historic building over the decades it is no surprise that the location is home to a significant amount of paranormal activity.
It is quite common for people working in the store, as well as patrons, to standing in spots that are suddenly very cold. Employees have said it is extremely common to find things moved around the store that was not moved by either the employees or the grocery store’s patrons.
Some people have also smelled fresh coffee when no one is around and when no fresh coffee is available.
Some employees have made claims of being physically pushed by a spirit in the grocery store when they are coming down the stairs or having their apron strings untied.
2 - Robinson Middle School
Robinson Middle School is Wichita, Kansas is like most middle schools in that it educates 6th graders through 8th graders. The middle school also gives them an education on something otherworldly.
It is stated that there is a strange woman that wanders the halls of the school once the sun goes down. She is the supposed source of unusual sounds including the clanking of locks against locker doors.
Why she haunts Robinson Middle School is unknown as she has not been identified.
1 - The Broadview HotelBOOK A ROOM
The Broadview Hotel is an impressive brick building that has been around since 1922. It has a long history of providing its guests with a comfortable place to stay.
It has also provided the guests and the staff over the years with the fortunate or unfortunate opportunity to experience a broad range of paranormal activities and ghostly sightings.
Some of the common activity that people experience are cold spots in different parts of the hotel as well as lights going on and off without any assistance from a living person.
The ghost of a man named Clarence, who reportedly murdered his wife and then killed himself upon finding out she cheated on him, wanders the halls. Some front desk staff claims his ghost has called the front desk while guests of the hotel claim he likes to move things around in the bathrooms.
Other people have experienced unusual sounds and have heard the sounds of voices, one of the voices is said to be that of a little girl. Doors around the hotel also randomly shake violently.