Oklahoma isn’t exactly known for its hauntings, but there are enough haunted places to give anyone the creeps in the Sooner State. You’d Sooner leave than be alone in any of these places at night, that’s for sure! From Civil War forts to museums, let’s take a look at seven of the most haunted places in Oklahoma.
1. Redbud Valley Nature Preserve, Tulsa
The Redbud Valley Nature Preserve is actually a beautiful and scenic spot, particularly popular with hikers and bird watchers. But by night, the rugged surroundings become eerie and not somewhere you want to get lost. The story goes that in 1976, a young girl named Karla was brutally murdered near a bridge in the preserve. Now, visitors say you can hear the cries and laughs of a young girl near the bridge. And to make it even more creepy, many car accidents have happened near the exact spot she was found. Visit with caution!
2. St. Vincent’s Hospital, Oklahoma City
What’s a haunted list without an asylum? Old, abandoned mental hospitals are some of the creepiest places ever, and St. Vincent’s Hospital is no different. It’s the stuff of nightmares. The hospital started out in 1945 and it didn’t take long until the murders began. It started in 1960 when a nurse inexplicably suffocated two patients. Sadly, doctors and nurses went on to abuse, torture, and kill their patients. Many more unexplainable murders happened over the years until the hospital was forced to close down in the 1980s, not even 40 years after it opened. While it’s technically empty, it’s believed to still be the home to tortured souls of the past.
3. Dead Woman’s Crossing, Custer County
In 1904, Katie Dewitt James and her baby went missing near Dear Creek. The August after she went missing, a fisherman discovered a fully clothed skeleton under a wooden wagon crossing. It was Katie Dewitt James and her baby. The murder has gone unsolved for over 100 years and allegedly, her restless spirit roams the streets and the creek. You can hear the cries of Katie Dewitt James as she calls out for her baby, or so the story goes. If you listen closely, you can supposedly hear the rattle of the wooden wagon wheels. It’s one of the most creepy, eerie places in all of Oklahoma.
4. Sacred Heart Mission & Cemetery, Konawa
Dating back to 1877, The Sacred Heart Mission was once a convent and a school for girls. It was also a farm, chapel, bakery, seminary, and boarding house. Then tragedy struck in 1901 when a fire erupted, destroying most of the building and killing many children in its wake. Ghost hunters and investigators have reported all kinds of paranormal sightings. Visitors should watch out for the cries, screams, laughter, and even sightings of the children that died in the fire. Whether you believe in it or not, Sacred Heart is bound to give you the heebie-jeebies.
5. Overholser Mansion, Oklahoma City
Overholser Mansion was once owned by Henry and Anna Ione Overholser. Today, it’s a public site that even offers tours and holds events. It’s a historical house where a historical man lived, so it all sounds innocent enough. But one night, Kathy Dickson, director of museums and historic sites for the Oklahoma Historical Society, dreamt about a young girl walking through the mansion, wearing a Victorian ball gown. So it came as a surprise when she later saw a picture of the Overholser’s daughter, wearing that same dress she’d dreamt about, which she’d never seen before. Fifteen years later, Dickson said that someone came to the mansion and said “Anna wants her Bible put back on the table.” Dickson didn’t know of any Bible…but discovered that Anna’s Bible was in fact stored away in a closet. Chills.
6. Fort Washita, Durant
Fort Washita is one of the most famous spooky spots for ghost hunters in Oklahoma. It was built in 1842, serving as a military post during the Civil War. It was burned down at the end of the war and is now listed as a National Historical Landmark. But it’s best known for being the home of Headless Jane. Jane lived at the fort until she was brutally beheaded by thieves when she refused to tell them where the money was. Legend has it that Jane’s spirit possessed a child named Molly Stalcup who lived near the fort, but left Molly alone once her mother started praying. Visitors can tour the grounds of Fort Washita, including its original sandstone structures and officers’ quarters.
7. Gilcrease Museum, Tulsa
One of Tulsa’s most prolific ghost hunters, Teri French, believes Gilcrease Museum to be one of the most haunted places in the city. Gilcrease is actually a beautiful museum with an extensive collection of art, culture and history of North America. But they’re not alone. French and her team took tours around the museum with other ghost enthusiasts and would have paranormal experiences nearly every time. A multitude of creepy things would go on, including loud banging noises, major temperature fluctuations, doors slamming, unexplainable technical malfunctions, and more.
One time, the museum installed new security cameras but they kept on going off in the south bedroom late one night. The police were called but once they got there, the trained police dogs absolutely refused to go to the south bedroom. They were whimpering and crying before running out of the house. The police eventually went up by themselves, but no one was there.
