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History
This house was built between 1889-1890 by John McInteer; a very successful harness maker who had moved to the USA from Ireland as a boy.
He also built a number of business blocks in early Atchison.
It cost $14,000 (almost $470,000 in 2023 dollars) to build the house.
McInteer’s first wife, Alice, died in 1892 and he remarried again in 1895 to Anna Conlon a widow with 3 children.
McInteer died in 1905 and Anna continued to live in the house in 1916.
After Anna’s death her brother Judge Charles J Conlon moved into the house until about 1925.
It was used as a Rooming House until 1952 when Isobel Altus bought it in hopes of restoring it to it’s former glory.
Isobel lacked the money to do the restoration and would sell the house in 1969 to George Gerardy who did the restoration on the property.
The property can now be booked for overnight investigations.
Paranormal Activity
There have been 9 confirmed deaths – of natural causes – in the house and as well as 1 suicide (Charles Donovan on October 10, 1922).
Shadow figures have been seen on the 2nd floor as well as figures are seen in the windows when there is no one in the house. One was seen with glowing eyes in front of the door to the children’s room.
Objects move on their own in the house – including right in front of people – including being thrown by something unseen and the door to the sitting room which opens on it’s own. There is also a rocking chair which rocks on it’s own; a previous resident died in the chair.
Phantom footsteps are heard walking on the second floor.
Lights will turn on and off on their own in the tower and on the second floor and there is no electricity to these areas.
A female – and recently a male – disembodied voices are heard.
The phantom smell of a woman’s perfume and a cigarette has been reported. There is no smoking on the property.
The sound of doorknobs being turned and of doors slamming are frequently heard.
People have reported feeling uneasy and as if they being watched on the second floor.
History
Another haunting that could easily be dismissed as just another Urban Legend or folklore; but there’s always a grain of truth in there somewhere.
Whichever story is true – if either of them – there is a ghost in these woods and she is not happy.
Original Story
Molly was a pre-Civil War slave girl and the young master – either the owner or an older son of the owner – took a liking to her. In some versions they begin an illicit affair and in some they never get that far. Historically, it would seem more likely than he forced himself on poor Molly but time always turns these tales to a romantic side.
Either way the female townsfolk – or female members of his family – take offense and unfairly blame Molly for the whole thing. She is taken to a tree and hung to death.
Updated Version
Fast forward over 100 years and Molly is a teenage girl on a date with her boyfriend. They park in the hollow and things begin to get romantic. This turns into an argument that infuriates Molly to the point that she leaves the car and makes her way into the forest. In some versions he breaks it off and adds insult to injury by abandoning her in the dark woods.
Molly becomes so upset she decides to end it all by hanging herself from a tree.
Of course, its entirely possible there never was a Molly or any girl but a Tulpa has been created by so many people believing in the legend.
Paranormal Activity
All paranormal activity takes place after dark; which, admittedly, sounds rather suspicious.
I have been to a few locations of these Urban Legends that only take place after dark only to find there is paranormal activity in the day light but most people ignore it. Its much easier to say oh that was just the wind or an animal when the sun is shining.
There is a shelter in the Hollow that is said to be haunted by Molly.
Most commonly, the bone chilling female screams that this haunting is famous for are said to come from the shelter.
There is, though, a number of other things that happen here that are not so famous. Her apparition has been seen as a dark figure in the shelter. Light anomalies (orbs or flashing lights) are seen and photographed here. Unexplained mists are known to form very quickly inside the shelter and have been photographed.
For the brave investigator willing to tramp off into the dark woods: Molly’s ghost has been seen hanging from a noose twisting slowly in the wind; whether its windy or not.
History
This house was built in the mid-19th Century. It is considered the most haunted location in Kansas. It is also known as one of the most haunted houses in all of North America.
The only recorded death in the house is from when the it was a doctor’s office. A woman brought her 6 year old daughter – Sallie – with terrible abdominal pain. The doctor quickly diagnosed severe appendicitis and – so the story goes – began the operation to remove her swollen appendix before the anesthesia had taken effect. Sallie’s screaming immediately stopped and she went limp.
Many think Sallie died thinking the doctor was trying to cause her pain. Many believe Sallie attacks middle aged men because she believes them to be the doctor.
Paranormal Activity
This house is considered a high level haunting and it is recommended for only experienced paranormal investigators. Should you choose to enter this house extreme caution and heightened awareness is recommended.
Prior to 1993 the house was known for its paranormal activity but the activity suddenly turned up quite a few notches when a young couple rented the house.
Whatever haunts this house took an immediate dislike to the husband to the point of attacking him by scratching his chest and stomach. There were many witnesses to objects suddenly moving away from him. The ghost never once physically interacted with either the wife nor their baby.
Their dog began furiously barking at nothing especially in the area of the nursery. The former operating room would suddenly plunge in temperature. Then the activity became truly frightening when attacks were upped on the husband and small fires began to spontaneously break out.
Paranormal activity is still frequently reported in the house including: apparitions and shadow figures; sudden temperature changes; touches, pushes and pulls by unseen entities; bruises and scratches suddenly appearing on people’s bodies; objects moving on their own; animals – including guide dogs – will not enter the nursery; video and audio equipment refusing to work; electrical disturbances including full batteries draining in seconds; physical symptoms including headaches, nausea and sore throats; disembodied voices and other unexplained sounds; doors and windows opening and closing on their own; floating objects and feelings of being watched, not being alone and not being wanted.
This haunting is especially intense when middle aged men enter the house.