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| True Arkansas Ghost Stories
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Old State House
Little Rock, Arkansas
Built in 1833, the Old State house is one of the oldest state capital buildings. John Pope was the governor at the time and had the pleasure of picking the architect responsible for the Greek revival style building. Gideon Shryock, the architect chosen for the project had trouble designing the building on a small budget and eventually passed the final plans off to his assistant George Weigart who was able to create a less expensive design plan. In 1836 when Arkansas was declared a state, government officials moved into the building, despite the construction. The State House served as a state capital until 1911 when construction was completed on a new building. It wasn’t until 1947 that the Old State house became a museum by the acts of Arkansas legislation. In 1993 the American Association of Museums declared the State house an accredited museum. In the early 1830’s, the government had created state banks, but during one of the worst depressions that the nation experienced the banks were set for doom. Once laws were being put in place and bills created people started to wonder the positives of having a state bank and felt too many restrictions were being put in place. Disputes started to occur over how the bank should organize its trades and bounties. One dispute in particular was in reference to a bill regarding putting a bounty on Wolf hides, and how the bounty would be dispensed. It resulted in a man losing his life. John Wilson the president of the Real Estate Bank at the time was challenged by a man named J.J Anthony. Anthony refused to back down from his beliefs over what should be done with the bounties and was challenged by Wilson. Things quickly escalated to the point that Anthony opened his coat and exposed his knife, as though he was threatening Wilson. Others claim Wilson was the first to show a knife so there really are no concrete evidence on who presented a knife first. However, Anthony and Wilson both reacted at the same time and started to brawl. Wilson was slashed on the wrist and his reaction was one that has gone down in the history books, he lunged at Anthony and drove the knife right through Anthony’s heart, Anthony was dead before he hit the floor. It is believed that Wilson, the president of the bank at the time, is still wondering its halls. Wilson happened to be acquitted of all charges, claiming it was self defense what he had done to Anthony, so people believe his spirit is still haunting the halls thinking he is still president of the bank and trying to ensure order in his building. Years ago the building had been researched and it was discovered that in 1972 Elisha Baxter, who was the governor of Arkansas at the time had a dispute of his own with Joseph Brooks. Brooks claimed he had been cheated and eventually was able to throw Baxter out of office. He equipped himself with a cannon on the front lawn (the cannon is still there today) and rooted himself there so that Baxter felt too threatened to come back to the building. It was until President Grant stepped in and renamed Baxter as the official governor of Arkansas and Brooks was forced into retirement. It is believed that Brooks is still upset about the decisions made and the outcome it had on his life that in death he still roams the halls of the Old State Building.
Could it be both men who witnesses claim they see roaming the halls, causing loud footsteps when no ne is around, or sending chills down ones back? You may have to find out for yourself to know for sure.
The Crescent Hotel
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Sitting on the crest of the West Mountain in Eureka Springs is the Crescent Hotel. Some might say it is a scene out of a eerie movie, others find its Goth like presence beautiful and peaceful atop the hill. Built from 1884 to 1886 the Haunted Crescent hotel is home to many spirits. Eureka Springs also has what some consider being “healing waters”, people would travel from all over the country to enjoy the bubbling waters and take advantage of what was believed to be the cure for sicknesses. The Crescent Hotel has a very unique structure to it, housing a number of towers, stone fireplaces, overhanging balconies and a dinning room that could seat more than 400 guests. People enjoyed a peaceful stay during the early 1900’s, but it was eventually taken over by the Frisco Railroads and was leased as a summer hotel. This venture did not last long, due to the number of tourist who realized the water had no healing powers so the railroad lost revenue and was convinced to close down the building. The Hotel had it’s up’s and downs for many years becoming a college for young women, a summer resort and then what some people in town considered the reason for the haunting a hospital resort. In 1937, Norman Baker took over ownership of the building and believed he could run a hospital/Resort. Baker also believed he had the cure for cancer, which was simply just drinking the “holy water” of the land. Baker himself never committed murder even though people believed his remedies were silly and believed he was a fraud. Eventually Baker’s run at the hotel came to an end and he left and the building. It is believed Baker left lasting memories for any remodeling company that comes in. Human bones have been found in the walls throughout the years. No one knows how many for sure are within the walls of the crescent hotel, but they do believe that these are the lost spirits that the guests at the Crescent hotel have experienced. There have been several reported hauntings in this hotel. One in particular is in room 218, workers at the hotel claim it is the spirit of a workman who fell off the roof into the second floor and landed in what is now 218. Guests of that room have witnessed door slamming shut, footsteps when no one else was in the room and one man was actually shook awake and when he awoke saw nothing but heard footsteps running away from him. Other guests have seen an older man with a mustache and beard around the lobby and bar. At the bar he can be seen just sitting and not interacting with anyone. People have tried to talk to this man but he never responds, and then moments later he vanishes. Also a nurse has been seen pushing a gurney down the hall and disappearing into the wall. Workers at the hotel claim she is an employee of Baker’s, who workers also claim wanders the halls still trying to convince people he has the cure for Cancer. An eerie story that is still being told today about Baker and his remedies is that he believed he had the cure for a brain tumor and that was to cut open the scalp and poor the water of the land and brown sugar on the brain. No one knew how many times he practiced this remedy or if it worked. And could the skeletons found be those of the people who he practiced his remedies on? One of the eeriest stories told about the Crescent Hotel is about the hotels antique switchboard that is inactive and locked up in the basement. Workers claim that a phone connected to the antique switchboard will ring and the only way that is possible is if someone is using the switchboard in the basement. However, that switchboard has not been running for several years. One worker went downstairs to check and see if maybe someone was playing with it and found it off the hook. When he questioned the employees that day, no one was down there nor did they want to go down there. Believe what you want about the Crescent Hotel but over the years many people have had some form of strange experiences that has left them with incredible stories for people to talk about for years to come.
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