Why Ellinwood Is My Favorite Haunted Place in Kansas

The breath caught in my throat, and tears stung my eyes. As I entered one of the rooms in the Ellinwood tunnels, I knew something was amiss. It felt as though my heart was about to burst out of my chest. Never had I felt such a dark, painful presence before. But I couldn't determine the cause. My tour companions arrived in the room when our guide explained that a man had died in that room. Somehow, I knew. The room felt colder, taciturn, and unlike any of the others we'd experienced so far in underground Ellinwood. The underground tunnels that once served the town in a bygone era now serve tours as well as the spirits who remain from its heyday. That's why Ellinwood is my favorite haunted place in Kansas.

Two blocks down the main stretch of Ellinwood is an underground tunnel system with once bustling storefronts. For instance, houses Jung's Barber Shop and Bathhouse, which used to perform minor surgeries and dentistry, as a barber did in those days. It was also a very popular spot during prohibition to keep the town saloons operating on the downlow—literally. Although the tunnels don't serve their original purposes anymore, tours are available for anyone who cares (or dares) to venture there.

If you prefer a little spirits with your ghosts, the tunnels house an Underground Saloon on Friday and Saturday nights. This operating bar is a fun way to experience what prohibition would have felt like in Ellinwood's underground system. You can toast to drinking above ground later or maybe encounter a barfly from a different time. Who knows what an evening in the saloon will bring?

In Ellinwood, however, the ghosts aren't just underground inhabitants. The Historic Wolf Hotel has its share of paranormal stories, too. You may encounter the man who shot himself in the dining room, for instance. Don't believe that story is true? Go into the dining room and see the bullet hole for yourself. And maybe keep your ears and eyes open if you stay the night. I will neither confirm nor deny hearing something wandering my room the night I stayed there. It could have been a wandering spirit, or it could have been a historic building creaking and cracking.

Even if you aren't a believer in the paranormal, a visit to Ellinwood is still worthwhile. The Historic Wolf Hotel is a lovely piece of the area's fascinating history, featuring comfortable rooms that hark back to the days when trains carried crowds into town. If you listen closely, you might even hear a train trumpet sounding off from somewhere in the past.

Want to plan your own ghostly adventures in Kansas or explore a new part of the Midwest? Use the Only In Your State AI travel planner to get started!

Amanda's visit to Ellinwood was part of a media trip hosted by Kansas Tourism. However, all opinions are their own.