We don’t know about you, but we’re real fans of scary stories, especially when they are based on a kernel of truth. Usually, urban legends do stem from real stories, the truth of which can most often not be verified. Urban legends abound all across our great nation, but here are a few specific Missouri legends. Continue with caution, because these urban legends in Missouri might just keep you awake at night.

1. The Devil's Chair
David Oaks/Wikimedia
The Devil's Chair (or simply "the haunted chair") is a common legend, but the one specific to Missouri involves what is known as "The Baird Chair" in Kirksville, at the Highland Park Cemetery. The legend goes that those who sit in the chair at midnight (or on Halloween, or during a full moon) will either be punished or rewarded for their foolish bravery. Another legend suggests a hand will rise from a grave and drag you down into Hell. Since all devil's chairs are in cemeteries, it's easy to imagine getting spooked by such a tale. However, in truth, the chairs were most likely placed there as monuments or even just places for mourners to sit.
2. Momo the Monster
David Craig/Flickr
Momo, which is short for "Missouri Monster", is an urban legend similar to Bigfoot. Supposedly, Momo is about seven feet tall, with a pumpkin-shaped head, glowing orange eyes, furry, and black with long, wiry hair covering its face. It is reported to have a noticeably bad odor, and it has been seen up and down the Mississippi River. It is said to kill animals and frighten people intentionally.
3. Zombie Road
Fascination With Fear/Blogspot
The stories associated with Zombie Road outside of St. Louis are many. While the original name of the road was "Lawler Ford Road", it started being referred to as "Zombie Road" in the 1950s. This is perhaps due to the stories of a "zombie killer", a creepy guy who lived in a shack in the woods and who would attack young lovers looking for a place to be alone. As the years passed, the chilling stories continued, including ghosts, vanishings, and strange noises. One of the most spine-tingling tales may be the frequently retold story about the ghost of a man who was hit by a train and now haunts the area. The chilling part about that one is that there's a true story in which the wife of a local judge named Della Hamilton-McCullough was hit by a train and killed in 1876. Since there are no other records of anyone else being killed by a train in the area, it is widely believed that Mrs. McCullough may just be the famed ghost of Zombie Road.

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4. The Corpse Under the Bed
Flickr/faungg's photos
This legend goes that a couple checked into a hotel and, throughout the night, noticed a strange odor. They called the front desk to complain, only to find the source of the smell was something near or under the bed. Upon further examination, a dead body is found stuffed into the box spring. The couple had been sleeping over it all night! The spookiest part of this story is that it has actually happened in a few places, including Kansas City. The body of a man was found at the Capri Motel in 2003.
Enrique A Sanabria/Flickr
5. The Lemp Mansion
nycscout/Flickr
The Lemp Mansion currently operates as a restaurant and inn (and even the site of a murder mystery dinner theater). Many people flock here to see if they can observe something creepy. This 19th-century mansion in St. Louis is said to be one of the most haunted places in America! Based on several suicides and other deaths within the Lemp family at this house, the building is said to be haunted by several of their spirits. For example, the attic is said to be haunted by the "monkey-faced boy" who was actually the illegitimate son of William Lemp Jr. He had been hidden away to avoid disgrace due to the scandal of being born of an affair, and because he had been born "deformed" (actually, he was born with down syndrome).

Are you familiar with any other Missouri urban legends?  Which are your favorites? Feel free to share them below in the comments!

If you want to keep up that creepy feeling, take a look at this frightening road trip to haunted places in Mississippi. We even have a road trip packing guide for you so you are sure to have all the essentials.

 

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Urban Legends in Missouri

Tori Jane | March 09, 2021

What are some scary things about Missouri?

Missouri is home to loads of spooky and scary things. It's got its fair share of dark history and creepy lore, like:

  • The story of the one time in the early 1800s when Missouri Governor L. Boggs issued the infamous Executive Order 44, which stated that all Mormon residents needed to leave or be killed (yikes). Even worse, it wasn't even rescinded until the mid-70s.
  • Another time, a man by the name of Ken McElroy (who was well-known as the town bully with a long history of crimes ranging from rape to arson) was killed in broad daylight in front of more than 30 people - he had been shot from at least two different guns. It was never solved, and nobody in the crowd ever talked.

What are some popular ghost stories in Missouri?

Missouri is full of incredibly alarming ghost stories. It's one of the older states in the union, and naturally, it's filled with a tragic history and goings-on.

  • One of the more popular stories you're likely to hear at least once during your visit to Missouri is that of Momo, otherwise known as the Missouri Monster.
    • During the summer of 1972, there was a wave of sightings of a bizarre, seven-foot-tall beast covered in long, wiry black hair.
    • Traces of the creature were actually found, such as weird, three-toed footprints pressed impossibly deep into the topsoil.
    • The sightings eventually stopped, and it was never explained.

Where are the most haunted places in Missouri?

There are a lot, but some might take the crown as some of the most haunted places in the entire country! For example:

  • The Lemp Mansion in St. Louis is widely considered to be one of the most haunted buildings in the United States. It's got a winding history full of tragedy and ghosts, and it's an inn nowadays, so you can even visit.
  • The Missouri State Penitentiary is also alleged to be absurdly haunted, once having housed more than 5,000 inmates. Much like Lemp Mansion, it's visitable, as they now offer ghost tours that are guaranteed to give you shivers.

Visit some of the creepiest places in Missouri on this creepy-delightful road trip.

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