Explore the Chilling History of the Cherokee Strip Museum in Alva, Oklahoma

There are countless haunted places in Oklahoma with bone-chilling backstories, but I seldom hear the Cherokee Strip Museum in Alva mentioned among them. While the museum itself is fascinating, boasting over 40 rooms of pioneer exhibits and Native American artifacts, the kicker is that it's housed in a nearly century-old hospital. If that wasn't creepy enough already, just wait until you hear the ghost stories that haunt the building to this day. Let's explore the Cherokee Strip Museum in Alva, Oklahoma.

Opened in 1932, the Alva General Hospital operated for 40 years until a new facility was built on the South side of town. The hospital had a bit of a reputation for botched surgeries, and rumor has it that the restless spirits of the wronged patients still roam the halls in search of vindication. In support of this theory, multiple people have reported seeing mysterious lights and shadows in the building after dark. The museum has even hosted haunted history tours in the past.

If you visit the museum, you'll see several nods to its past life, including a vintage medical equipment display with an embalming table and many other instruments. Only the first floor of the building is open to the public; the other two have long since been boarded up, which adds to the eeriness. There's also a player piano that allegedly sounds at random and a blood spot on the floor that magically reappears each time it's wiped away.

Whether or not you have a paranormal experience at the museum (or even believe in ghosts, for that matter), the building's rich history alone makes it worth visiting. Plus, the rest of the exhibits are heaven for history buffs, with rooms modeled after everything from a historic schoolhouse to an old-fashioned drugstore. Educational events such as blacksmithing workshops are held throughout the year, and elementary students come from all over the state to experience a realistic school day in early-1900s, small-town Oklahoma. The Cherokee Strip Museum is one of the most fascinating museums in Oklahoma, and I highly recommend visiting if you haven't already done so.

Visit the Cherokee Strip Museum website for more information, including current hours of operation and entrance fees. You can also visit the Cherokee Strip Museum's Facebook page to see additional photos.

Have you ever been to the Cherokee Strip Museum? If so, do you think it's one of the most haunted places in Oklahoma? If you have any favorite haunted places you'd like us to write about in the future, please nominate them.

Can't get enough frightful fun? Check out this hike to an abandoned castle in Oklahoma. It's one of the coolest (and creepiest) trails in the Sooner State, but it's decidedly less creepy if you have AllTrails+ in your pocket to keep you on the right track. You may also want to check out this road trip to some of the scariest places in Oklahoma, if you're brave enough, that is!

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