A road trip is often just the thing we need to add a bit of excitement to our normal schedules. Have you thought about hitting the highway to visit some of the scariest places in Missouri? Whether you're a tried and true believer in the paranormal or you just find it interesting, you'll love this road trip to some of the most haunted places in Missouri. (Along the way, you'll learn some of the most intriguing Missouri ghost stories, too, which just might keep you up at night.)
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The Route
1. Jesse James Farm & Museum - Facebook
Tour the home of one of America's most notorious criminals. You'll have the opportunity to learn more about the famous outlaw - and you might even experience the paranormal. Is Jesse James' spirit still lingering in his former home? Head over to the official website of the Jesse James Museum for days, hours, and more information.
2. Belvoir Winery - Liberty
The Odd Fellows Home District once served and housed the orphaned
indigent, and elderly. The property has now been turned into a winery, but many guests who go on the ghost tour claim to hear and to see the spirits of a former patient who continues to roam the halls. Will you run into this patient, too? Plan your visit on the official website of Belvoir Winery.
3. Vaile Mansion - Independence
This mansion is said to be haunted by Sylvia Vaile. According to one legend, when she died, her husband could not part with her, so he buried her on the front lawn in a glass-topped coffin set flush with the ground. Her spirit remains there to this day if you believe local lure, and you just might run into her. Here's the official website of Vaile Mansion.
4. Hotel Bothwell - Sedalia
The third floor of this hotel is said to be haunted by spirits. Are you brave enough to check in? If you are, don't be too surprised if you hear voices when no one is there or if you notice something scratching at your door. When you open the door, you'll likely find you're completely alone. Some guests even tell of having their personal items go missing. Book your stay on the official website of Hotel Bothwell.
5. Missouri State Penitentiary - Jefferson City
Missouri State Penitentiary is over 175 years old. In recent years, it has had well over 100 organized paranormal investigations take place. Tours opened to the public include visits to the dungeon cells, the Upper Yard, Housing Unit 3, and the gas chamber. Will you come face-to-face with the apparitions of former prisoners on this spooky tour? Stop by the official website of the Missouri State Penitentiary for more information.
6. Governor's Mansion - Jefferson City
Governor Thomas Crittenden's nine-year-old daughter died in this mansion in 1883 due to the deadly disease, diptheria, which took the lives of many Missouri children during that time. Fast forward 100 years, during the term of Governor Christopher Bond, where a repairman came down from the attic and told Mrs. Bond's staff, "You might want to mention to them that their little girl is playing around up there. She spent most of the day with me." The Bonds had no children, and many believe that the little girl was the ghost of Carrie. Plan your tour on the official website of the Missouri Governor's Mansion.
7. Lemp Mansion - St. Louis
Said to be one of the 10 most haunted places in America, the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis, continues to stay open to the public for tours. The wealthy Lemp family, who owned Missouri's most successful brewery during the World's Fair, experienced their fair share of tragedy at this home. William Lemp's son died prematurely at age 28 of heart failure. Distraught and depressed, the father eventually ended his life by shooting himself in the head. His other son, William Jr., then took ownership of the mansion and brewery. His partying lifestyle allegedly resulted in him fathering a child with a prostitute. The boy was born with Down Syndrome and was said to have been kept in the attic with the other servants. Today, guests who visit the mansion claim to see him appear throughout the mansion. Find more information on the official website of The Lemp Mansion.
8. Morse Mill Hotel - Dittmer
Bertha Gifford, considered to be America's third female serial killer, allegedly killed her first victim at this hotel. There's also a dungeon in the hotel that is said to be haunted by a pre-Civil War slave. Book a room on the official website of Morse Mill Hotel.
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9. Peace Cemetery - Joplin
One of Missouri's most horrific mass murderers, Billy Cook, was buried here. Because of his crimes, his body was buried a bit outside of the cemetery, away from others. Many believe he does not rest in peace and have reported seeing a shadowy figure lurking around the other gravestones at night. Will you see Billy Cook wandering through the cemetery when you visit? Here's the official Facebook page of Peace Church Cemetery.
What are your favorite creepy road trips in Missouri? Do you believe these chilling Missouri ghost stories? Join the conversation in the comments! Up for even more spine-tingling thrills and chills? You can't go wrong when you visit some of the most haunted places in Missouri on another epic road trip.
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