Atchison’s most famous haunted house, the Sallie House, is visited by hundreds each year. The house is currently not occupied, and available for both daytime visits and overnight stays. A waiver is required due to the potential for personal injury, though no serious injuries have been reported since the last tenants in 1993.
History of the Sallie House
Originally built at the turn of the century, this house became the residence of an Atchison physician. The front served as office space and examination rooms, while the doctor and his family lived upstairs. One day, a frantic mother arrived carrying her 6-year-old daughter, Sallie. The child had collapsed from severe abdominal pain. The doctor diagnosed appendicitis and knew there was no time to delay surgery. Believing the appendix would soon burst, the doctor began cutting Sallie before the anesthesia took full effect. Sallie’s screams suddenly stopped and she grew pale and limp. She died on the operating table – her last memories of a man whom she believed was torturing her.
Hauntings at the Sallie House
Though the house had long been known to be haunted, Sallie’s haunting grew ominous in 1993, when the house was rented to a young couple. Their dog seemed to growl at nothing, especially near the upstairs nursery. Things began to take a violent turn, however. Fires broke out in the house and a series of sinister attacks on the husband began. The operating area would become cold. Objects would visibly move when the young man drew near. He could feel scratches upon his chest or abdomen. But never did the ghost attack the wife or baby.
Events that have been witnessed by visitors to the Sallie House include:
- video and investigative equipment that stop working
- batteries that are full immediately and completely draining
- experience moving objects
- unexplained scratches or bruising on their bodies during/after visits
- physical touches
- mysterious coldness
- Trained guide dogs refuse to enter the nursery
Confirmations and Media Attention
Psychics have confirmed the presence of spirits dwelling in the home and many have actually communicated with them – and skeptics have left as believers. Visits by paranormal investigators have provided audio, video and photographic proof of paranormal activity.
The house has received coverage on several television networks, including A&E, The Travel Channel, The Discovery Channel, and the Syfy Channel, as well as various national publications and radio outlets.
As Seen On
Sallie House Encounters
Sallie House visitors share their experiences
Investigators leave after receiving mysterious scratches
Toni and Debra’s experience from their evening at the Sallie House were truly scary. “We did our investigation and it was strangely uneventful except for
Missing cameras after a night at the Sallie House
“Juli from P.I.N.K. captured a couple of photos of what some think is a girl suspended in the air in the closet doorway of the
