Rephotography: Haunted Springfield
When looking into the past, you sometimes encounter metaphorical ghosts. It may be the words of people who are no longer with us or images of once-familiar places that have become unrecognizable. It's no surprise then that many historic places are thought to be home to literal ghosts, too.
Rephotography is a tool that allows us to see decades of change at a glance by recreating historical photographs. For this article, I used a Nikon F camera to reshoot photographs from Local History & Genealogy's Springfield News-Leader Collection. Both the old and new photographs were captured on film. Click and drag the circle at the center of each frame to compare past and present perspectives of several Springfield-area landmarks that are said to be host to paranormal activity.
The Ray House
On August 10, 1861, sounds of gunfire fractured a rural Greene County morning as Southern and Federal forces clashed in what is today known as the Battle of Wilson's Creek. The battle was the first major Civil War engagement west of the Mississippi River. Hundreds of soldiers perished in the battle, including General Nathaniel Lyon, the first Union General to die in the war. After his death, Lyon's body was carried to the Ray House, a farmhouse that served as a field hospital following the battle.
Contemporary parkgoers sometimes report seeing ghostly figures around the battlefield, including at the Ray House. According to Troy Taylor's Haunted Missouri: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Show Me State, a woman dressed in historical clothing is said to roam the property near the house, seemingly ignoring visitors when they call out to her.
The Gillioz Theatre
The Gillioz Theatre is one of Springfield's oldest and most storied venues. Since 1926, the Gillioz has entertained locals and notable visitors including Ronald Reagan and Elvis Presley.
With that much history comes some ghastly tales. One story, recorded in Missouri's Haunted Route 66: Ghosts Along the Mother Road by Janice Tremeear, claims that a film projectionist working at the Gillioz passed away mid-screening. Allegedly, he can still be spotted in the projection booth today.
Phelps Grove Park
One Ozarks ghost story begins in the days of horse-drawn carriages. In the 1910s, the land once owned by John S. Phelps flourished as a public park. At that time, it boasted a man-made lake, now the site of the Springfield Art Museum, and a zoo that featured alligators, wolves, bears, buffalo, and more.
In Haunted Springfield Missouri, Edward and Karen Underwood write that a newly married couple were taking a carriage ride through the park in 1914 when disaster struck. As they were crossing Grove Park Bridge, pictured above, their carriage tipped over and fell over the side. The bride's neck was broken in the crash. Some visitors to the park have claimed to see the ghost of the bride, still in her wedding dress, under the very bridge where love ran cold.
The Springfield National Cemetery
In addition to being one of the oldest cemeteries in Greene County, Missouri, the Springfield National Cemetery is also said to be among its most haunted. Opened in 1867, the National Cemetery is the final resting place for the remains of soldiers from conflicts such as the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the Spanish American War, and both World Wars. In 1999, the cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Edward and Karen Underwood write of various reported paranormal encounters at the cemetery, ranging from floating orbs and glowing tombstones to a dark mist that can materialize as a human silhouette with a strong Southern accent.
Pythian Castle
True to its ominous aesthetic, Pythian Castle has been linked to a multitude of unexplained phenomena. The castle was constructed in 1913 by the Knights of Pythias, a fraternal order and secret society. It was occupied by the orphans and widows of deceased Pythians until 1942, when it became part of O'Reilly General Hospital, a federal military hospital. During World War II, it housed the O'Reilly Service Club, a rehabilitation center for American soldiers. Meanwhile, German prisoners of war were kept in the castle's basement cells. After the war, the Veterans Adminstration converted the castle into a tuberculosis hospital. The castle continued to change hands between 1952 and 2000, before finally being purchased by Tamara Finocchiaro.
Today, Pythian Castle offers guided ghost tours. Troy Taylor writes that visitors to the castle have reported hearing the thuds of running feet, witnessing furniture move on its own and lights flicker inexplicably, and feeling the touch of invisible hands. If you ask me, the Pythian Poltergeist has a nice ring to it.
The Landers Theatre
The Landers Theatre, opened by John and Douglas Landers in 1909, has long been said to be a hub of paranormal activity. According to Ed and Karen Underwood, two of the most frequently reported apparitions include a young mother and a hardworking janitor. The first ghost hearkens back to an old story from the theater's early history that tells of a young woman who dropped her baby from over the auditorium's balcony railing. Witnesses state that she and the baby can be seen as the baby falls from her arms and disappears into the seats below, sometimes repeating the motion in an eerie loop.
The other purported specter is connected to a real incident in the theater's history. In 1920, a fire ravaged the building, forcing it to close for two years for repairs. Reportedly, a janitor who passed away in the fire can still be seen keeping the theater clean to this day.
Want to learn more about local ghost stories? Visit Local History & Genealogy at the Library Center and check out our selection of books on otherworldly occurrences in the Ozarks. Explore more historical photographs on Local History & Genealogy's Digital Archive.
If you enjoyed this article, please consider making a donation to the Preserving Ozarks History Endowment. Each contribution supports Local History & Genealogy's mission of preserving the history and culture of the Ozarks.
Want more local history news and stories delivered directly to your inbox? Sign up for Local History & Genealogy's newsletter and email announcements.
References
"Animals from zoo will be exhibited at convention hall." Springfield Missouri Republican, 25 September 1919, p. 2.
"Phelps Grove Park." Springfield-Greene County Park Board.
"Ray House." National Park Service, 8 November 2021.
"Springfield National Cemetery." National Cemetery Administration, 18 September 2026.
Taylor, Troy. Haunted Missouri: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Show Me State, Stackpole Books, 2012.
Tremeear, Janice. Missouri's Haunted Route 66: Ghosts Along the Mother Road, History Press, 2010.
Underwood, Edward and Karen. Haunted Springfield Missouri, History Press, 2014.