Haunted Shawnee, Oklahoma

by Tanya McCoy, Jeff Provine

Overview

Home to numerous tribal reservations that survived the land run that swept around them, Shawnee stands at an intersection of worlds. For travelers of the Wild West, crossing over into Oklahoma Territory meant more than crossing a state line. "Stop for twenty minutes and see a man killed," stagecoach drivers warned visitors to Shawnee's treacherous saloons. The oil boom of the 1920s brought a wave of wealth that only encouraged nefarious activity. Shawnee's quiet present may belie its fevered past, but the spirits of former gunslingers, prostitutes and everyday folk still live on. From strange sounds at the old Sacred Heart Mission to specters roaming the halls of the luxurious Aldridge Hotel, Tanya McCoy and Jeff Provine provide an introduction to Shawnee's haunted past.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781439671153
Publisher:	The History Press
Publication date:	09/14/2020
Series:	Haunted America
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	887,796
File size:	4 MB

About the Author

As founder of the Oklahoma Paranormal Association and a board member of the Mustang Oklahoma Historical Society, TANYA MCCOY started researching the paranormal more than two decades ago. In January 2020, she opened a metaphysical shop in downtown historic El Reno in the historic Rock Island Railroad offices and hopes to open Oklahoma's first paranormal museum. She is also a nurse and a published children's book author who is currently working on her first fiction novel. Raised on his family's Land Run farm north of Enid, JEFF PROVINE began collecting Oklahoma folklore in 2009, when he started a ghost tour at the University of Oklahoma. He has since added tours for downtown Norman and in Oklahoma City. His other works include the This Day in Alternate History blog, The Academy webcomic, the illustrated urban legends collection 31 Ghost Stories and Okie Comics Magazine. Jeff serves as professor of English at Oklahoma City Community College and lectures on creative writing and the history of comic books around the metro.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 9

Truly the Wild West: History of the Shawnee Area 11

1 Arrived: The American Indian Tribes of Shawnee 23

2 From the Ashes: Sacred Heart Mission 33

3 The Iron Key to Success: Arrival of the Railroad 40

4 Shawnee's First Ghost: The Murder of Mollie Colclasure 47

5 Woman in the Window: The Shawnee Governor's Mansion 53

6 Glimmers of the Past: Haunts of Downtown Tecumseh 56

7 Dedicated: The Kate Barnard School 60

8 Murdered by Human Wolves: The Grave of Katherine Cross 63

9 Ghost Town: Romulus Cemetery 66

10 Watchful Spirits: St. Gregory's Abbey and University 69

11 The Great Collector: Mabee-Gerrer Museum 74

12 School Spirit: Jefferson Elementary School 79

13 Afterlife in Luxury': Grisso Mansion 82

14 Checking In: The Aldridge Hotel 86

15 A Modern Ruin: Harjo School 93

16 Crossing Over: Bridges of Pottawatomie County 97

17 Unidentified: The Stranger Things Seen around Shawnee 101

18 The Show Goes On: Ritz Theater 104

19 Hidden: The Historic Bison Theater 108

20 Signs from the Other Side: Hamburger King 111

21 The Last Chance Saloon: Old AT&SF Passenger Station 115

22 Personal Relics: Green's Corner Antiques 118

23 Lingering Impressions: Twenty West Main 122

24 A Stroll Down Main Street: More Stories of Downtown Shops 127

25 Invited In: 2 East Main Street 133

Bibliography 139

About the Authors 143