Overholser Mansion – Haunted Mansion in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

The Overholser Mansion stands as a testament to Oklahoma City’s gilded age and architectural grandeur. Built in 1903, this Victorian-Chateauesque masterpiece has witnessed over a century of history within its ornate walls. The mansion served as home to Henry and Anna Overholser, pioneers who helped shape Oklahoma City’s early development. Today, visitors come not just for the stunning architecture and period furnishings, but for encounters with spirits who refuse to leave.

The three-story mansion covers nearly 11,000 square feet of opulent living space filled with original fixtures and family heirlooms. Strange occurrences have been reported here for decades, dating back to when the family still occupied the home. Unexplained footsteps echo through empty hallways while phantom piano music drifts from the music room. The spirits here seem protective of their former home, making their presence known to staff and visitors alike.

What makes the Overholser Mansion particularly intriguing is the well-documented history of its former residents and their emotional ties to the property. The Overholser family experienced both triumph and tragedy within these walls over multiple generations. Their strong connection to the mansion appears to have created an energetic imprint that persists today. Paranormal investigators have recorded compelling evidence suggesting multiple entities still reside here, particularly in the family’s private quarters.

Historical Background

Henry Overholser commissioned the mansion’s construction in 1903, making it one of Oklahoma City’s first mansions and architectural marvels. The prominent businessman spared no expense, importing materials from across the United States and Europe for construction. The home featured cutting-edge technology for its time, including electricity, indoor plumbing, and central heating throughout all three floors. Overholser wanted to prove that Oklahoma City could rival any eastern metropolis in sophistication and grandeur.

The mansion remained in the Overholser family for decades, passing through three generations before becoming a museum in 1972. Henry Overholser died in 1915, but his wife Anna continued living in the home until her death in 1940. Their daughter Anna Laura lived in the mansion until the early 1950s, maintaining her parents’ beloved home exactly as they left it. The family’s deep emotional investment in the property seems to have created lasting paranormal connections that remain active today.

Several significant events occurred within the mansion walls that may contribute to its haunted reputation beyond natural family deaths. Anna Overholser reportedly experienced profound grief following her husband’s death, spending years in mourning within the home’s second-floor master suite. The mansion also served as a social hub for Oklahoma City’s elite, hosting countless parties, receptions, and important business meetings. Some paranormal researchers believe the intense emotions experienced during these gatherings left psychic imprints on the building itself.

The property underwent restoration in the 1970s when Preservation Oklahoma acquired it to prevent demolition and commercial development. Workers during renovation reported unusual experiences including tools mysteriously moving and unexplained cold drafts in sealed rooms. One contractor refused to work alone in the third-floor servants’ quarters after experiencing what he described as an overwhelming feeling of being watched. These early reports established the mansion’s reputation among locals as genuinely haunted rather than simply historically significant.

The mansion earned placement on the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, recognizing both its architectural significance and historical importance. Today it operates as a house museum showcasing turn-of-the-century Oklahoma City life and Victorian-era opulence. The building retains ninety percent of its original furnishings, including many personal items belonging to the Overholser family themselves. This abundance of original artifacts may explain why paranormal activity remains so prevalent and seemingly tied to specific family members.

Paranormal Activity Summary

The most commonly reported paranormal phenomena at Overholser Mansion involve disembodied footsteps throughout the second and third floors. Staff members working alone in the building frequently hear someone walking through upstairs hallways when no one else is present. These footsteps follow distinct patterns, often starting in the master bedroom and proceeding down the hall toward the grand staircase. Security guards have investigated these sounds countless times, finding no physical explanation or evidence of intruders.

Piano music emanating from the first-floor music room ranks as the second most frequent supernatural occurrence reported here. Multiple witnesses have heard classical pieces playing on the antique piano, particularly during early evening hours before the museum closes. The music stops abruptly when anyone enters the room to investigate the source of the sound. Interestingly, the piano itself shows no signs of being played, with the key cover remaining closed and locked.

Cold spots appear throughout the mansion with no logical explanation, even during Oklahoma’s sweltering summer months when temperatures outside exceed ninety degrees. These temperature anomalies concentrate heavily in Anna Overholser’s second-floor bedroom and the third-floor nursery area. Visitors often experience sudden drops of fifteen to twenty degrees when entering these specific rooms. The cold dissipates as quickly as it arrives, returning to normal room temperature within minutes of the encounter.

Shadow figures have been observed moving through the mansion’s elaborate parlors and main hallway on the first floor. These dark shapes appear solid and human-sized but lack distinguishable features or clear details. Witnesses describe them as moving with purpose, gliding from room to room as if performing daily household tasks. The shadows never acknowledge observers and typically vanish when approached directly or when additional lights are turned on.

Objects move or disappear inexplicably throughout the mansion, with staff reporting misplaced items relocating to unusual positions overnight. Period clothing displayed on mannequins has been found rearranged in the morning despite the building being locked and secured. Antique photographs on display occasionally turn face-down without explanation, particularly those featuring Anna Overholser in mourning attire. These poltergeist-like activities suggest an intelligent presence actively interacting with the physical environment rather than residual energy patterns.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Anna Overholser’s spirit is widely believed to be the mansion’s primary resident ghost, never having truly left her beloved home. Witnesses describe seeing a woman in Victorian-era clothing, often wearing black mourning attire, standing near second-floor windows overlooking the property. She appears most frequently in the master bedroom suite where she spent years grieving her husband’s death. Multiple visitors have reported feeling an overwhelming sense of sadness when entering this particular room, even when unaware of its history.

A museum tour guide named Patricia documented a particularly compelling encounter with Anna’s spirit during a 1998 evening event. She reported seeing a translucent woman in black descending the grand staircase with one hand trailing along the banister. The figure reached the landing midway down the stairs before fading from view completely without a sound. Patricia’s detailed description matched photographs of Anna Overholser from the 1920s, including specific jewelry and a distinctive mourning brooch.

Henry Overholser’s presence manifests differently than his wife’s, typically through unexplained cigar smoke in his first-floor study and library. The strong scent of tobacco appears suddenly despite the building’s strict no-smoking policy and modern air filtration systems. Visitors often report feeling watched when examining Henry’s personal desk and business papers displayed in the study. Some sensitive individuals describe experiencing brief visions of a stern-looking man in period business attire reviewing documents at the desk.

The spirit of a young child has been reported on the mansion’s third floor, particularly near the former nursery area. Staff members hear childish laughter and the sound of small running feet across the third-floor hardwood when no children are present. One docent reported seeing a small girl in a white dress playing with antique toys in the nursery. When the docent approached to redirect the child back to her tour group, the figure simply vanished into thin air.

Servants who once worked in the mansion may also remain in spirit form, continuing their duties long after death. Kitchen staff at special events held in the mansion report utensils moving independently and cabinet doors opening without assistance. The service bells that once summoned household staff occasionally ring spontaneously despite being disconnected from any functional wiring system. These phenomena suggest former employees maintain their dedication to the Overholser household even from beyond the grave.

Local legend tells of a prohibition-era incident where illegal alcohol was stored in the mansion’s basement during the 1920s. According to the story, a man died under mysterious circumstances while retrieving hidden bottles from a concealed storage area. His spirit allegedly wanders the basement corridors, and visitors report feeling anxious or frightened when touring this lower level. Strange knocking sounds from behind walls have been attributed to this unnamed spirit attempting to communicate or finish his interrupted task.

Most Haunted Spot

The second-floor master bedroom where Anna Overholser spent her widowhood is universally considered the mansion’s most haunted location. This room generates the highest number of paranormal reports, including full-bodied apparitions, intense cold spots, and overwhelming emotional impressions. Visitors frequently exit this room feeling inexplicably sorrowful or claiming they need to leave the space immediately. Paranormal investigators consistently record electromagnetic field fluctuations and unexplained temperature variations concentrated near Anna’s personal vanity and the room’s bay windows.

The antique mirror in Anna’s bedroom reportedly shows reflections that don’t match current reality, occasionally displaying images of the room as it appeared decades ago. Multiple witnesses have seen a woman’s reflection in the mirror when no one is standing in the corresponding position. One photographer captured what appears to be a Victorian-era figure reflected in the mirror, visible in the photograph but not seen during the actual shoot. The museum now includes this mirror’s paranormal reputation in their ghost tour presentations, and it remains a focal point for visitors seeking supernatural experiences.

Can You Visit?

Yes, Overholser Mansion is open to the public and operates as a museum managed by Preservation Oklahoma. The facility welcomes visitors interested in both historical tours and paranormal experiences throughout the year. Regular admission fees are twelve dollars for adults and eight dollars for children under twelve years old. Senior citizens and military members receive discounted admission at ten dollars per person with proper identification.

Guided historical tours are offered Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM, with the last tour beginning at 2:30 PM. Special paranormal investigation tours occur on select Friday and Saturday evenings throughout October and around Halloween. These evening ghost tours must be booked in advance and cost twenty-five dollars per person. Private group tours and paranormal investigation sessions can be arranged by contacting Preservation Oklahoma directly with at least two weeks’ notice.

Photography is permitted throughout the mansion during regular daytime tours for personal, non-commercial use without flash. Professional photography or videography requires advance permission and may involve additional fees depending on the intended use. Many ghost hunters have captured compelling photographic evidence here, including orbs, mysterious mists, and unexplained shadow figures. The mansion encourages visitors to share their paranormal photographs and experiences through their social media channels and website.

The mansion is closed on Sundays through Wednesdays except for special events and pre-arranged private tours. Holiday hours vary, so checking their website or calling ahead is recommended before planning your visit. The facility is partially wheelchair accessible on the first floor, though the upper floors require climbing the original staircases. Parking is available in a small lot adjacent to the mansion at no additional charge for museum visitors.

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity at Overholser Mansion intensifies during autumn months, particularly October through early November around Halloween. Staff report increased frequency of unexplained phenomena during this season, possibly due to the thinning veil between worlds. The cooler evening temperatures also make the mansion’s infamous cold spots more immediately noticeable and dramatic. Special evening ghost tours during October provide the best opportunity for experiencing supernatural encounters in a structured, safe environment.

Late afternoon hours between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM generate numerous reports of Anna Overholser’s apparition near the second-floor windows. Tour guides have observed this pattern consistently over multiple years, suggesting residual haunting patterns tied to specific times. Evening investigation sessions between 8:00 PM and midnight offer the most concentrated paranormal activity according to experienced ghost hunters. The mansion’s spirits seem most active when fewer people are present and the building grows quiet after daytime operations cease.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

Museum director Sarah Thompson documented a remarkable experience in 2015 while preparing the mansion for a special exhibition opening. She was alone on the second floor arranging period clothing when she heard her name called clearly from the hallway. Assuming a colleague had arrived early, she stepped into the corridor to find it completely empty. The voice she heard was distinctly female, well-spoken, and seemed to come from the direction of Anna’s bedroom.

A paranormal research team from Oklahoma City’s Spirits of the Sooner State investigated the mansion in 2017 with permission from Preservation Oklahoma. They recorded several hours of electronic voice phenomena responses to direct questions about the Overholser family. One particularly clear recording captured a woman’s voice saying “This is my home” when investigators asked if any spirits were present. The team’s thermal imaging cameras documented unexplained cold spots moving through rooms as if following an invisible person’s path.

Volunteer docent Michael Richardson shared his unsettling encounter that occurred during a 2019 evening private tour for museum benefactors. While discussing Henry Overholser’s business achievements in the first-floor study, every person in his tour group smelled strong cigar smoke simultaneously. The scent lasted approximately thirty seconds before dissipating completely, and Richardson confirmed no smoking had occurred anywhere in the building. Two guests captured the moment on video, and their audio clearly records Richardson’s surprised reaction and guests’ comments about the mysterious tobacco smell.

A bride who rented the mansion for wedding photographs in 2020 reported seeing a woman in Victorian clothing standing on the second-floor landing. The figure appeared in several photographs taken by the professional wedding photographer despite no one being positioned there during the shoot. The photographer initially thought someone had photobombed the wedding pictures as a prank until reviewing all shots from that sequence. The mysterious woman appears in five consecutive frames before vanishing, and her period clothing matches photographs of Anna Overholser from the 1920s.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The mansion has been investigated by numerous paranormal research groups, with Oklahoma Paranormal Research and Investigations conducting the most thorough multi-day study in 2016. Their team recorded over forty distinct electronic voice phenomena responses during three consecutive overnight investigation sessions. The researchers documented intelligent responses to questions, suggesting the spirits are aware of current events and visitors rather than simply replaying residual energy. Their findings included unexplained electromagnetic field spikes concentrated in Anna’s bedroom and the third-floor nursery area.

Ghost Adventures featured Overholser Mansion in a 2018 special episode focusing on Oklahoma’s most haunted historical locations. Zak Bagans and his crew captured compelling evidence including disembodied voices, unexplained temperature fluctuations, and mysterious knocking sounds responding to direct questions. During their investigation, a GoPro camera positioned in the master bedroom captured what appears to be a shadow figure moving past a window. The episode generated renewed interest in the mansion’s paranormal reputation and increased visitor requests for ghost tours significantly.

A scientific study conducted by paranormal researchers from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2019 attempted to document and explain reported phenomena. The team utilized baseline environmental readings, motion sensors, and full-spectrum cameras throughout their weekend-long investigation. They recorded several anomalies defying conventional explanation, including electromagnetic field variations occurring in patterns rather than randomly. One researcher’s personal experience involved feeling invisible hands touch her shoulders in Anna’s bedroom when no one was standing behind her.

Local Legends & Myths

One persistent local legend claims Anna Overholser hid her most valuable jewelry somewhere in the mansion before her death, and her spirit remains searching for these lost treasures. According to the story, Anna feared robbery during the Great Depression and concealed diamond earrings and a sapphire necklace within the house’s elaborate woodwork. No such jewelry has ever been discovered despite the mansion’s complete restoration and documentation of all family possessions. Believers in this legend suggest Anna’s restless spirit continues seeking her hidden valuables, explaining her frequent appearances throughout the house.

Another Oklahoma City urban legend suggests the mansion’s basement contains a sealed room that workers deliberately avoided during the 1970s restoration. Stories claim construction crews heard threatening voices and experienced tools flying off workbenches when attempting to access this space. The sealed room allegedly contains evidence of prohibition-era criminal activity Henry Overholser wanted hidden forever. No architectural evidence supports the existence of any sealed rooms, but the legend persists among local ghost story enthusiasts and paranormal investigators.

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