Conclusions

Hi all! As our project is winding down, we wanted to share our findings. While this may be our last post (although hopefully not our last adventure!), we want to thank our readers and encourage you to seek out and visit sites of historical and legendary importance within Arkansas.

Over the past few months, we have traveled to central Arkansas and Eureka Springs in order to uncover folklore and tales of hauntings. A few places we've visited include: Old State House (Little Rock), the Old Mill (North Little Rock), the Crescent Hotel (Eureka Springs), Galloway Hall (Conway), MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History (Little Rock), and Curran Hall (Little Rock). The existence of ghosts and monsters is a question for others to debate. However, the importance of legends cannot so easily be disputed. We have noticed a few reasons why ghost stories persist through time.

We believe that one of the most important reasons is because people can feel a connection with the past. One of the best examples we have is the Jones House of Little Rock. The Jones family wanted to remember their deceased friends No one knows with certainty whether or not their homes are actually haunted. However, the voices and noises they allegedly heard give the family a sense that their friends are still watching out for them. Another example, one that is more strictly related to history, is the Crescent Hotel. Ghost tours are available for guests, which means that many people get the opportunity to hear the folklore surrounding the 128 year old hotel. Guides wear period-appropriate clothing and guests listen to personal stories of the Crescent's past occupants that may have never checked out. People not only feel connected to history - tours like the Crescent's allow people to feel involved as well. Consequently, we seem personally invested in a collective past - something Arkansans can share with one another. As a result, people are more interested in Arkansas's history which keeps the past alive.

Furthermore, some of these ghostly tales have received national attention. Aside from the Crescent Hotel and Jones Houses being featured on Ghost Hunters, other urban legends like the Fouke and White River Monsters have been featured in national media outlets. This brought widespread attention to the Natural State, which has been glossed over so often in the past. Popular culture (such as The Legend of Boggy Creek and Ghost Hunters) continually remind people that Arkansas has stories to share with the world. Sometimes the attention can bring in money as well. The Crescent Hotel can, at least partially, thank their famous reputation as America's Most Haunted Hotel for their survival and revival in the past few decades. The ghost tours are extremely popular with tourists and guests, which brings in revenue. This money can thus be used to further preserve local history for future generations.

So what are the cultural impacts of haunted tales and urban legends on Arkansas? As mentioned above, these stories promote history in the public conscious. Popular media has featured Arkansas or has Arkansas ties: Ghost Adventures (Travel Channel) has visited Fort Smith, a filmmaker wanted to make a movie surrounding the White River Monster, Supernatural had an episode based in Arkansas (although it was actually filmed in Vancouver, was set in a nonexistent prison, and did not feature an actual Arkansas urban legend), and the author behind HBO's popular show True Blood lives in Magnolia. It is worth noting there seems to be a sense of pride when the state garners attention in the media - Channel 11, the Arkansas Times, and others ran stories advertising the fact that Ghost Hunters had visited Little Rock and a local home would be featured on SyFy. The Old State House Museum has an original movie poster from The Legend of Boggy Creek. As a result, our stories can be remembered and retold, fueling an interest in the state's history.

All in all, ghost stories and urban legends may not be the biggest aspect of Arkansas's culture. Our state has numerous features that make us unique and noteworthy. However, paranormal tales should not be discounted either. Arkansas, like many states, faces a number of stereotypes, some positive, some negative. Thankfully, the Natural State's folklore is one way that Arkansas can garner positive attention. People are reminded that every state has a culture and a history to be remembered, explored, and promoted. That has been our goal during this project. Again, we want to thank our readers and encourage others to learn more about their state's past through its stories.

Curran Hall and Jones House

We have visited two other homes in the Quapaw Quarter of Little Rock during our journeys: Curran Hall and the Jones House. Both homes have long histories, the former being built in 1843 and the latter in 1917, and both are believed to be haunted. While the Jones House is a private residence and thus we could not enter, Curran Hall has become the official welcome center of Little Rock.

Curran Hall

The Walters-Curran-Bell House, most commonly known today as Curran Hall, was built in 1843 by Colonel Ebenezer Walters as a wedding present for his bride. Unfortunately, she died before the home could be completed, after which Walters sold the property. Several years later, James Curran purchased the house; he died in 1854, leaving the home to his wife and three children. His youngest daughter would eventually inherit the house. In the mid-1880s, Mary Eliza Woodruff Bell, a widow

with four daughters, purchased Curran Hall; she restored and added on to the original building. After her death in 1911, her daughters Hattie and Fanny continued to live in the house. One of her other daughters, Eva, was the mother of Averell Reynolds Tate. Tate took ownership in 1955 and was the last individual to live in Curran Hall until the city of Little Rock and the Advertising and Promotion Commission purchased the home. Today, Curran Hall serves as the official greeting center for the mayor of Little Rock and as the city's welcome center. Guests of the mayor, including foreign dignitaries, are first met here. The building has been restored in order to represent the long history of Curran Hall. For example, entrance hall uses "floorcloth," which was the predecessor of linoleum. Restoring the floorcloth was an expensive endeavor, but is considered a major feature of the home - it even has its own pamphlet. 

Considering the age of Curran Hall and the number of deaths over the years, it comes as no surprise that ghost stories surround the historic home. Tales can be traced back to the death of Mary Walters. Employees have allegedly experienced cold spots, noises, moving objects; a ghost hunting group, Natural State Supernatural, visited Curran Hall and saw a "sparkle" on camera. When we talked to welcome center staff members on April 26, both noted that there are stories of ghosts surrounding the home, although neither went into much detail. One referred us to a book, Haunted Little Rock by Linda Howell, who apparently felt very attached to the house. Notably, Curran Hall is featured on the Haunted Tours of Little Rock (which are run by Howell), indicating this is a particularly famous site among Arkansan paranormal seekers.

The Jones House and Bungalow

Popularized by SyFy's Ghost Hunters, the Jones House and neighboring bungalow have a long history. Both located in the historic Quapaw Quarter, the bungalow was built in 1892 (presumably the Jones House was constructed around the same time, although exact information is not available) and is site of several dramatic deaths. Prominent Arkansas banker Ed Cornish lived in the home with his first wife, Nona. However, tragedy struck in 1898 when Cornish lost his six-year-old daughter. Sixteen hours later, Nona Cornish, as well as her baby, died in childbirth. He moved into the more-famous (but seemingly-less haunted) Cornish House in 1917. In the following decades, the bungalow seen robberies, fires, deaths, and murders. In the 1900s, a nurse was shot and killed in the home. In 2005, another woman, Bonnie Wallace, was murdered in the same home. Her husband died of illness soon after. Today, the bungalow and the house next door are owned by the Jones family, who were willed the bungalow by the Wallaces.

In 2013, TAPS, from the popular show Ghost Hunters, visited the bungalow and house at the request of the homeowner. We do not know of any ghost stories related to the house prior to the airing of the show, but the presence of the ghost hunters received attention in local media outlets. Reportedly, the Jones family had heard voices in both their house and the bungalow. Some of the ghost hunting team felt dizzy and heard doors close by themselves. Furthermore, a flashlight seemingly turns on by a ghostly entity. The episode ended, however, with the Ghost Hunters stating that results weren't substantial and that the Jones family has nothing to fear because any entities are probably their friends, the Wallaces. Amber Jones was seemingly disappointed; the show speculates this is because she was hoping to still have some connection with her friends.

We did not personally see these houses, both because the residences are private and because the actual address was unavailable. We did briefly walk past the Cornish House, where Ed Cornish and his second wife, Hilda (who was the founder of Planned Parenthood in Arkansas), lived. However, the fact that a nationally-syndicated program visited an Arkansas home is significant. This brought attention to Arkansas history (as stated above, Ed Cornish was a very prominent banker in the early 20th century) - the Ghost Hunters spent part of the program detailing the history of these homes for their viewers. Furthermore, Amber Jones' reaction shows the importance of ghost stories for some people; sometimes, believing a spirit resides in a place can help a person feel connected to deceased friends/family and the past. Maybe this is why some legends have become a part of the collective memories of Arkansans (and people in general); we can become tied to our histories and feel a sense of belonging to the past.

Unexplored Legends

Arkansas has rich folklore and numerous tales of the supernatural. Our research uncovered a number of different sites with legends and stories. Unfortunately, time and work did not allow us to travel as much as we would have liked. Instead, we are posting a list of places we wanted to visit and the stories we came across.

The Gurdon Light

The town of Gurdon is home to one of Arkansas's more famous urban legends. In 1931, railroad worker William McClain was murdered; soon after, people began to claim to see a floating light along the railroad tracks near where McClain was killed. Some say this is his lantern, continuing to light the tracks. This tale gained national attention in 1994 when Unsolved Mysteries did a piece on the mystery. More than forty years after the murder, people continue to travel to Gurdon to walk the tracks at night in hopes of seeing the mysterious Gurdon Light.

White River Monster

Another famous Arkansas legend is the White River Monster from Newport. While stories can apparently be traced back to Native American folklore, the first recorded sighting was in 1915, followed by sporadic reports of a monster in the White River until 1972, when seven people claimed to have seen a beast in the water. Suddenly, Newport gained national attention, with people swarming to the town to catch a glimpse of a creature. A filmmaker arrived in hopes of making a movie. In response, the Arkansas Legislature declared a small stretch of the river a "refuge" area in 1973 to protect the White River Monster, banning anyone from bothering or harming the creature should it exist. This legend was the subject of an episode of Lost Tapes on the Animal Planet

Fouke Monster

Perhaps the most famous Arkansas supernatural creature is the Fouke Monster. Tales originate from the area around the Sulphur River in Miller County near Texarkana. Considered to be Arkansas' Bigfoot, stories date back to the 1940s when people first began to claim that a hairy, ape-like creature prowled the swamp. However, in 1971, a farm was allegedly attacked by the monster, which briefly brought national focus to the Fouke area. The most famous representation of the beast is the 1972 movie, The Legend of Boggy Creek, which became a cult favorite. The Old State House Museum has an original movie poster from the film on display. Lost Tapes also did an episode on Fouke, titled Southern Sasquatch.

The Fouke Monster isn't the only such legend in the Natural State. Although much less famous, stories of a monster around Lake Conway are not unheard of. We are unaware of how common this tale is, but the stories began around the time the Fouke Monster first allegedly appeared.

Woodson Lateral Road

Ghostly hitchhikers and lights along roads are not uncommon stories for motorists, and Arkansas is not the exception. The most famous local legend is along Woodson Lateral Road, south of Little Rock on the way to Sheridan. Drivers report seeing a phantom motorcycle light approaching them along the lonely stretch of road; others claim to pick up a young woman in a prom dress with a motorcycle jacket - upon reaching her destination, she vanishes. According to the legend, a young couple died in a motorcycle accident while returning home after prom. Channel 11 (THV) ran a segment about this ghost story for Halloween in 2013.

Petit Jean Mountain

West of Little Rock lies Petit Jean Mountain, a popular spot for tourists and hikers alike. According to legend, a young French woman, named Petit Jean, stowed away on a ship to America to be with her beloved. However, as their boat traveled up the Arkansas River, she came down with a serious fever. When all hope seemed lost, she asked to be carried to the top of the mountain where she died and was buried. A small mound of stone and dirt can be found on Petit Jean Mountain, which is said to be her grave. According to local folklore, her ghost can be seen wandering the mountain at night, and strange lights hover above her grave. Whether or not there was a Petit Jean, the story continues to be popular and the alleged grave site has been fenced off and maintained.


There were other places we wished to visit as well, but these are a few of the more interesting places that we thought were worth sharing. There are places all across the state with their own tales and legends, such as Van Buren, Pea Ridge, Fayetteville, and Fort Smith. We strongly encourage people to visit some of these places for themselves!

Galloway Hall, Hendrix College

As Hendrix students, we could not ignore the ghost stories from our own campus. Most notably, Galloway Hall is the center of a few creepy tales that students continue to pass on. Built in 1913, the dorm was named after Charles Betts Galloway, who was the namesake of the Methodist-affiliated Galloway Female College. The women’s college merged with Hendrix in 1933. Today, the building is a women’s dorm and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.

Naturally, a building as old as Galloway Hall has its share of stories. According to legend, the ghost of a woman, dubbed the “Galloway Virgin,” haunts the attic; students claim to hear noises from above and sense a presence in the halls late at night. Some claim to experience intense sadness when ascending the stairs toward the attic. 

The stairwell to the attic.

We know friends that have lived in or spent time in Galloway, and these tales are common knowledge among them. One believes to have felt a presence in one of the staircases. Recently, we walked through Galloway ourselves (although this is hardly the first time we’ve visited the hall during our time at Hendrix) to get a feel for the atmosphere. The building is cozy with a large parlor that represents the history of the dorm. We took the south staircase up to the third floor where the attic entrance is. Neither of us felt “sad” while approaching the final level. The door to the attic is sealed off with a padlock – a sign warns people not to break the lock as bats reside in the loft. 

While we did not notice anything paranormal, students continue to remember the ghost stories that persist around Galloway Hall. The building has a long history, and the school maintains that atmosphere by preserving the parlor, which is a popular place for events on campus. Galloway may not be the oldest building at Hendrix, but its ties to the defunct women’s college and place on the National Register of Historic Places makes it somewhat unique among the campus buildings (only Martin Hall and Ellis Hall share a place on the historic registry with Galloway). Perhaps the eerie tales about Galloway are a product of this past; the name given to the ghost reflects its past associations with a religious women’s college. This may be one way that students remember the campus’ long history.

UPDATE:
We managed to track down a copy of the Profile (Hendrix's student newspaper) that highlighted the legends and folklore on campus. Published in December 2013, this issue made note of the Galloway ghost and brought another to our attention as well.

Hulen Hall, located in the center of campus, is the former student center. Today, the building stands mostly abandoned, used primarily for storage. Some students claim to have seen moving shadows in the attic windows. In the past, there was an Indian statue in the loft that people would say moved on its own. 

Besides hauntings, other somewhat-spooky traditions have arisen over the years. Martin Hall, one of the men's dorms, ritually dances and drinks around the rock that marks the grave of Captain Martin, a Civil War officer. Capt. Martin was buried near the southwestern corner of campus. He was a teetotaler, so the celebration is a playful jab at the namesake of their dorm.

Little Rock Quapaw Quarter and the Old Mill

The Quapaw Quarter is located in the heart of Little Rock and is home to many of the city's oldest buildings and homes. More than 200 homes and structures from the area are listed on the National Register of Historic Places; a few of the more famous places include MacArthur Park, Curran Hall, Mt. Holly Cemetery, and the Governor's Mansion. With so many historic buildings, numerous tales of hauntings have accumulated over the years. On Saturday, April 26, we visited the Quapaw Quarter to visit a few of these locations for ourselves. We first visited the U.S. Arsenal Building in MacArthur Park, followed by the Curran House (which will be featured in another post), and the Albert Pike Memorial Masonic Temple. Several weeks back, we also walked through Mt. Holly Cemetery. Afterwords, we traveled to North Little Rock to visit the Old Mill.

U.S. Arsenal Building

The U.S. Arsenal Building was built in 1840 and has had an illustrious history. The arsenal was seized by a state militia in the early days of the Civil War and munitions were used to supply Confederate armies until the Union retook Little Rock in 1864. In building was also briefly held by followers of Joseph Brooks during the Brooks-Baxter War in 1874. General Douglas MacArthur was born on the upper floor in 1880. Decommissioned as an arsenal in 1890, the building is now the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.


A number of ghosts allegedly walk the halls of the museum. Stories of ghostly shadows, apparitions, and voices have risen over the years. According to some employees, one playful ghost enjoys throwing things at passing people. We did not come across anything during our visit and we did not learn much from the employees. However, the site continues to be an important historical building in Little Rock, and the stories live on alongside the history.


Albert Pike Memorial Masonic Temple

The Albert Pike Memorial Masonic Temple is closed off the the public. An impressive building several blocks west of MacArthur Park, the temple is named after Confederate general and influential Freemason Albert Pike. Some say that his ghost continues to reside in the temple. There was nobody we could speak to and the building is private, so we did not have the opportunity to learn any more than internet research had shown us. However, the building is still used and is notable for its architecture.

Mount Holly Cemetery

Mount Holly Cemetery is the final resting place for many important Arkansans. Governors, mayors, senators, generals, and authors native to Arkansas have been buried in this location. Established in 1843, the grounds are well maintained and people continue to visit the grave sites. We walked the grounds admiring tomb stones that were well over 100 years old. We noted that a few of the decayed headstones had been replaced over the years, especially those of war veterans - a few of which could be traced back to the War of 1812. Clearly the City of Little Rock has put a lot of effort and money into preserving the cemetery, which has certainly helped maintain Arkansas history. In October, the cemetery hosts an event called "Tales of the Crypt" for Little Rock high school students; the lives of some of the famous Mt. Holly inhabitants are reenacted by the students.

A few ghostly stories surround the cemetery. People claim to have seen people in period clothing walking the grounds. Others have seen strange mists or lights in photographs. Occasionally music or other phantom sounds can be heard, and a few people have even claimed to observe some of the statues moving. We didn't experience anything paranormal during our visit. The grounds were quiet and nobody was around to interview. Ghost stories do not seem to be the most notable feature of Mt. Holly; however, the deep history that is preserved within these grounds shows how important history is for many Arkansans.


The Old Mill

After a few hours in Little Rock, we left the Quapaw Quarter for North Little Rock. The Old Mill, located in a small park alongside Lakewood Lake, was originally built in 1828. The existing structure is actually a replica, but it has been dedicated to the past and gives visitors a chance to observe what the mill once looked like. As far as ghost stories go, there is not much to tell. However, some people have seen strange things moving in the windows. Some say that there is a shadow of a hanging person on the side of the building. We were unable to find any historical basis for people being killed at the site, but the tales persist regardless.  Most significantly, the park is a favorite place for pictures and recreation. The grounds were full of people enjoying the weather, which shows that the Old Mill is still valued by residents and tourists alike. The long history of the building lives on thanks to the creation of Pugh Memorial Park and the replica of the original structure.

"History is Inextricably Linked to the Ghost Stories": The Crescent Hotel (Part Two – The Ghost Tour)

As the ghost tour is a paid event for the hotel, details and specifics are kept to a minimum. An employee dressed in turn-of-the-twentieth-century garb waited for the tour members to gather in a side room on the top floor. When the time hit 8, she began the tour with the words, “History [of the hotel] is inextricably linked to the ghost stories,” an apt description for the function of these tales. She gave her listeners a brief history of the hotel, describing the room we were in and giving tidbits of the various haunts in the building: its importance as an area of healing; the construction of a hotel for richer guests; its conversion to a women’s boarding school; its stint as a pseudo-cancer research center; and then its repurchase and transformation back into a hotel once again intended for rest and relaxation. Before we left our starting location, our guide passed around a clipboard, asking if guests were staying at the hotel and if it was for the ghost tour. Several of the groups ahead of us marked yes for both questions. While the summer draws in many visitors due to the temperature and the beautiful surrounding area, the hotel offers ghost tour deals in the off-season to encourage visitors that may otherwise not come. As many of the surrounding shops in the downtown area close earlier and have sporadic hours during the off-season, the tour most likely help to bring in visitors for these local businesses as well. Allegedly haunted by a spirit named Michael. While it has gone through a series of redesigns, the hotel has kept its Victorian appearance. The guide took us through the hallways through the history of the hotel and gave a life to the history that a mere narrative neglects. The tour guide described to us the various activities of the women attending the college: how they were required to have a chaperone and their excitement for an upcoming dance. One of the ghosts in the hotel, a young man, tends to prefer the company of females to males and is intent on mischief. The child of a nurse would run through the hallways for fun. Along with the stories that bring a smile are the ones that bring sadness: the intense emotion that might cause a pregnant girl to commit suicide or the potential father to push her; the suffering of the various patients who stayed for their painful “treatments”; and, biggest of all, the grief that comes with the loss of life. Many of the figures in the center of the ghost stories had relatives in Eureka Springs, and apparently the relatives still live in the town today; this tie brought a startling reality to the stories the guide told us. While history can tell us of the general time and people of an era, ghost stories give us the opportunity to share a more personal tale of life and death.   Some people have reported seeing the ghost of a little girl playing near these stairs. The tour guide herself was a pleasant woman who seemed to enjoy her job. In each location she would gather people closer to her before she began her tale. In the beginning room, she asked guests whether they had experienced anything; one of the men chimed in with his own tale. She encouraged guests to take pictures and engaged them in the stories by asking about their thoughts. A young girl on the tour enjoyed answering the questions and liked to try and think of how the people behaved as they did. In this way, the tour guide not only told a story, but truly shared it by engaging guests in the stories and the hotel. This form of storytelling allows an immersion that is difficult to achieve in other areas; by participating in the stories, either by speculating on the true events or by adding their own ghostly encounter, listeners are able to feel like they are experiencing the history of the hotel itself. The tour guide was more than just a guide; she established a connection with the listeners, which in turn allowed the listeners to establish a connection with the stories. Many of the stories on the tour featured Norman G. Baker, the founder of the pseudo-cancer treatment hospital at the Crescent Hotel and its healing heritage. Much of the suffering within the hotel could be attributed to Norman Baker, as it was his cancer “cure” that drew desperate people to their ultimate dying spot. It could easily be said that his time at the hotel was one of its darkest periods. At the time, Baker was infamous among the nation for his hospital. The hopes of a cure drew people from all over the nation, who were willing to try anything. His presence brought national attention to the Eureka Springs locale. After he was run out of town, Eureka Springs soon resumed its normal and hidden life.   Toward the end of the tour, the guide showed a quick clip from the episode of Ghost Hunters featuring the Crescent Hotel and its history. In the show, they mention Norman Baker and his hospital, and even believe that they found evidence that his spirit still walks the hotel’s walls. The episode drew Eureka Springs and the Crescent Hotel back into the national conscious; no longer was it a scenic Arkansan getaway, but a beautiful town filled with intrigue. Both the Crescent Hotel and its sister, the Basin Park Hotel, have enjoyed the extra burst of attention Ghost Hunters gave them. Today, the most haunted rooms require bookings months, if not years, in advanced, and regulars rooms can be difficult to come by on weekends. The Crescent’s alleged haunted activity draws in people who may not otherwise come, gives the hotel life during quieter times of the year, and is advertised on equal footing with their other offered services. Ghost stories and the historical atmosphere help to keep this hotel thriving.