The Haunted Epperson House of Kansas City

The Epperson House's history is one of ambition, wealth, tragedy, and ultimately, haunting. Understanding the family who built and lived in this mansion helps explain why their spirits seem unable to let it go.

Uriah Spray Epperson was one of the most successful businessmen in Kansas City's history. Born in 1855, he moved to Kansas City as a young man and quickly recognized the opportunities presented by the city's explosive growth. He entered the lumber business at exactly the right moment - as Kansas City was building itself from a frontier town into a major city, and as the railroads were opening up the West to development.

Epperson built a lumber empire that stretched across Missouri and into neighboring states. His Epperson-Underwood Lumber Company became one of the largest lumber operations in the Midwest, supplying the wood that built countless homes, businesses, and farms. By the early 1900s, Epperson was one of the wealthiest men in Kansas City.

With his fortune made, Epperson turned his attention to building a home worthy of his status. He purchased a large tract of land in what was then a fashionable residential area of Kansas City and commissioned architects to design a mansion that would rival any in the city - or the country.

Construction of the Epperson House began in 1916 and took three years to complete. No expense was spared. The mansion was designed in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, with architectural elements imported from Europe. The exterior featured hand-carved limestone, red Spanish tile roofing, and elaborate terra cotta ornamentation.

The interior was equally magnificent. The house contained 54 rooms, including multiple bedrooms, formal reception rooms, a library, a conservatory, and servants' quarters. Fine woodwork, imported marble, and custom fixtures filled every space. The grounds included formal gardens, a swimming pool, and beautifully landscaped grounds.

When it was completed in 1919, the Epperson House was valued at over $450,000 - an astronomical sum at the time, equivalent to many millions of dollars today. It was, without question, one of the grandest private residences ever built in Kansas City.

Uriah Epperson moved into his palace with high hopes for the future. He was in his sixties but in good health, wealthy beyond measure, and surrounded by his family. The mansion was to be the Epperson family seat for generations to come.

It was not to be.

The Epperson family's time in their magnificent mansion was marked by a series of tragedies that some believe cursed the house forever.

Uriah Epperson lived to enjoy his mansion for only a few years. He died in 1925, leaving the house to his heirs. His death, while not unexpected given his age, marked the beginning of the family's troubles.

Harriet Brecklebaum Epperson, Uriah's wife, continued to live in the mansion after her husband's death. But the vast house, designed for grand entertaining and family life, became increasingly empty and lonely. Harriet became a recluse, rarely leaving the mansion and receiving fewer and fewer visitors.

The tragedy that would cement the house's haunted reputation occurred when Harriet's health began to fail. According to local legend, she fell down the grand staircase of the mansion, suffering injuries that contributed to her death. Whether this fall was an accident, or something more sinister, has been debated ever since.

Other family members also met unfortunate ends. Stories circulate about deaths, illnesses, and family conflicts that plagued the Eppersons during their time in the house. The magnificent mansion that was supposed to be a family showplace became instead a monument to tragedy.

By the 1940s, the Epperson family was done with the house. The property was sold, eventually coming into the possession of the University of Kansas City (now UMKC).

The University of Kansas City acquired the Epperson House in 1942, and it has been part of the campus ever since. Over the years, the mansion has served various purposes - as a residence hall, as office space, as a venue for university events, and as a music conservatory.

Almost from the beginning of university ownership, stories of hauntings began to circulate. Students living in the mansion as a dormitory reported strange experiences - sounds in empty hallways, figures glimpsed in doorways, the feeling of being watched. Staff members assigned to work in the building reported similar phenomena.

The haunted reputation of the Epperson House grew over the decades. Local paranormal researchers investigated the mansion and reported significant activity. Ghost hunting groups included the Epperson House on lists of Kansas City's most haunted locations. Students and faculty shared stories of their encounters, each new account adding to the mansion's supernatural legend.

Today, the Epperson House continues to serve university functions, though its haunted reputation is well known on campus. New students are warned about the mansion's ghosts. Staff members share stories of their own experiences. And the spirits of the Epperson family continue to make their presence known, refusing to abandon the home they loved - and perhaps hated - in life.

The paranormal activity at the Epperson House is extensive, varied, and well-documented by decades of witnesses. The mansion seems to be home to multiple spirits, each with their own patterns of activity.

The most frequently reported ghost at the Epperson House is believed to be Harriet Epperson, Uriah's wife. She is often seen on and around the grand staircase where she allegedly fell to her death.

Witnesses describe seeing an elderly woman in old-fashioned clothing on the staircase, sometimes walking up or down, other times appearing to stumble or fall. The apparition is detailed enough that witnesses have described her clothing and appearance, which match the era in which Harriet lived.

Some witnesses have reported hearing the sounds of a fall on the staircase when no one is there - the thump of a body hitting steps, the crack of breaking bones, and occasionally, a cry of pain or surprise. These sounds are particularly disturbing for those who hear them, a ghostly replay of a fatal accident.

Harriet's spirit is also encountered in other areas of the mansion, particularly the upper floors where the family bedrooms were located. She is sometimes seen looking out of windows, as if watching for someone who will never arrive. Her expression is often described as sad or confused, as if she doesn't understand why she's still there or what happened to her life.

A male apparition, believed by many to be Uriah Epperson himself, has been seen in the library and study areas of the mansion. This figure appears as a distinguished older gentleman in early 20th-century business attire, carrying himself with the bearing of someone accustomed to command.

The male apparition is most often seen sitting in what appears to be a favorite chair, sometimes reading, sometimes simply staring into space. He seems oblivious to living witnesses, lost in his own world. When approached, he fades away rather than vanishing abruptly.

Some witnesses have reported hearing the sounds of business activity from the library when no one is present - the shuffling of papers, the scratch of a pen, the murmur of conversation as if someone is conducting a meeting. These sounds suggest that Uriah Epperson may be continuing his work in the afterlife, still managing the business empire that defined his life.

The male apparition seems peaceful rather than threatening. He's simply there, going about his routines, apparently unaware that decades have passed and that strangers now occupy his home.

Some witnesses have reported encountering what appear to be the spirits of children in the Epperson House. These young spirits are heard more often than they're seen - the sound of running footsteps, childish laughter, and sometimes crying echo through the hallways.

When the child spirits are seen, they appear as young children in old-fashioned clothing, playing or running through the mansion. They seem happy and energetic, in contrast to the more somber adult spirits. Some witnesses have reported briefly making eye contact with these child apparitions before they run off and disappear.

Who these children might be is unclear. The Epperson family had children and grandchildren, though records of specific deaths in the house are incomplete. Some paranormal researchers suggest these might be spirits that attached to the property rather than original residents, drawn by the mansion's energy.

The presence of child spirits adds a poignant dimension to the haunting. Whatever tragedy befell the Epperson family, it affected all generations, and even the innocent seem unable to escape the mansion's hold.

The areas of the mansion that once served as servants' quarters are particularly active with paranormal phenomena. A wealthy household like the Eppersons would have employed numerous servants - maids, cooks, groundskeepers, chauffeurs - and some of these workers seem to remain in spirit form.

Witnesses in the former servants' areas report hearing the sounds of work - footsteps moving with purpose, doors opening and closing, the clatter of dishes, and murmured conversations. These sounds suggest spirits continuing their duties long after their employment ended.

Apparitions of servants have occasionally been seen - figures in work clothing moving through back hallways, a woman in a maid's uniform glimpsed in a doorway, a man carrying something vanishing around a corner. These spirits seem focused on their tasks and rarely acknowledge living witnesses.

One particularly common experience is the smell of cooking emanating from the kitchen areas when no cooking is taking place. Witnesses describe smells of baking bread, roasting meat, and other aromas that suggest a busy household kitchen - a phantom kitchen preparing phantom meals for phantom residents.

Beyond the specific spirits, the Epperson House experiences a wide range of paranormal phenomena:

Temperature Fluctuations: Cold spots are common throughout the mansion, particularly on the staircase and in the upper floors. These cold spots can be dramatic, with temperatures dropping 20 degrees or more in localized areas.

Electrical Disturbances: Lights flicker and electronics malfunction frequently. Computers crash, phones lose power, and recording equipment fails in ways that suggest interference from paranormal sources.

Moving Objects: Items throughout the mansion are found moved from their original positions. Furniture is rearranged, books are relocated, and personal belongings disappear only to reappear in unexpected places.

Doors and Windows: Doors open and close on their own, sometimes with great force. Windows that are securely locked are found open. The sounds of doors and windows throughout the mansion create an impression of constant activity.

Physical Sensations: People throughout the house report being touched by invisible hands, feeling breath on their necks, and sensing presences directly behind them. Some have reported feeling hands on their backs while standing on the staircase, as if someone is about to push them.

Voices: Disembodied voices are heard throughout the mansion - conversations, names being called, and sometimes commands or warnings. These voices are often clear enough to be understood but come from no visible source.