Team 9 Ghost Tours
Team 9 students reading, writing, and re-telling stories about the Fort’s haunted past‌
2010
Team 9 Gurus Present: Fort Riley’s Haunted Past… Story Name
Book
The Phantom in McGill Hall Haunting of Thorne Hall The Lights in the Old Post Theater The Nursery Ghost
Legends Live On Legends Live On Legends Live On Legends Live On
(D) Connor, Samantha, Jason, Dana (C) Matt, Zoe, Michael Mr. Lickteig (D) Savannah, Antonio, Lila, Christina
The Legend of the Indian Attack
Legends Live On
(D) Tyler W., Alex, Jessica, Michael
Quarters 99 and the Stairwell People The Haunted Billiard Room in Bld. 405 The Buckskin Ghost The Parsonage Ghost or the Exorcism at the Sutler’s Quarters The Ghost of Susan Fox The Weeping Man at Mrs. Armistead’s Grave
Legends Live On Past and Present Past and Present
(D) Michelle, Dominque, Shelby, Dylan (B) Matt, Keontaye, Josh, Eddie (A) Serrena, Dante, Shelia
Past and Present
(C) Dalton, Keshun, Josephina, Jenwhel
Past and Present Past and Present
(A) Breyana, DeSean, Broc (D) Bailey, Taffy, Wyatt, Kaylee
The Polo Field Horror
Past and Present
(A) Patrick, Cheyenne, Bethany
The Riding Hall Phantom
Past and Present
(B) Coby, Danny, Luis, Hayley
Scrap House Ghost
Past and Present
(A) Joviana, Kyril, Sarah
The Ghost Ferry at Pawnee City The Ghost Sentry at Camp Funston The Haunting on Brick Row The Custer Ghost Tale / Teddy Bear Ghost
Past and Present Past and Present Past and Present Into the 21st Century
“Beware” of the Red Stained Walls
Into the 21st Century
The Triangle House Moving Pictures The Ghost Who Liked Music Window Ghost at 97A Spectral Riders of Cavalry Parade Field / Old Trooper Statue Bacon Hall Ghost Waybur Hall Lady in Black
Legends Live On Into the 21st Century Past and Present Past and Present
The Ghost Horse / The Morgue Mystery Custer Haunts Carr Hall Commissary Capers Phantom Horses The Bargain Shopper “Shadow’s” Writing on the Wall Terrified Maintenance Worker The Green Girl Ghost Homeless Spirits
Group
Mr. Lickteig (C) Joseph, Christian, Jorden, Sage Mr. Lickteig (A) Bridget, Byron, Kevin (D) Brendan, Tyler F., Enrique, Yamie, Conner (C) Aaron, Rebecca, Chris, Andrew (A) Cole, Kyle, Chasidy, Austin (A) Trevor, Edwin, Sierra (B) Jayy, Trey, Alfred
Past and Present
(B) Anthony, Ebony, Tasia, Skeyler
Past and Present Legend Lives On Legend Lives On Legend Lives On / Into the 21st Century Into the 21st Century Into the 21st Century Into the 21st Century Into the 21st Century Into the 21st Century Into the 21st Century Into the 21st Century Into the 21st Century
(B) Desmond, Angie, Brad (C) Djibril, Sabrina, Linda (C) Ostyn, Ethan, Kaitlyn, Angelica
Location Building 223 Building 227 Building 206 Quarters 8B Quarters 2 Building 305 Quarters 99 Building 405 Quarters 85 Saint Mary’s Quarters 124 Trolley Station Cemetery Infantry Parade Grounds King Field House Corner of Riley Place & Huebner Road First Territorial Capitol Camp Funston Quarters 166 Quarters 24 Quarters 9B Quarters 86 Building 1 15A 97A Cavalry Parade Field / Old Trooper Statue Building 29 Building 411 Quarters 435D Building 500
**Actual Custer House
Building 45 Building 229 Building 247 Building 267 Quarters 18B Quarters 21 Quarters 90B Quarters 92A
THE BACON HALL GHOST BY: Angelina Warner, Bradley Christoffersen, Desmond Sysengchanh
In 1889 Ft. Riley Bacon Hall was completed from construction. Bacon Hall was then used as a hospital for troops. Then used as a dispensary of medicine for soldiers. As Ft. Riley changed so did Bacon Hall. It was changed as a bachelors officers quarters. This hall has had many people stay in it mostly the important people some stay for a long time. The people that go and stay there have said that they have heard and smelt very odd things. The building was searched and nothing was found to explain those things. The smells and sounds still continue though. These are things no one understands so they point to the supernatural. In 1920 captain pride was writing a book of history on Ft. Riley. He heard of all the spooky noises and smells so he wrote a book on the incident. Later he looked for an answer and didn’t find any. In his book he also wrote about the history of bacon hall but there is not any findings he found that consist of anything paranormal with Bacon Hall. Many people stayed and have been in and out of Bacon Hall but in 1855 there was a cholera outbreak. There were many people killed and buried there at bacon hall and there was one unknown grave of a confederate soldier that died there. Bacon Hall is still a mysterious place. There are still reports of the strange odors ad sounds. Most likely we will never find out why. All we can do is believed the history and stories of thee mysterious bacon hall. It might be strange but then again it might not.
The “Buckskin” Ghost By: Dante, Serrena, and Shei
The buckskin ghost is a spirit that haunts apartment 85B. Many people saw him and because the ghost often kept children company, some kids even left snacks out for him. When he is seen, he is always dressed in a milky-colored fringe outfit. When he approaches you so close that he can reach you, he disappears instantly. He is often heard walking up and down the stairs and hallways with the sound of his combat boots echoing. In 1996 Jacob Brown and his brother were wrestling and heard footsteps on the stairs and figuring that it was their parents Jacob stopped horse playing with his brother to look. What he saw was not his parents but a translucent figure in a fringed leather jacket. Once the figure walked close enough to touch Jacob he dissolved. Another encounter with the Buckskin’s presence is in the apartment, the summer of 1997; normally spooky stuff happens at the time when the majority of the household members are asleep or preoccupied. A person that has seen him and has been terrified by his appearance, was fifteen-year-old Sarah Harman, after she finished unpacking her stuff and was done with it in 3 days, she was trying to sleep when she was admiring her glowing stars on her ceiling, as if on cue the stars immediately fell to the floor, not singularly but all together like a sudden down fall of rain. She also had a more disturbing skirmish was one night while she was doing her laundry, suddenly she saw a translucent figure coming toward her and came close enough to touch then, just like Jacob’s encounter, he instantly disappeared. Could the Buckskin Ghost be a participant I the closet door opening and footsteps throughout the house? Or maybe the piano that plays without a visible pianist or other doors around the quarters opening and closing? Some residents believe so. Maybe it’s just coincidence or a possible setup by family members or housing, as others think. This ghost story is a mystery to all that have encountered it. It has frightened and upset many. Only some truly know what they saw, others just know by a story or anecdote. As for the Harman family, they were still living in Quarters 85B, as of the later 1990’s. To this day no one knows the truth of the Buckskin Ghost. Like the many other hauntings on Fort Riley this enigma is unsolvable. Maybe one day people will crack this case, and if not that’s all the more fun for our new comers with their homes…
Camp Funston By: Sage Astorga, Christian Ahn, Joseph Walder, Jordan Watkins (Core C)
Fort Riley is located in the eastern dart of Kansas. Many military families are stationed in Fort Riley Kansas. Lots of people have talked about the mysterious behavior on post. In fact some people have said they see bizarre things. It has been said that most of fort riley is haunted, especially fort Funston. In the early 1900’s after world war one. Camp Funston was basically infected with the Spanish Influenza. It was a very serious pandemic disease. Up to 40 million people have died from this horrid disease. That’s less than the people that died in WW 1 than the Spanish influenza. Years later… it was prom night for Ridge High. The high schoolers are drunk, of course. So they heard about Camp Funston’s history, about the Spanish Influenza, and decided to go to the grave of the people who have died from it, and smash their grave. So they hoped in the car, and drove to the cemetery. It was 3:15 at night, the prom had just ended. The drunken fools who were messed up. They grabbed their bats, and started to smash the tomb stones. Little did they know the spirits of the dead people were watching him. After they were finished they got in they were finished they got in their car and left. Nobody has seen them since then; all that’s left was their car, in the middle of nowhere.
Cavalry Parade Field By: Skyeler, Ebony, Anthony, Tasia
(Core B)
The ghost stories told today are really cool to hear especially if they are told on Halloween. You think that they won’t happen to you since it happened somewhere that is nowhere close to you. It’s all fun and games until you hear a ghost story that happened right down the street from where you live. For all the people that thrive to hear ghost stories that happen close to where you live and you live on Fort Riley this ghost story is for you. Many people think that the old trooper statue is just an old piece of rock that sits there. Well that is only half the story. That statue was built in honor of a great horse named Chief. Chief was foaled in 1932. He served in the military from 1940-1949 and passed away in 1968. He was never forgotten because he was the last Cavalry Mount carried on the rolls on of the United States Army. Of course since he was a thoroughbred he was honored and buried standing upright with his saddle on and his bridle right in front of where the trooper statue is. Better watch out cause this heroic steed has a twisted side to him. People have said to have seen him crawl out of the ground from where he was buried. After he comes out of the ground he just disappears. This is pretty freaky for a well known horse, but hey everyone has their own dark side. This is just one of Chief’s. What happened with Chief is just one of the many things that happen on post. When young soldiers are signed into the old 1st Military Company which was headquartered in Thorne Hall, Building 227, the soldiers that worked there already would sit down and tell the new comers the story about the “ghost riders”. Who are these “ghost riders” that these men are talking about? Theses riders make their presence known when you are known when you are near the Custer House. Where you stand on Cavalry Parade Field you will first hear a low vibration that sounds like a storm that is in the distance. As you continue to hear this sound you will be able to figure out that it s the thunderous sound of a group of soldiers on horses galloping at full pace across the field. When that happens, you can also hear the sound of the men speaking and the sound of the metal on the horses clinking together. Afterwards, you see shadows and can tell that it is the shadow of men and horses. Then the ghost troops begin to slow down and eventually come to a halt. Where they stop is where people say is where Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer’s Quarters was. Lieutenant Cuter was on patrol back in 1867. While he was on patrol he had learned that a disease had spread back towards Fort Riley. That is where his wife was quartered. When he heard about the news he worried about the health of his wife. Before he left to go see his wife he had to hand over the 7th cavalry to another officer since he was on patrol. After he did that he went to Fort Riley. Because of what he did he was court marshaled and was on suspension for a year.
LADY IN BLACK Ostyn Stiner, Ethan Taylor, Kaitlyn Boyle, Angelica Bengochea In April 1996 an officer was on Temporary Duty off Fort Riley. He was gone for a few weeks so his wife and daughters were home alone. While he was gone his family had a lot of unordinary experiences. One ordinary night her three daughters were fast asleep when she found her dog and cat on her bed, which is forbidden. She tried to get the animals to move but they wouldn’t budge. She woke in the middle of the night and was surprised to see a woman wearing a long black dress with her hair in an old fashion bun. The mysterious lady was standing on the bed looking at her insanely. She jumped out of her bed as fast as possible but the mysterious figure was already disappeared. This event occurred again the next night. Several nights later she went through her same routine and went to sleep. Again in the middle of the night she was woken by the ghost. But this time the ghost screamed “get up! Get up now”. After she heard the voice she searched the house franticly and found the back door open, which is uncommonly used. The door was closed and locked earlier that night. She shut the door and went back to sleep wondering why all these strange things are happening. Another day the officers wife and one daughter were standing in the same hallway but at opposite ends when, the lights flickered on and off like in a scary movie. All the other lights in the house remained the same. Nor the mother or daughter touched the lights. There has been many other encounters while only one person in the house. Some of these events were door doorknobs shaking, doors opening randomly, blinds flying up, lights turning on, knocking on second story windows and even running in the hall when nobody is there. There are sometimes even weird smells such as toast burning even when nobody is cooking.
Phantom in McGill Hall Jason O’Connell, Connor Dailey, Dana Diesburg, Samantha Raff
Once upon a time there was a soldier, not just any soldier, a cavalry soldier, not just any cavalry soldier, a cavalry soldier that is stationed at Fort Riley. To be more specific, building number 223. This is a story about a soldier involved in a tragic accident. Maybe if you stay there you just might get a visit in the night. Now enough of me just talking here’s the story of the Phantom of McGill Hall. Our story takes place in McGill Hall, Also known as building 223. It started its career as barracks for the cavalry troops. To this day it is the oldest continuously used barracks on Fort Riley. McGill Hall is named after a war hero named Troy McGill. He is one of the few that have won the Prized Medal of Honor. Oh yea almost forgot to tell you, the place is haunted. One night in 1997, SPC Ehrhardt woke up at 1 a.m. to a shadowy figure that was 6 feet tall. He was wearing a dark trench coat. He was surprised and freaked out. He said that the figure was at the foot of his bed standing over him. He sat up and built up enough courage to ask who was there, when he did the figure melted into the shadows. The figure is believed to be that of a soldier who died there in the 1800’s. Today the cavalry was in formation. Every time they come back they all put their weapons in a rack in center of the barracks. This one particular day, a soldier did not unload his weapon correctly. As the soldier inserted the weapon into the rack it discharged killing another. He couldn’t be saved and died on the scene. Maybe he died so fast, he didn’t realize what’s happening, and is roaming building 223 looking for someone to tell him what’s going on. That was the sad but true story of the phantom in McGill Hall. Maybe someday you will see this mysterious shadow. Today Building 223 is being used as military police barracks. This is not the only paranormal occurrence on Fort Riley, there are many more.
Yamilex Gomez Tyler Fiedler Conner McLeod Brendan Glanz
Beware of the Red Stained Walls!!! A new family was touring houses on Forsyth Avenue. They found a house they liked; Quarters 9B. Seconds after entering the house, the kids ran though the basement, screaming the door says “BEWARE”. Out of curiosity, the parents crept along to check the decaying door. Sure enough, the door had a painted “BEWARE” on it. Although the family was a bit frightened about what might be behind the door, they found that it was just a cold, dark room. There was no visible light switch, but they could see that the floors were filled with dirt that crawled up the wall. It progressed up to the ceiling towards the back of the room. It had the same spooky looks as an old cold mine. The eerie room left a spooky impression on the family, because on the way back, they noticed red stains that pooled in the corner on the floor. The family nervously joked that it possibly they moved in, a cleaning team came in to do final work on the basement. One of the cleaners was a bit worried because she told the family they cleaned a red stain before they moved in. It was confirmed when another cleaning crew had indeed cleaned the red stain. By this time they were a little more than spooked about the situation. We just decided to not try to remove it again after that. But we have noticed that the writing was no longer confined to the basement. We found a similar stain on our front porch. The stains are always reoccurring out of the blue. These mysterious stains make me wonder if there is someone connected to these stains or is it a possibly a warning?
St. Mary’s Chapel By: Dalton, Josephina, Keshun, and Jenwhel Edited by Mr. Lickteig
The original church on Fort Riley is named St. Mary’s Chapel. The Chapel was built in 1855 and finshed1861, the year the Civil War began. This chapel been used as school, a church and a house. The chapel itself is reported to be haunted by a female ghost. Reportedly, a lady killed herself because she couldn’t find love. She had been engaged five times and each time the soldier had left her standing in the chapel. She drowned herself in a well behind the St. Mary’s Chapel. The female ghost has been called “The Ghost of Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth.” After serving as a chapel and a school, the building was renovated to a family quarters. The first family to move in was Mr. and Mrs. Mose Waters. Immediately they began experiencing paranormal events. It began when their doors would mysteriously unlock in the morning. No one was seen unlocking the doors…it appeared as if someone was trying to break in. Later, they reported mysterious noises such as heavy chains dragging on the floors making really loud screeching noises. The haunting usually took place in the kitchen. The cook reported seeing a woman’s face pressed up against the window. He was so frightened that he quit the very next day. The haunting and ghostly sounds continued. The family decided to contact the Catholic priest named Father Carcius from Saint Xavier’s Church in Junction City to “lay the ghost”. Father Carcius performed an exorcism at the house and in the backyard. During the ritual there were even louder sounds of chains and flashing lights from where the light was originally located. After the exorcism the area was quiet…for awhile. Then, years later, there have been an increase in reported sightings. People have claimed they have seen a ghostly female wearing a black or gray old-fashioned dress. Most believe she is still looking for the one thing she didn’t have …love.
The Ghost of Susan Fox Broc Fontenot, DeSean Davis, Breyana Rose Susan fox was a young woman with undeniable beauty, skin as pale as a ghost, and long black hair. She lived with her stepfather, Sergeant Lowe the post’s Forage Master, which is the person that is responsible to feed the horses. They lived a small house in the summer of 1855 on the post. The beautiful woman me Mr. John T. Price a civilian employee from the fort’s Quartermaster detachment and fell head over heels for him. Their love was so strong that they got engaged and planned to get married before the year ended. Unfortunately faith did not want them together. Soldiers departed from Ft. Riley to take part in the Sioux expedition along the overland trail north of Ft. Riley. Along with the troops was Sergeant Lowe leaving his stepdaughter at the fort, alone. Fort Riley met Cholera on July 30, 1855 and it instantly spread throughout the base. The post commander, Major Edmund Ogden and multiple soldiers that stayed at Fort Riley were dead by August 3rd from the deadly disease that year. On the fourth, Susan was stricken with the illness and died lonely in the quarters she and her stepfather called home. Her body lay on the chilling floor until her fiancée returned home from tending others affected by the disease in Pawnee City. The next day Susan was buried by Price in her elegant dark gown she planned to get married in the next day at the foot of a gigantic tree behind the quartermaster employees’ quarters. Her grave was marked by a wooden railing and headstone. It was also northeast from the present day Trolley Station. As time passed and the Trolley Station was being built, discovered her remains. Many elders would say the headstone and railing burnt by prairie fires. Others say that in 1901, her remains were unearthed by a workman digging waterlines for the Brick row housing. She was reburied in the post cemetery yet there are no actual documents showing her reburial. Eventually her grave was lost forever. Now even centuries later after her death, Susan returns to her home demanding to be let in. Later residents were bothered by the peculiar noises and shrieks believed to be Susan Fox. From this disturbance the quarters were destroyed. Even though her home was torn down legend has it that a woman in a long, dark, ruffled gown strolls aimlessly by the Trolley Station looking for her long lost love or she misses her stepfather. Could this truly be Susan Fox or just a simple image of our imagination that we want to believe? That answer is up to you.
The Ghost Who Liked Music By: Edwin Soto, Trevor Daily, Sierra Chase Core A Down Forsyth Ave from Quarter one, commonly known as “officers row”. Also located near the frightening parade field. Each house is a duplex of two and a half stories constructed with locally quarried limestone. The house was built in 1887. The people who occupied these houses were for war veterans that were cavalry officers, and their families. The lovely piano playing its beautiful sound. Though the screeching of the violin overwhelmed it. The pianist sentenced her to the basement for her rude and cruel sounds. While playing her horrible sounds the radio suddenly turned on. At first the idea of a program, so she turned it off, but as soon as she did it turned back on. This phenomenon happened over and over again. Maybe it was just the program she thought. Yet of course it was not. The radio kept turning on twice a week, ad she nearly thought the wiring was the cause. So time after time she turned the radio off and still continued her practice. One day she stared at the radio curiously and worried, ”Was this just the radio, or am I just going mad?” she asked. As she continued her practicing the radio did a strange thing. The radio turned on and the volume went up to a loud screeching noise, making the lady stop and cringe in fear. “How can this happen?” she yelled trying to get out. Sadly the door never opened and the noise traveled down the streets haunting this day.
The Haunted billiard room in building 405 By: Matt Mindak, Keontaye Jeminsen, Josh Goodwin, and Eddie Guamond Edited by Mr. Lickteig
In 1960, the Public Affairs Office, otherwise known as building 405, was an on-base recreation center. This place offered drinks and food for soldiers. There was an area with telephones which allowed the soldiers to call their family and friends. A woman who worked in building 405 said “it was a great place to relax and have a drink or two.” While she was working there she heard rumors about soldiers in the 1960s that dared each other to jump from the third floor down the narrow stairwell on to a pile of pillows on a pool table. After a soldier jumped off the stair well he hit the pillows on the pool table, ricochet and then would plummet into the ground head first. The cause of them doing these unbelievable stunts was being intoxicated. After they died, other military personal started to hear weird noises. They believed that these were the spirits of the young men who killed themselves. A young military police officer who was at the time the assistant manager was left alone in the building. The young officer was checking the other rooms monotonously on the 3rd floor. In one of the room a man appeared. He was dressed in an old blue uniform and was playing a game of pool. The young worker told him to leave. The man smiled with brilliant white teeth and then shouted “Farewell!” The soldier in the blue uniform then chased the assistant manager down the hall. The young soldier panicked as he was opening the elevator. He felt a slight breeze on his neck that caused goose bumps to pop up. When he had finally worked up his courage he slowly turned around. He didn’t see anyone. Over the last few years Building 405 has undergone some renovations. During construction, a few workers commented on hearing what sounded like pool balls hitting into each other during their break periods. Perhaps the blue uniformed pool player was taking a break with them.
The Haunting Of Thorne Hall By: Matt Morin, Zoe Foulks, & Michael Chan It was a quiet, peaceful night and towns light glisten on the sidewalk. A misty fog surrounded the fort and out of the corner of my eye I could see a building. A small, lonely building still and to itself. A full moon peaked out of the mountains. I could see a woman. For a moment she was there, and then she was gone. My heart raced and my temples burst as I tried to stay calm. I had no idea where I was and I started pacing. I sat down when I heard breathing and a slight thump of a heartbeat. Someone was watching me. In less than two seconds I was wrapped in black velvet. The woman appeared again as my blindfold was removed. It was dark but I could just make out the figure. For a moment I was there, and then I was gone. It was December 21, 1999. 4 years ago in building 227 a woman was killed by an officer. It was strange because the victim’s body vanished behind Thorne Hall. For two years investigators searched and searched for the body but nothing was found. Two officers who were on overnight duty reported a figure of a woman walking in the building. Again, the same thing was reported by more officers. Two men on duty were searching the building. After an hour one man shouted, “Man! What was that? A sonic boom?” It appeared that all the ceiling tiles fell on the floor. After a long investigation of tiles everywhere, police figured that something heavy up above mad the ceiling collapse. After the tiles were cleaned up and the ceiling was repaired, the same boom was heard. More tiles fell and everything was where it started. I was standing there. Alone and cold. She was waiting for me, just as she was 85 years ago. I knew she was looking for me. I’ve been gone for a while and I guess she just couldn’t let me go. People were here, walking her halls, unaware of what they were in for. For a moment they were there, and then they were gone.
The Legend of the Indian Attack By: Alex B. Michael A. Jessica W. Tyler W.
(Core D)
On Fort Riley there is a house, quarters 2, that once housed a family and the soldiers that worked for them. Underneath this house was a dark and gloomy basement. One night, after everyone had fallen asleep, the clattering sound of horses feet and the whooping of Indian calls grew louder and louder. The family woke with a jolt as the soldier rushed them downstairs. The unfortunate residents were just getting moved into the house and had not gotten any rations put downstairs yet. They shut the basement door without knowing two vital pieces of information. 1. Indians cannot get on Fort Riley. 2. The basement door that they just shut could not be opened from either side. They were trapped! The soldiers tried opening the door, but it didn’t budge. They did not have any food or water and when someone fell asleep, it was on the rock hard dirt floor. The only light source was a single flickering bulb that was positioned in the center of the room. The kids were unbelievably scared. At night, the temperature got spine-chilling cold. Inside the room there was a hole that was a pipe, but could have easily been confused with a tunnel. After a while, one soldier decided to crawl into the hollow passageway and hope for the best. He was never heard from again. The passageway was indeed a pipe that was used as a funnel to carry steam. Investigators believe that the daring soul was burnt alive by the steam. By the time someone found where everyone was they were all dead. Later occupants who have resided in quarters 2 have reported sounds of footsteps going up and down the stairs. Some have reported hearing a “motherly” voice calling the names of two children. Today the building remains empty. All the residents have been scared off. Quarters 2, has just become another ghostly mystery of Fort Riley, Kansas.
The Lights in the Old Post Theater From Ghosts of Fort Riley: The Legends Live On Not far from King Field House stands the old Main Post Theater, Building 206, which was built in 1932. It has not been an active theater since the 1980s and is currently used as a warehouse. The Post Theater has been the site of many strange stories. The military police (MPs) have frequently been called to investigate unusual events in the building. As with their civilian counterparts, the military police have a canine (K-9) unit to assist them in their duties. Police dogs are trained to the highest levels of obedience by their handlers. But even these professional working dogs have refused to enter the old theater on several occasions. As anyone who has ever owned a dog knows, these beloved companions often appear to have a “sixth sense”. Perhaps that explains the next accounts. In the fall of 1984, Staff Sergeant (SSG) Byron Brownfield was dispatched to the old theater to investigate a report of lights or flashes inside. Up his arrival he met the Charge of Quarters (CQ) of the building. The CQ described the lights as looking like flashlight beams – only they had a bluish hue. SSG Brownfield checked the front door and found it unlocked; he notified the Military Police Station and waited for an additional patrol and the K-9 unit to arrive. Once the K-9 unit arrived, the dog handler attempted to get the dog to enter the theater, but it refused. “We
always put the dog in first,” he said. Standard procedure in an unknown situation is to send the canine in, knowing the dog will alert the policemen to any danger. The handler made several attempts to force the dog into the theater, but to no avail. Despite the handler‟s commands, the canine refused to get close to the old theater. SSG Brownfield related “The handler finally gave up and put the dog back into his vehicle.” Someone finally asked, “Well, who wants to go in?” SSG Brownfield said that at that point, “We stood there for a while, then somebody told me, „Well, this is where the old Master Sergeant hung himself, down in the theater.” A popular legend among the military policemen was that a non-commissioned officer had committed suicide in the theater some time in the 1930s or 40s. Some believe his spirit still haunts the old building. After gathering up their courage, the military policemen went in and searched the building, but reported nothing out of the ordinary. The CQ locked up the theater and they left. SSG Brownfield later was told that the night of the incident was on the anniversary of the Master Sergeant‟s death. Corporal (CPL) Rusty Morton had a similar story to tell. Whether his events occurred on a separate night or whether he was the backup unit is unknown. CPL Morton reported again that they could not get the canines to enter the building. “Even throwing in treats could not convince them to enter,” he stated. On another call to the old theater, CPL Morton said that a young sergeant and his junior partner arrived prior to the K-9 unit, and entered the building without waiting. They searched the premises for about ten to fifteen minutes and found nothing out of the ordinary. Suddenly, they heard a loud “thunk” come from the upstairs. The sergeant turned to check on his partner, and saw him making a mad dash for the front door. The sergeant ran after his partner and out of the building. As soon as they had exited the theater, the door slammed shut and locked behind them. The two men looked at each other in disbelief. The lock was the type that does not automatically engage; the door had to be locked using the key. The MPs double-checked. It was locked. They left the site of the old building and said nothing more of the experience.
The Nursery Ghost Christina Brunton, Antonio Carter, Grace Joyner, lila Vaughn
(Core D)
It was a cold wintery night in December of 1999. The Boslegos had moved into their home carrying their 9 month old child. Their new home was located at Forsyth Avenue, Quarters 8B. Rachelle and her husband have heard rumors about this house, people claiming it to be haunted because there was a woman living in it before who lost their child to a fatal illness but to them the supernatural was a load of nonsense and just stories people made up to scare you, right? WRONG! The exact same night Rachelle could hear noises that sounded like footsteps leading up to the nursery and whenever she would go check up on the baby she would always find the door wide open when she knew for sure that she had closed it once she left. She went over in her mind that it was just the wind or some other natural thing to excuse this odd behavior but as she looked again she could see the transparent apparition woman-like figure rocking back and forth in the old rocking chair. She seemed to be cradling a young child in her arms not paying Rachelle any attention but instead looking directly at David Jr. who was cooing and laughing like nothing was happening. Rachelle was able to take her eyes off of the “ghost” to look at her baby boy and once she looked back up the lady had vanished and what remained was an empty rocking chair slowly moving back and forth. The following morning she tried to explain to her husband what she had saw last night but he wrote it off as a bad dream. Still worried she called up her friend who told her that her father was a psychic and that he could tell what was going on in a house just by a picture so Rachelle was going to do just that and send in a picture of her house and hopefully get an answer to her questions that were slowly chipping away her sanity. It only took two days before a reply was in the mail, hesitantly she opened it and slowly skimmed the printed words on the paper, it read that the footsteps she has been haring are from a man who has been checking in on his dying wife and child. Supposedly, the wife and son died peacefully in the house from deathly sicknesses but the spirit of the father has yet to pass on peacefully. The only thought that went through her puzzled mind was “what was I thinking when I decided to come here with my child?” David suggested that they go out tonight because of all the things happening at the house so they decided to call a babysitter to watch David Jr. Rachelle still wasn’t sure about it but she decided it was for the best and agreed to go to the dinner. The baby sitter was right on time the next day, given a list of emergency numbers and more information about the baby before Rachelle and David left to go out leaving the baby sitter and David Jr. “alone” or so they thought. A few hours in the babysitter heard the crying of the baby up in the nursery, getting up she went and made the baby a bottle before going upstairs to the nursery. The door was already open but not thinking much of it she stepped through and took a step toward the crib which held the crying baby waiting to be fed but as she was about to take another step a sudden chill ran down her spine and a loud creak from the corner of the room hit her eardrums. Turning her head toward the anonymous sound her eyes widened at the sight of the rocking chair slowly moving to and fro but with no solid figure sitting upon it. Frozen solid to the place where she was standing her mind drew a blank and the words that she could only come up with to say was “I don’t want an encounter, please the baby needs it’s bottle!” as soon as her sentence was finished the rocking stopped. Taking the chance she quickly moved to the crib and fed the baby its bottle. Once finished she turned to leave the room and as she closed the door behind her she could hear the slow rocking of the rocking chair.
The Picture Ghost By: Cole, Kyle, Austin, and Chasidy
Quarters 1. It was home to General Hardy; the last commander before the return of the big red 1. His wife (name not mentioned) was living there too. They had heard stories, but didn’t pay attention to them. Not until strange things started happening.
As an army wife, Hardy’s wife knew what to do after a move. She started unpacking. Their child came to help her unpacking. They stopped packing for the night. Before she goes to bed she decided to hang pictures of her family on the wall. Later that night, she hears strange thumping noises. Thump, thump, thump.
The following morning, their child came over again and to help her finish unpacking. She starts to think what the noise could have been. They had no pets and their child was sleeping. What could the noise have been? She was still thinking as she went to bed. Later, that night, she hears it again. Thump, thump, thump. Like a nail being driven home by a hammer.
The next day she notices the pictures she had hung were lopsided. So she goes over to straighten them. And she discovers that they aren’t where she had hung them. So she looks and there’s 2 holes, one right next to the one where the picture is hung from.
The next day their child brings their grandchildren over. She doesn’t tell them about the pictures. Later one of her grandchildren run in an ask “Whose the old guy in the chair”? “What old guy”? they rush to other room. But they find no one there and the pictures are crooked. She never covered the original nail hole, just to be a reminder, something that makes you go “huh”?
Quarters 1 is now home to General Brooks, Post Commander of Fort Riley.
The Polo Field Horror By: Cheyenne Molaski, Bethany Groat, & Patrick Dillard
On a cold fall night in 1993 a paranormal activity happened to a now retired soldier. It occurred on the old polo field on Main Post. The polo field is now the Infantry Parade Field. This event is unforgettable to the now retired soldier. It all started in Camp Forsyth. On the soldiers way home on that dark night, his truck broke down on rifle range road. He attempted to fix his truck. After awhile, he found that he was unable to fit it. He made the decision to walk up to the 24 hour Shoppette. This happened to be on main post. He was getting closer to the Shoppette when he heard faint shouts and cheers. He was overlooking the parade field, when he saw two mysterious dark figures. He wanted a better look at the two figures. When he was close enough the sight he saw was truly terrified. Both figures were phantoms on horseback. It appeared that they were playing polo. The ball was hit towards him, and both riders came galloping towards him. One was a black steed in a black cloak that hid his face. The other was on a Wight horse. The horse man dismounted, and walked up to the soldier. His head was only a skull. The phantom yelled, “Leave before it’s too late!” The soldier ran the rest of the way to the Shoppette in terror. When he called his wife his voice was shaky. As he sat on the curb waiting rocking back and forth still frightened.
The Presence in Waybur Hall By: Sabrina Macias, Linda Mendez, and Djibril Mbaye On July 17th, 1943 the unexpected occurred in Waybur Hall. Specialist Ehrhardr had arrived from spending the night in town at 2:40 in the morning. He decided to clean his mess at the basement because it was the only deepest sink to accommodate his large pot. While he was cleaning his pasta mess, from far away he heard a loud shout that seemed to be coming from an older man. One of the recruits also heard the disembodied scream/loud shout and ran to tell the Mps on the main floor. John the recruiter that had heard the unknown shout had arrived to the main floor but no one seemed to be there. Where usually the front desk chair is looked like it had just been recently removed from its ordinary spot. John stood still, afraid, nervous, and awakened. When Specialist Ehrhardr heard another disembodied shout he ran out of the basement and into the main floor; where there he saw John. John was still frozen even though he knew specialist Ehrhardr was there behind him. John was looking at the wall where there he thought he had seen something like a structure of a human. All of the sudden the lights went out; just one emergency light was shining in complete darkness! John stood back where there specialist Ehrhardr was standing,……right at that moment the recorder from the front desk had caught a EVP from a spirit saying “Don’t Move” Also they saw a figure like five feet away from them which looked like a young police officer. That exact moment John and Specialist Ehrhardr gave a shout that he lights turned on and in a blink of an eye everything was quiet and normal. All you could hear was the other recruits coming down the stairs to see what all the fuzz was about. None of the recruits would believe it but later that afternoon John and the specialist decided to listen at the front desk recorder where there they heard what a male voice seemed to be saying “Don’t Move” to John. The men decided that they should leave the recorder on just in case if they would get any other EVPs. That same day at night the men heard a loud “Boom” and a loud “Shut” from the door. 15 minutes later after the loud shut of the door the recorder caught a EVP which sounded like a little girl humming. John and Specialist Ehrhardr and one of the Mps named Tom after hearing those recordings the tiny hairs on their arms were standing up. Since that point they knew that building 411 would be forever haunted.
The Riding Hall Phantom In 1992, the workers of King Field reportedly saw a ghost cloaked in a darkness as dark as a moonless night and only seen through the veil of mystery. He was a specter from the past. He would ride on paths not of the present but the past. His image may have been in our world, but his embodiment was in theirs. I shall now tell you a tale of one of his appearances. One night as a worker was doing as he was told he heard hoove clops. When he went to investigate, he started to see something. That “something� was a pair of shadowy figures. The dark form turned out to be in the shape of a rider and a horse. It was said that the rider would be trying to move his horse into a set of maneuvers without using reins or his hands. A horse riding technique that only a skilled horseman could use called dressage. The last sighting of the apparition was by an officer. It started off in the same way as all the other sightings; however there was one crucial difference. The difference was that at the end of the performance, the rider dismounted from his companion. Then he marched to the gate. Finally, he waved a farewell to the officer and led his noble friend through the main gate of yesteryear. With his leaving the stage of the living we may never know of his exact origins. However there is one sign of his past. The fact that he rode using the art that is dressage is a major clue. The Fort Riley riders were spectacular at dressage in 19321936 Olympic Games. They practiced it until 1948. Who knows if the performer shall perform an encore for the land of mortality? Why did he stay here performing for the empty basketball court? When and how did they die? These questions and more may never be answered. However we can still and wonder about the shadowy figure and his steed of darkness.
By: Hayley Leftridge Coby Welsh Danny Bramucci Luis Burgos
The Teddy Bear Ghost Bridget Berry Kevin Anderson Byron Yazzie
A family decided to move into the Custer House ignoring all o the thing that the towns people where telling them about the strange noises coming from the house. The family should have listened to the people telling them the information about this house. This family doesn’t understand what the people are trying to tell them. The family moves in to the house. Ne afternoon they started t hear some really strange noises, but they didn’t want to worry everything about it. One morning this family found a teddy bear on one of the beds and they told they house keeper that they found it and told her that they are going to move it to another location so that the son can have a place to sleep. The father didn’t want the son to sleep with another families teddy bear he said that it’s just not right. The house keeper tells them that one of the other families that lived here before them might have left it. The boy told his parents before he had gone to bed that the teddy bear had been moved back on to the bed. The father didn’t believe his son when he said that the teddy bear had been move and told him that he needs to go to bed and stop worrying about the bear. The father found a nice comfortable couch and quickly fall asleep, he rest was quickly ended. He started to hear boot stomping coming from the upstairs. He quickly rushed up the steps to see what and where the noise was coming form, but he didn’t find anything in sight not, even the bear. The sergeant then walked back to the stair case with disappointment on his face. He was hoping to find what or who was making those noises in the upstairs part of the house. The next day the father saw that the son was play with the teddy bear and takes the bear away and hinds it. The family goes out for lunch and they said that they would be gone for 2 hours and when they come back they don’t want the bear to be at the house. They family comes home to find that the bear has been moved again. The father said “that’s it I’m done with this bear were moving. The family move out of the house and the next day another family moves in and it all starts over. This family gets somewhat smarter than the family before them but this family tells the person that sold them the house that it is very haunted and that they will not be forced to live in it ever again.
THE WEEPING MAN AT MRS. ARMISTEAD’S GRAVE BY TAFFY M, BAILEY M, KAYLEE G & WYATT M
(Core D)
IN THE SUMMER OF 1855 DURING THE CHOLERA OUTBREAK, MAJOR LEWIS A. ARMISTEAD WENT ON A MAPPING EXPEDITION OF THE SMOKY HILL RIVER. HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER STAYED HOME. THE CHOLERA RAGED OUTSIDE VICTIMS DROPPING Dead EVERYWHERE. STILL, MRS. ARMISTEAD WAS DETERMINED TO STAY ALIVE. UNFORTUNATELY, DESPITE HER EFFORTS, MRS. Cornelia Armistead BECAME SICK. AN AMBULANCE RUSHED THE 28 MILES OUT INTO THE FRONTIER TO FIND MAJOR ARMSTEAD AND INFORM HIM OF THE HORRIBLE NEWS. MAJOR ARMSTEAD RAN THE WHOLE WAY HOME BUT HE WAS TOO LATE. HIS WIFE DIED IN HIS ARMS. Later she was buried at the fort riley cemetery. Major Armistead never got over the death of his wife. He continued with his work. In 1860, when the southern states seceded, major Armistead joined the confederate army. On July 3, 1863, in Gettysburg Armistead got shot. He later died at the hospital. Recently, an old couple went on the tour and heard this story. In disbelief they asked to see a picture of major Armistead. Earlier that day the couple had been at the cemetery and had seen a man in a blue uniform weeping by a grave. Letting the man mourn in peace, the couple walked in the other direction. A few minutes later the older couple turned around and saw the man had disappeared. Walking up to the grave they discovered it belonged to no other than Cornelia Armistead.
The people who occupied Quarters 97A from 1990 – 1993 were lieutenant colonel Mike Kryschtal and his wife, Karen were not satisfied with the windows in 97A. Karen had trouble opening the windows behind the sink. She had sometimes opened the window with a rubber mallet and a putty knife but she would still have to stand in the sink. After a year some weird thinks that couldn’t be explained started happening.
Every night Karen would keep the sink windows shut and locked. One fall morning she heard some flung open. She thought it was her husband but he was exercising. She went to go and shut it but this time it wouldn’t budge even with the rubber mallet or putty knife. That night she had double checked if it was shut. But no surprise it was open again.
Later on her neighbor came over and Karen told her “what was going on. Then Karen asked her “You have one of my spare keys”? “Are you messing with me or something like that”? Her neighbor convinced her it wasn’t her. One night when her husband came home she told him what was happening. He thought that it was the neighbors.
Mike, the next morning experienced the same thing. Mike had a reaction and it was telling his wife to keep the window shut at night. His wife Karen replied I do keep the window shut at night. His wife Karen replied that she does keep it shut at night. The next morning the window was wide open. There was a freezing spot near the window and the plants looked dead. Karen and her neighbor who lived in 97B talked in the kitchen and brought up “Maybe the ghost should visit you”. After what she said it never happened again.
TRIANGLE HOUSE Names: Aaron B.; Andrew R.; Chris R.; & Rebecca C. Quarters 86 has been the scene of many horrifying and mysterious tales. The ancient set of quarters was built in 1909 and is known as the “Triangle House” because it sits alone on an island resembling a triangle, at the convergence of Merritt, Morris, and Hollbrook Avenues. Fort Riley was home to the Cavalry and light Artillery school from 1892-1907. The Cavalry post centered on cavalry parade field with Schofield Circle and Pershing Court. The triangle house stands alone on the “dividing line” of the rival posts. Before 1907, Cavalry and light Artillery school rested on this single fort. Both had their own field which was divided by this Triangle House. Phenomenon happened in two different residents in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Above the heads of the families on the third floor is where the horrid noises screeched from. Magazines fell as the stairs lay on the hard cold wooden floor. National geographic and life magazines were darting around the attic. A man had owned those magazines and accused his wife of messing with them, but ever since then he never did. Other incidents occurred in the Triangle House. A rocking chair was found shaking back and forth, squeaking slowly. There were cleaning ladies (who had all quit), that claimed there was a mysterious figure of a lady on the top of the stairs. She wore strange, ancient clothes that seemed like rags. “Go away! Never come back!” is what she’d say with a stern voice and none of those who saw her did come back. At the crest of this horseshoe-shaped drive is Quarters 100, built to house the Artillery school commander. It was constructed as the same way as Quarters 1, but renovations and additions through time make the historic homes more modern. Quarters 100’s balcony offers a panoramic view of Artillery parade field, directly next door sits Quarters 99.