“For paranormal enthusiasts, arguably Atchison’s biggest draw is the infamous Sallie House, scene of a dark haunting which some believe continues to this day. Yet there is another haunted location, just five minutes away from the Sallie House, which deserves investigation every bit as much: the historic McInteer Villa.”
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McINTEER VILLA All Photography © Sarah Streamer
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eople visit Atchison, Kansas for lots of reasons. The mid-western city is perhaps best known for being the birthplace of legendary aviator Amelia Earhart. Apparently, the house still stands, and is now a museum, although I’ve never been able to find it. (Sorry, couldn’t help it!)
Speaking of the owner, she greets us at the door with a smile. It soon becomes apparent that Stephanie is nothing less than a force of nature, with boundless energy and enthusiasm for her haunted home. She bounces from room to room, then floor to floor, showing off the place and talking my team-mates and I through its history.
I first visited the Villa in early 2021, prior to spending a few nights at the Sallie House to research a future book project. I had reached out to the Villa’s owner via social media, and she extended me a friendly invitation to drop in and get a guided tour. I had driven through the night from my home in Colorado, taking around ten hours to reach Atchison, and was running on an unhealthy mixture of caffeine and enthusiasm.
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The McInteer Villa sits at the top of a moderate hill. It stands out from all the other houses in the neighborhood, not least because it *looks* like a haunted mansion, if ever I saw one; the sort of building where countless episodes of Scooby Doo took place. Standing outside in the front yard is a skeletal horse drawing a card. Other skeletons can be seen riding a bicycle. It’s immediately obvious that when it comes to spooky, the owner has really gone all in.
Unlike many of today’s homes, which tend to be built out of lightweight materials such as wood, the McInteer Villa was built to last. Much of the construction is brick, made to stand the test of time. There are two floors, a huge basement, and a capacious attic with a turreted tower. Stepping inside is like going back to the Victorian era. Stephanie has gone to great lengths to furnish as much of the house as possible in period-appropriate style.
HAUNTED MAGAZINE
he Villa was built in 1889 at the behest of local entrepreneur John McInteer, who built his fortune in the livery trade. McInteer, an Irish immigrant with a strong head for business, was also a savvy investor in real estate, and owned a number of different properties spread throughout the region. He used some for business purposes, and several others as personal residences, of which the Villa was one.
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