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| Photograph ©O.K.P.R.I. |
This lovely Greek Revival Victorian was built in 1907 by a very wealthy man named F.E. Houghton. Mr. Houghton and his wife had the house built to supply more living space for their twelve children. Unfortunately, the Houghton’s lost one of their children at a very young age. Little Augusta had been struck with the whooping cough and one evening when the maid administered her medicine, she was accidentally given the wrong drug. After digesting the liquid, Augusta died of an overdose.
Mr. Houghton owned the house until sometime in the 1920’s when it was then sold and turned into a boarding house and then after that it was turned into a funeral home. In 1986 the house was sold again; this time it was turned into the inn that it is today.
There are two known entities that still roam the house today, that of August Houghton and a male apparition who is believed to be Mr. Houghton himself.
Many who have been in the house have claimed to hear the sounds of little feet going up and down the stairs when no child was about. These little footfalls have also been heard going up the back staircase and the door to the playroom has been heard opening and closing. Upon investigation there was no living person in the room, however, many of the toys belonging to the children of the current owners would be strewn about. After this strange phenomenon had occurred several times, the lady of the house decided to put a lock on the playroom door, however, these same events still occurred.
As for the male entity; many have claimed to see him, dressed in his top hat and suit, wandering around the basement area. The owners of the inn have also claimed that cigar smoke has been smelled, as well as, seen floating upon the air in the basement. Another interesting report that seems to point to this apparition is from a guest who claimed that she could not reach the ceiling fan to turn it off. She reported that when she went to bed she suddenly felt a heavy weight on the bed beside her and the ceiling fan was then turned off, the weight then lifted from the bed.
Today, paranormal claims are still made at the inn. In fact, the Oklahoma Ghost Patrol did an investigation in the house and found quite a bit of proof to substantiate the claims.