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| 300 W Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72201, USA (Little Rock, Arkansas)
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The Old State House
Construction was officially completed in 1842 on this then-capitol building in Little Rock, Arkansas, but government officials moved into in 1836 when Arkansas was declared a state. It served as the state capitol until 1911, when a new building completed construction nearby. It served a variety of purposes since, but was turned into museum in 1947. Major renovations shut it down in 1996, but by 1999 it was re-opened to the general public. It may be familiar to most Americans as the site that President Bill Clinton announced his candidacy for President of the United States, as well as the site he celebrated his victories in the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections.
Ghost of the Old State House
An apparition dressed in a 19th century frock coat has been seen walking the halls of the Central Hall on the 2nd floor of this museum. Others have reported cold spots or being touched on the shoulder when no one is around, as well as various other phenomena.
Knife Fight
The State House was the scene of a murder between state representatives. In 1837, a disagreement between Representative J.J. Anthony and Speaker of the House John Wilson erupted in a knife fight that took the life of Anthony. Wilson was arrested for the crime, but was later acquitted on grounds of "excusable homicide," but his political career was over. Oddly enough, several people actually claim that the ghost is that of Wilson, who was devastated by the loss of his political career and stays behind in hopes of reviving it. Others list Anthony as the ghost, trapped at the Old State House after his violent death.
Brooks-Baxter War
Still others insist that the ghost is product of a heated political campaign for the office of Governor in 1872. The race was a bitter one between the candidates of Joseph Brooks and Elisha Baxter and climaxed with illegal voting accusations lodged against both candidates. At the end of the day, Baxter won the race and Brooks' appeal was rejected. Brooks didn't let it die and with the support of many people in his party, staged a coup two years later and removed Baxter from the office by force. The federal government refused to step in and encouraged both sides to let the matter settle in courts. Neither man took up this advice and rather put together their own armies, who took up posts on the streets around the Old State House. Baxter's men repaired an old cannon and placed it on a street nearby.
Ultimately, several clashes broke out that took the lives of over 200 people and would probably have been more if federal troops hadn't moved in, quite literally, between the two armies. The legislature was forced to reconvene and declared Baxter the rightful Governor of Arkansas and the Brooks-Baxter War (as it is now known) was over. Today, the cannon that Baxter's men placed is displayed on the front lawn of The Old State House Museum. Some believe the ghost is that of Joseph Brooks, who still believes that he was the rightful Governor of Arkansas and bitter about being removed from office. |
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| Related Sites |
Old State House Museum
The official site of the haunted Old State House Museum in Little Rock, Arkansas. |
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| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
| There are no other pages on this site associated with this location. |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
Haunted Places: The National Directory: Ghostly Abodes, Sacred Sites, UFO Landings and Other Supernatural Locations |
Haunted Houses U.S.A. |
Stories from the Haunted South |
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