The Haunting of the Constantine Theater

Kay County, Pawhuska, Oklahoma

 

The Constantine Theater stands in downtown Pawhuska, Oklahoma, a grand reminder of early 20th-century ambition and entertainment. Built in 1914 by oilman and developer Herman Constantine, the theater was intended to bring culture, opera, stage productions, and film to what was then a rapidly growing community fueled by the oil boom.

Constructed in the Beaux-Arts style, the theater’s façade reflects classical influence — arched windows, decorative detailing, and a stately symmetry meant to impress. Inside, the original auditorium featured ornate plasterwork, balcony seating, and a stage designed for live performances long before cinema became dominant.

Like many historic theaters across America, the Constantine experienced cycles of prosperity and decline. It thrived during the golden age of live performance and early film, then struggled as tastes shifted and maintenance costs rose. Over time, parts of the building fell into disrepair before restoration efforts brought renewed life to the space.

But with age often comes legend.

Local accounts describe unexplained activity within the theater, particularly after hours. Volunteers and staff involved in restoration have reported hearing footsteps echoing through empty corridors. Doors have been said to open and close without visible cause. Lights in dressing rooms have flickered on when no one was present.

One of the most frequently mentioned experiences involves movement on the balcony level. Witnesses describe the sensation of being watched while alone in the auditorium. Others claim to have seen a shadowy figure standing briefly near the upper railing before vanishing.

Another recurring detail in local stories involves the stage itself. Theater workers have described hearing faint music or tapping sounds when the building was otherwise quiet. Some attribute the sounds to the settling of the historic structure — wood, metal, and plaster shifting with Oklahoma’s changing temperatures. Yet others feel the energy of performance lingers long after the curtain falls.

There is no widely documented tragedy directly tied to the theater, which makes its legend more subtle than many so-called “haunted” locations. Instead, the Constantine’s stories align with a familiar theme in historic performance halls: the idea that emotion, art, and memory imprint themselves onto a space.

Theater buildings, by nature, are containers of intense feeling — applause, anticipation, fear, grief, laughter. Actors project emotion into the air. Audiences absorb it. Over decades, those experiences layer upon one another.

Skeptics point to acoustics as a likely explanation for many reports. Old theaters are notorious for carrying sound in unusual ways. Air currents shift curtains. Floorboards expand and contract. The human mind, primed by expectation, fills in gaps when light and shadow play tricks across ornate architecture.

Yet for those who have worked within its walls, the Constantine Theater carries a presence that feels personal rather than frightening. If something lingers there, it is often described not as malicious, but watchful — as though the building itself remembers.

The Haunting of the Skirvin Hotel

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — Oklahoma County

Photo: Wikipedia

If you're ever passing through Oklahoma City, you might be tempted to spend the night in one of the city’s most luxurious historic hotels — but fair warning: you may not get much sleep. The Skirvin Hotel, now operating as the Skirvin Hilton, is known not only for its elegance and charm, but also for its long-standing reputation as one of the most haunted places in the state of Oklahoma.

Built in 1911 by oil tycoon William Balser Skirvin, the hotel was a showpiece of modern luxury in its day — complete with electric elevators, air conditioning, and lavish furnishings that attracted celebrities, politicians, and socialites. Over the years, the hotel became woven into the city’s history, hosting presidents, movie stars, and more recently, NBA players. But beneath the glamor lies a darker story.

The most famous tale surrounding the Skirvin involves a mysterious woman named Effie — a maid who allegedly had an affair with Mr. Skirvin and became pregnant with his child. According to local legend, Skirvin was so concerned about scandal that he locked Effie away on the 10th floor, either in Room 1015 or another secluded part of the hotel, where she remained throughout her pregnancy.

As the story goes, Effie eventually fell into despair and leapt to her death — taking the baby with her. Ever since, guests have reported eerie encounters that seem to trace back to her spirit. People have claimed to hear a woman’s voice, crying, phantom footsteps, and even disembodied laughter echoing through the halls of the 10th floor. Male guests, in particular, have shared experiences of being touched, whispered to, or even propositioned by an unseen presence in their rooms.

It’s important to note that while Effie’s story has become deeply embedded in the hotel’s folklore, there is no historical evidence that proves such a maid ever existed — or that the events surrounding her death actually happened. Nevertheless, the legend persists, and the Room 1015 lore has become one of Oklahoma’s most enduring ghost stories.

The Skirvin's reputation is so widespread that professional basketball players from the NBA have publicly spoken about their uneasy stays at the hotel while playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Over the years, multiple players have refused to sleep alone, checked out early, or lost sleep before games — blaming doors opening on their own, lights flickering, and that same persistent sensation of not being alone. The ghostly lore even made its way into sports news headlines.

Other guests have shared reports of unseen forces tugging on bed sheets, toilets flushing by themselves, and furniture moving slightly during the night. One former employee once described seeing a shadowy figure disappear around a corner, only to find no one there.

The hotel underwent major restoration in 2007 and was reopened as the Skirvin Hilton, preserving much of its historic charm. But despite the fresh paint and modern amenities, the ghost stories have never stopped — if anything, they’ve only grown stronger with time.

Whether you believe in spirits or not, one thing is certain: The Skirvin Hotel is more than just a luxurious stopover — it's a place where the past lingers, and where legends like Effie continue to stir the imagination. If you do decide to spend the night, just don’t say you weren’t warned.

Address: 1 Park Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Phone: (405) 272-3040
Public Access: Yes — currently a functioning Hilton hotel
Tours: No official ghost tours, but guests may inquire about history at front desk

The Haunting of the Gilcrease House

Gilcrease House Museum – Tulsa County, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Photograph ©Teri French, Paranormal Investigation Team of Tulsa

Built in 1913, the original Gilcrease Mansion was a square-shaped sandstone built by Flower Nelson on an eighty-acre lot purchased by Thomas Gilcrease. Today, several of the original rooms are still standing within the Gilcrease Museum.

In the early 1940’s, the Gilcrease home became an orphanage for Native American children from the reservations nearby but this orphanage was closed when Mr. Gilcrease decided to move back into his home in 1949.

Over the years to follow, Mr. Gilcrease added on to the home and he created a twenty-three acre garden, which became one of his favorite places to spend his spare time.

Today, the spirit of Thomas Gilcrease still loves his former estate. Mr. Gilcrease’s apparition has been seen, heard and felt throughout the museum and its grounds by employees, as well as, visitors for many years now.

Most employees have claimed that they have seen the restless spirit of Mr. Gilcrease appear in front of them in solid form at least once. When his spirit is not viewed, it is heard as he walks freely throughout the place leaving the sounds of phantom footsteps in his wake. Mr. Gilcrease also likes to open and close doors and move objects about.

In addition to Mr. Gilcrease’s spirit, there are several restless Native American children that also roam the place. These children have been heard playing in the gardens when no visible children were present!

In 2002, the Tulsa Paranormal Investigation Team visited the museum to see what they could find. During their stay they captured a few EVP’s, found several objects on the floor that were not there when they first entered the rooms, heard the downstairs piano playing on its own and took several pictures of glowing forms that were not visible to the naked eye.

The Gilcrease Museum still has its claims of paranormal activity and it seems that this may not end anytime soon!

Address:
1400 Gilcrease Museum Road
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74127
(918) 596-2700

The Haunting of the Stone Lion Inn

Stone Lion Inn – Logan County, Guthrie, Oklahoma

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.

Address:
1016 West Warner
Guthrie, Oklahoma 73044
(405) 282-0012
Website