Thrill seekers won’t have any trouble finding chilling and scary haunts to explore during the Halloween season. St. Louis has plenty of ghostly haunts for those looking to explore and encounter beings from the other side. So go ahead and wander through some of the legendary dwellings inhabited by St. Louis’ gone but not forgotten. Each will send a chill up your spine.

The Lemp Mansion
3322 DeMenil Place
St. Louis, MO 63118
(314) 664-8024
www.lempmansion.com

The Lemp Mansion has a long and haunted history in St. Louis. Now, it serves as an enjoyable restaurant and inn but its origins are much more chilling. The dwelling was first erected in 1868 to serve as the Lemp Brewery’s family home. It was one of St. Louis’ most prestigious and premier residences and the family lived in the home until 1949, when Charles Lemp committed suicide. That was the first in a series of tragic family deaths that fuels the haunted stories surrounding this family and their mansion.

Powell Symphony Hall
718 N. Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 553-2500
www.stlsymphony.org

Powell Symphony Hall, built in 1925, was originally a vaudeville theater and later a movie theater until 1966. After it was sold and received a two million dollar renovation, it became what we now know as the home of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. The renovation, however, couldn’t scare off its original ghost named George. George is said to be an original essence left from the old vaudevillian days. It has been reported that he has been seen wandering the theater in a white suit and hat and sometimes plays with the lights and elevators in the building.

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Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery
2900 Sheridan Road
St. Louis, MO 63125
(314) 845-8320
www.cem.va.gov/jeffersonbarracks

In 1826, Jefferson Barracks was originally established as a fort to house soldiers who protected settlers from Indian attacks. In later years, it was used as a military hospital and a national cemetery. Many men died from wounds in battle there, and so the ghost stories were born. Sightings of soldiers in Civil War uniforms have been reported on the grounds. It’s not uncommon for some to report ghostly sentries still on duty or hear footsteps in the corridors. “Uninvited” guests sporting very authentic Civil War-era costumes/uniforms have often visited Halloween parties at the hospital. Unexplained and unsettling for the presently living party goes, stories reflect similar occurrences throughout time.

McPike Mansion
2018 Alby St.
Alton, IL 62002
(618) 462-3348
www.mcpikemansion.com

Just a little north of St. Louis and just across the river in Alton, Illinois, sits the McPike Mansion. The grand house was built in 1869 for Henry Guest McPike whose family can be traced back to Scotland. Although records are unclear, it is said that the McPikes inhabited the house until 1936. It is also said that Paul A. Laichinger purchased the home in 1908 and lived there until 1930. It is Mr. Laichinger that is said to be haunting the home along with a domestic servant named Sarah. Over the years, the home was abandoned and fell into disrepair until Sharyn and George Luedke purchased it in 1994. During their renovations, Mrs. Luedke encountered both Sarah and Mr. Laichinger on several occasions. The Luedkes are hoping to open the home as a bed and breakfast, and while their encounters with the ghosts of the mansion have been amiable, you will have to decide for yourself if you are willing to chance a run-in should you visit McPike Mansion.

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Lisa Payne-Naeger, a native of the St. Louis area, is a freelance writer, blogger, political activist and a homeschooling mother of two children. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.