Known in its early years as Hawthorne Hall or Epperson Folly, the mansion on UMKC's campus is now home to the Architecture and Urban Planning and Design Departments. Many ghost stories surround this unusual building, which was once filled with trap doors and tunnels. Even when its original inhabitants were still living, the house was filled with mystery.

So is the Epperson house really haunted? And if it is, then who is it that could be doing the haunting?

The house is located on the south end of 52nd street, between Oak and Cherry. It sits on top of a big hill and towers over its neighbor, the Toy and Miniature Museum. The cobblestone driveway leads up from the street into property of the mansion.

According to the school's website, Uriah and Elizabeth Epperson finished building the house in 1923, and spent $450,000 on construction costs. It was enormous and beautiful, with four stories, 48 rooms, a pool, an elevator and six baths. Uriah and Elizabeth took Harriet Evelyn Barse into their household when they moved into the Epperson House. The arrangement has been called an adoption in the past, although that term was never legalized and Harriet was ten years older than Elizabeth.

Harriet loved music, and Elizabeth greatly appreciated the culture that she brought to the household. Harriet had designed a custom pipe organ to be put into the loft of the house's 48-foot living room. But before the organ could be completed, Harriet mysteriously passed away.

Her death was attributed to surgical shock after a gall bladder operation, but no autopsy was ever performed; there wasn't even an obituary in the local paper. Soon rumors began to circulate about the surgery and a possible affair with the hired help. Some said Harriet had an in-home abortion and that was the cause of death.

Most of the haunting stories take place in the 1970s, though some are more recent. The most popular story is that of a security guard who was parked near the house. He reportedly felt another vehicle crash into his own, followed by the sound of shattering glass. When he got out to inspect the situation he saw no other vehicle and no damage to his car. The only thing different, as far as he could tell, was that his car had moved about eight inches, which he could see because of the skid marks on the ground.

When the house was home to the music program, students reported having heard an organ in the house. Some students have also reported seeing a woman in an evening gown, singing or crying, and holding in her arms what appeared to be a baby.

Anthony Luca, an architecture student, reports hearing footsteps while studying alone in Epperson house at night. "I watched the last person walk out of the building. I had to stay to work on my project. My studio is in the basement of the house, and, as I sat in my desk in the corner of the room, I could hear footsteps that seemed as if they were coming from just across the room."

He shakes his head. "I was a little spooked, but I kept working. Not even 30 seconds later I could hear the same footsteps in the room over my head. I decided it was about time for me to get out of there."

No one can say for sure whether this house is haunted or not. Individuals have their different stories, and they are all equally spooky. We may never know what happened to Harriet, but if her spirit still remains in the house, then it seems that she would like us to find out.

Copyright 2008 Metropolitan Community College