Located in what claims to be the most haunted town in Kansas, Benedictine College has its fair share of ghost stories.
From baby giggles in St. Martin’s Memorial Hall to footsteps on the roof in Elizabeth Hall, students believe that their campus is haunted as well.
The Atchison visitor center holds a book, “Haunted Atchison: The Collected Stories” by the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce, with a chapter dedicated to stories from Benedictine College.
Stories are rumored throughout Benedictine College, however, Loew notes that it may be just because of Atchison’s reputation.
“Atchison has this reputation for being haunted. So, when anything happens I think that’s the automatic jump that people make. However logical or illogical it might be,” Loew said.
Resident assistant in Memorial Hall, Olivia Thibeaux, remembers a time her freshman year when her closet light flickered throughout the night.
“I lived in the corner room and there was a whole story about this girl who totally died in the closet,” Thibeaux said, “I was totally convinced that my closet was haunted.”
Resident director for Memorial Hall, Therese Loew, said she asked operations why the lights flickered.
Apparently, it begins to blink spontaneously when the automatic sensor is starting to fail.
“They were like, ‘It’s not a ghost, very scientific, it’s how the manufacture made it’ one more ghost story debunked,” Loew said.
Nevertheless, Loew says that there is no harm in enjoying a good ghost story, as long as you aren’t carried away.
“If you want to participate in the lure of ghost stories, I think that’s fine. But I think to be careful to not go seeking it out,” Loew said.
