AMERICAN HAUNTINGS GHOST HUNTS

NIGHT AT THE BINGHAM-WAGGONER ESTATE
INDEPENDENCE, MISSOURI
see available dates below:
9:00 PM-2:00 AM
$56 PER PERSON

august 21, 2021: SOLD OUT!

 Join American Hauntings as we go behind the walls of a house where history returns to life – the Bingham-Waggoner Mansion. Be among the first ghost hunters to seek out the spirited happenings of this historic home and find out if it’s as haunted as so many people claim! If you think you’re brave enough to join is, get signed up now because we have VERY limited spots for this event!

 The Bingham-Waggoner Estate has a long and storied history in the Independence area – from the very start of the city. When the first settlers arrived, the land was a “short-cut road” that later became part of the famous Santa Fe Trail. There were many owners of the property between 1827 and 1878, most of them making a living outfitting the numerous wagon trains that passed through the region. Others speculated in real estate, became prominent businessmen, and helped start other communities and event the Pony Express.

 George Caleb Bingham – artist and politician – was one of the most distinguished owners of the estate. He and his family moved to the estate shortly before the start of the Civil War. It was in his studio that his famous painting “Order Number 11, was created.

 The painting was based on a real event. It was a proclamation issued in August 1863 by Brigadier General Thomas Ewing that ordered all persons living in Jackson, Cass, Bates and Vernon counties, excepting only those residing in certain areas near large towns, to leave their homes within 15 days. There had been violence during border raids by "Red Legs" and "Jayhawkers," who plundered and committed violence in Missouri towns. The military order issued by Ewing was intended as a retaliation after a bloody raid on Lawrence, Kansas, committed by Confederate guerrilla William Quantrill on the town of Lawrence, Kansas.

 Bingham called Order Number 11 an "act of imbecility" and wrote letters protesting it. Bingham wrote to Gen. Ewing, "If you execute this order, I shall make you infamous with pen and brush," and in 1868 created his famous painting reflecting the consequences of Ewing's harsh edict.  And his painting, “Order Number 11” was the result. Historian Albert Castel called the painting, “mediocre art but excellent propaganda."

 These events may have been what spurred Bingham to get involved in politics after the war. He became very active and in 1868, he became a candidate for Congress from the Sixth Missouri District. However, he was defeated at the nominating convention.

 Bingham sold his home in Independence to Francis Eames in 1870 and moved to Kansas City, where he served as Police Commissioner and as Adjutant General of Missouri. In this capacity, he investigated the bombing of the James home at Kearney, Missouri, by Pinkerton agents. He later was appointed as the first professor of art at the newly established University of Missouri.

 It was during this time that his second wife, Eliza, was confined to the state asylum at Fulton, Missouri. She died there in November 1876. Bingham married a third time to Mattie Lykins, widow of a former mayor of Kansas City and a rabid confederate supporter. She established a home for Confederate war widows and orphans, the Lykins Institute, in Kansas City. It was here were Bingham died on July 7, 1879, from an infection of the small intestine.

 The other namesakes of the estate are the Waggoner family. They made their money from milling in Pennsylvania before the Civil War. When it ended, Peter Waggoner sent his son, William, to Independence to look for business opportunities. William liked the city, and in 1867, the family purchased the "old City mill" from John Overfelt.  The family business developed a reputation for producing the best in baking and cake flours, and their "Queen of the Pantry" flours became known all over the Midwest.

 With rising status and wealth, the Waggoners purchased the estate and the mansion that was located there. They began extensive renovations to enlarge and expand the house during the 1890s, when William, Jr. and his wife moved into the home.

 The Waggoner family continued to live there until 1976, when Harry K. Waggoner died.  In 1979, a group of private citizens, in cooperation with the City of Independence, purchased the estate for a museum and public park.

 They soon found they were not in the house alone.

 Events of the past have left an indelible impression on the mansion. The source of many of the reported ghostly events remains unknown but witnesses and staff members can assure anyone who doubts them that eerie events do occur in the house.

 Among these happenings are the sounds of a man’s voice, a masculine cough that can be heard echoing in empty hallways. There are also reports of a man and woman yelling in vacant rooms – although their angry words cannot be understood. There have also been encounters with shadowy figures in the basement of the house.

 One of the resident ghosts is said to be that of a young woman in a white bridal gown. She has been spotted many times – usually by people who have no idea that others have seen her – and she is usually seen near the main staircase. Legend has it that a bride tripped on these stairs and fell down them to her death many years ago, although that has not yet been confirmed.

 This is a place where history truly comes to life and a place that should not be missed by ghost hunters who are brave enough to seek out the spirits of this historic and haunted mansion.