STRANGE BUT TRUE TALES

SECRETS OF THE SALLIE HOUSE, ATCHISON, KANSAS

SECRETS OF THE SALLIE HOUSE

There are a lot of haunted houses all around the world, and such structures really do spark the human imagination.

For some people haunted houses are scientific anomalies which require scientific investigation, while others regard them as centers of paranormal activity that must be revered or even feared.

Whatever the truth may be about haunted houses, it's undeniable that many of them have terrifying reputations.

Among the most notorious haunted houses in the world is the Sallie House located at 508 N. Second Street. A lot of people in Atchison, Kansas believe that the Sallie house contains evil spirits, while others believe that the entities within are simply lost souls seeking help.

Despite people's opinions about the matter, the Sallie House has become one of the most important attractions of Atchison, Kansas and has been the subject of many TV documentaries.

This simple 19th century house originally got its name due to the haunting of a little girl, who was later given the name "Sallie." The couple who owned the house believed that the little girl was trying to warn them about the evil spirits which dwelt within the house.

Due to the numerous sightings of the little girl, the haunted house became known to both local residents and investigators as "the Sallie House." Over the years however, the house began to exhibit other hauntings besides that of the little girl.

These hauntings lead observers to conclude that other entities may be inhabiting the house or perhaps some other force was at work within the area.

People have always wondered about the entities which inhabit this house. Are they simple ghostly visitors, or are they lost souls trapped within the house? Were they looking for help or were they just malevolent entities that seek to do harm on the house's human occupants.

This is not an easy question to answer, but for those who seek clues to the nature of the Sallie House, it's important to look at its long and interesting history.

The History of the Sallie House

The House that will later be known as the Sallie House was first built in 1867. The land on which it was built on was purchased by one Michael C. Finney, who moved in with his family to start a new life.

Finney had a wife, two sons and daughter, and the house remained in the possession of the family until the death of Agnes and Charles Finney, both of whom were Finney's descendants, in 1939 and 1947 respectively.

When the Agnes and Charles died, the house was rented out to various boarders. However, people never stayed long in the house and for whatever reason, there were few records on the people who stayed there.

The only person who seemed to tolerate the house's peculiar characteristics was one Ethel Anderson, who lived in the house until the early 90's.

After Ethel Anderson, Tony and Debra Pickman moved into the Finney home, and that's when the Sallie House's notorious reputation began to become quite popular.

Aside from Sallie appearing to Tony and Debra, numerous attacks were also carried out on anyone who lived inside the house or investigate its mysteries.

Tony Pickman, for example, sustained several injuries back when he and his family owned the house in the early 90's, while investigators who visited the house reported sustaining minor injuries, such cuts and burns, during their stay.

What's most disturbing however, is the fact that investigators of house have endured cuts and burns while gathering paranormal data from the house.

Although such attacks are usually directed at certain groups of people, it has lead a lot of people to believe in the hostile nature of house and the possibility of demonic presence within its walls.

In addition to the attacks, visitors and witnesses also reported full bodied apparitions, flying objects, phantom furniture, sounds of strange animals, human voices and mysterious items appearing and disappearing at random points throughout the house.

In addition to witness accounts, a surprisingly large amount of Electronic Voice Phenomenon was also recorded of strange voices from men, women and children, not to mention strange smells emanating from various areas around the house.

These data is yet to be authenticated, but over the years a surprising amount of legends and theories has sprung up about the nature and secrets of the Sallie House.

Investigations on the Sallie House

The first major investigation on the Sallie House was carried out in the early 90's by the Television show, Sightings. Since that time, several psychics and paranormal investigators have attempted to uncover the secrets of the house.

With them came technicians and other researchers who were also interested in learning about anomalies which occurred within the house.

In addition to paranormal investigators, mainstream journalists, such as the Travel Channel, the History Channel and the Discovery Channel have also investigated the house to gather materials for their own shows and articles.

Even Paramount Pictures visited the house in order to gather information for a movie adaptation.

Those who have investigated the Sallie House have used a variety of equipment to determine the nature of the hauntings. Among the tools that were used were digital voice recorders, laser microphones, infrared video cameras, electromagnetic measuring devices, and even radiation meters.

Those who were less inclined to use technical devices used Ouija boards, crystals, and pendulums to contact the unknown.

These psychic devices were used by paranormal investigators and due to their findings and experiences, some of the psychics believe that demonic entities may be inhabiting the house.

Other investigators incorporated ESP and other psychic phenomenon in their investigations.

Given the frequent appearance of paranormal and supernatural activity in the house, various groups and investigators have begun using the area around the house as a kind of testing ground for paranormal experiments.

Thanks to the unusual and inexplicable phenomenon found in the Sallie House, not only have the researchers understood the complex history surrounding the house, it has also helped them better understand the nature of certain psychic and paranormal anomalies.

Even today, new materials and data are still being gathered on the Sallie House, and as far as many psychic investigators are concerned, their work has only just begun.

Read the full, first-hand account of what Tony and Debra Pickman and their newborn son, Taylor experienced while living at the Sallie House. Debra's book: "The Sallie House Haunting: A True Story" can be yours for under $20 on Amazon.