REYNOLDS HALL

Now a theatre building where students study
and practice their craft.

Captain Henry Clay Reynolds

There are two stories/theories as to why Captain Henry Clay Reynolds is haunting the building named for him. One story says that during the Civil War, Captain Reynolds was given the duty of providing security for the sick and injured men in the Confederate hospital, which was in this building. When he heard about the upcoming siege against the Brierfield Ironworks in town, he left his post with some men to help in the battle. When he returned afterwards, he discovered rooms full of massacred men, whom he may have been able to save if he had stayed. He vowed never to leave the building unprotected again in his lifetime or the next.

The second story claims that Captain Reynolds wasn’t even stationed there during the supposed massacre, which some say never happened. (Civil War soldiers who did die in the hospital are buried in The Kings Cemetery) Some say that the haunting is because Captain Reynolds was asked to step down as college president because he took student money to invest in a bank, which flopped. He was very bitter about this, because he had been so instrumental in getting the school established here, and he truly loved his job.

The blue spectre of Captain Henry Clay Reynolds has been seen, heard and his presence is felt wandering around the building. He has been known to follow students late at night.

Doors and windows shut by themselves.

In certain areas of the hall, there are cold spots and areas which give the living chills.

When the painting of Captain Henry Clay Reynolds was taken down in the lobby of Reynolds Hall where it hung, and replaced with another one, it was mysteriously re-hung and its replacement was found on the floor.

OLD MAIN HALL

Women’s Residence –
The fourth floor of the Old West Main Hall is haunted by one or two female entities.

On February 4th, 1908, Condie Cunningham and her friends were either heating up hot chocolate or making fudge on a burner. An alcohol bottle was inadvertently knocked over, causing a fire in their room to start. Condie’s nightgown caught on fire and soon she was a human torch, screaming down the hall as she ran before she collapsed. She died soon thereafter.

The apparition of a young woman running down the hall with flaming hair and body has been observed on occasion.

Sometimes the sound of running feet down the halls is heard when no one living is there.

Her blood-curdling scream is sometimes heard in the shower room or hall.

Doors and windows open and close at will.

Sometimes a disembodied voice is heard, saying “HELP ME!”

The door of Condie’s old room, which is wooden, has an image of her face, with flames around it.

It is said that a young woman committed suicide by hanging herself in her room.

Some think that it is she, as well, who comes in and out of rooms, opening and closing doors.

Some think it is her face on the door and not Condie’s.

THE KING HOUSE

Edmond King loved his Mansion House and his money. In 1863, just before he died, he decided to bury his money under a peach tree, to prevent the Union Army from taking his treasure. Also his wife and son died before he died, at the age of 82.

The apparition of an old man has been seen wandering around the outside yard, carrying a lantern and a shovel as if to check up on his buried treasure or to perhaps visit the graves of his wife and son.

While walking by the house at night, students saw a lantern at the window traveling across the second floor when no one was in the house.

The apparition of an elderly gentleman was seen inside, sitting at his table, counting his coins.

Students walking by during the day were startled by a slightly see-through elderly gentleman dressed in 1800s garb, waving in a good natured way at them from the second floor window.

During a wedding reception held in this house, a huge, white-robed phantom became visible underneath the dining room table and floated out the window in front of all the guests. Who says ghosts don’t like parties?

There are cold spots felt in his old bedroom.

PALMER HALL

Named after Thomas Waverly Palmer.
Palmer Hall is a huge building with a 1,100 foot auditorium, an organ and stage area and a downstairs.

W.H. Trumbauer, known as Trummy, was one of the designers of Palmer Hall. His name was left off the cornerstone by mistake. OOOPS!

A student was practicing the organ in Palmer Hall. She had stopped and was getting ready to go home, when she heard a disembodied voice asking her to continue playing. She was alone in the hall or so she thought!

The ghost of Dr. W. H. Trumbauer was an enthusiastic supporter of the annual College Night, an event where a contest is held to see who can put on the best play, which takes place during homecoming festivities. Trumbauer still gives his opinion; never mind that he is dead! He lets the living know which play he thinks is the best by swinging the battens over the performance of his pick, during the final dress rehearsal of all the shows in the contest. Because Trumbauer was a perfectionist, his opinion is valued.

Trummy has been known to appear to students as he wanders around backstage.

The old mirrors which used to be on the dressing room walls downstairs used to be a place to see entities of women dressed in long dresses, getting ready for a performance long ago.

HANSON HALL

Women’s Residence – The third floor houses a sorority.

A dedicated entity who was a strict housemother is still on the job, watching over the women in her residence hall.

Residents who are up late studying feel like they are being watched, like an unseen presence has been patrolling the halls and has come inside the room to investigate.

One student left her mug on her desk. It mysteriously disappeared one day, but reappeared in the same spot a few weeks later.