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LOCATION:
Western Kentucky University can be
found in the city of Bowling Green, located approximately 110 miles south
of Louisville and 65 miles north of Nashville, Tennessee.
Address: Western Kentucky University/
/ 1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, KY 42101.
Phone: (270) 745-0111 * Web-Site
DESCRIPTION / HISTORY
The city of Bowling Green, which has
around 50,000 people living there today, received land for its first public
square in 1797. Thus the city and the surrounding areas have experienced
a lot of history, growing in population and changing over its 200 + years.
It was the home of several private colleges in the 1800s', which were
destined to be changed in light of the state's plans to start state-funded
schools.
Western Kentucky University began
in 1907 as a state-funded Normal School, called Western Kentucky State
Normal School, with the purpose of training teachers. The campus moved
into the buildings of the privately owned Southern Normal School, enrolling
the students here into this new state educational establishment. The owner
of the Southern Normal School, Henry HArdin Cherry, had made it his goal
to help establish state schools for teacher training, and became the first
president of this new state effort.
In 1911, Western Kentucky State Normal
School moved to its current location, up on a hill, 125 feet above the
town of Bowling Green, which used to be the location of The Pleasant J.
Potter College. In 1924, Western Kentucky State Normal School and Teacher's
College gave out their first 4 year degrees. In 1927, this growing campus
merged with Ogden College, which was conveniently located on the east
side of their hill.
Throughout the years, this place of
higher learning and achievement became broader in its educational goals,
becoming Western Kentucky State College in 1948. It was in the 1960s'
when the colleges curriculum and organization really expanded and grew,
merging with other smaller colleges. In 1966 the college's name was changed
yet again to Western Kentucky University, made up of 5 colleges: The Bowling
Green Community College of Western Kentucky University, The College of
Education and Behavioral Sciences, The Gordon Ford College of Business,
Ogden College of Science, Technology and health, and Potter College of
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
MANIFESTATIONS:
Western Kentucky University is well
aware of its entities which share space with its students and within its
vast building structures. Instead of sweeping them under the rug, they
have ghost sighting archives in their main Library and Museum and have
dedicated some web pages on their web-site to these non-paying tuition / non-salaried
entities, which make life interesting!
1) The Sigma Alpha Epsilon House - 1410
College Street (Burned down on April 2005)
During the Civil War, this 2 story
building was used as a hospital. One of the soldiers who died here,
stuck around to become an honorary frat brother.
a) "Kevin" the Entity was
described as being a tall, slender male entity dressed in uniform.
This apparition was seen in mirrors. His shadowy silhouette seen on
walls as he walks by.
b) His presence was often felt
in room 7 of the house.
c) His footsteps were heard going
over the wooden floorboards.
d) Future Hauntings? Though the
house is now gone, Kevin may decide to follow his frat bros to the
new fraternity house or stay and haunt the land, perhaps moving into
whatever structure is rebuilt on this lot.
2) Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity -
1504 Chestnut Street
A woamn was murdered in this house
a long time ago, before the fraternity moved in.
a) Her apparition has been seen frantically
running across the front lawn.
b) She has been known to light
a fire in the fireplace.
c) She likes to play with the
lights, and will move the personal belongings of the boys when they
sleep.
  The
Academic Complex
3) The Academic Complex is found
on the southern end of campus. It was built on land once used for farming
and also was the location of Vets Village. The building itself used
to be a hospital, probably serving veterans. It now is home to Medical
Services, several classrooms and the University's TV and Radio Station.
a) DJ's working in the evening hours
have heard paranormal activity, probably like foot steps in areas
devoid of the living, etc.
b) They have also seen entities
/ apparitions - Out of the corner of the eye type experience.
c) One pair of DJ's were treated
to a CD player moving about on its own, progressing to opening and
closing at will.
 Potter Hall
4) Potter Hall was the very first
residence hall built on campus, in 1921. Throughout the years it was both
at different times a men's and women's dorm, and a cafeteria. In 1994,
it was turned into an administration building.
During the years the building was
a women's dorm, an unhappy young woman, Allison, hung herself in the basement,
which at one time was room 8, a storage room.
a) This entity was very active when
women were living in the building. The living would hear her pace the
hallways, hear their name called, and her presence was strongly felt
in this basement storage room.
b) Since the building became an
administration building, Allison has been quiet, though she still does
bang on the pipe in the basement where she hung herself.
Van Meter Hall
5) Van Meter Hall - The Auditorium
- Named for Chancellor Capt. J. Van Meter.
Described as "The edifice that
crowns the hill," This grand "Classic Revival" building
was originally built in 1909 to be the administration building, and house
the campus auditorium. The auditorium seats 2,000, has a stage area, and
was used for many purposes throughout the years; Chapel, lectures, concerts,
plays, graduation, and gatherings of the student population.
A tragic accident happened either
in 1909 or 1940, when either the skylight in the auditorium was being
put in or being covered. A craftman was distracted by an outside event,
lost his balance and fell to his death on the stage below.
a) The spot on the stage floor where
he bled out, glows during events held in the auditorium. This stain
keeps reappearing, despite the efforts of the living to remove it, including
re-flooring the stage.
b) His apparition likes to sometimes
appear in front of startled students, staff and people involved with
events.
c) His unseen presence in the auditorium
is felt by many.
d) For chuckles, this entity plays
with the lights, the curtains on the stage, moves music stands and tables
and loves electrical items such as computers.
Kentucky Library and Museum
6) Kentucky Library and Museum -
Another grand building, constructed in 1906. For 60 years, this library
has preserved items/ artifacts / personal treasures / historical materials
from Kentucky's past and the people who made Kentucky their home. It
is thought that some of these entities seen and felt here are keeping
an eye on the living, perhaps still attached to these properties which
meant so much to them while they lived. Some may be wondering why their
favorite personal items, such as diaries, are here, for all to see?
a) Staff have gotten the feeling that unseen
supervisors are keeping an eye on them as they go about their work
day.
b) A curator caught on camera
shows a misty form hovering above her right shoulder as she concentrates
on the project at hand. She had reported earlier of seeing out of
the corner of her eye a glimpse of an apparition of a male outfitted
in mourning clothes worn in an earlier era.
c) Other workers have been treated
to passing breezes of cold air when there was no practical explanation
for this wind of sorts.
d) Books which were neatly stored
in the storage area, have been found laying open, as if having been
read by someone.
Psychic Observations: A psychic
discovered a female entity hanging around the stairs and an enitre
assembly of entities staying in a storeroom, curiously intrigued,
wondering how their earthly things wound up here!
Barnes-Campbell Hall
7) Barnes-Campbell Hall - Named for
Sheridan C. Barnes and Donald A. Campbell, it opened in 1966, providing
living space for 392 male residents.
During Spring break in 1968, a freshly
showered RA discovered that the darn elevator was misbehaving yet again;
stuck between the 7th and 6th floors. To avoid a long walk up / or down
the stairs, he made the fateful decision to try to fix it himself, as
he had done many times before. He successfully pried the doors open and
as he leaned around to flip the switch, he either slipped and fell down
the shaft or the elevator rushed down from above and hit him before he
got out of the way. Ouch!
a) Late in the evening sometimes the
elevator activates itself and stops at the 5th floor where the doors
open, without anyone seen inside working the buttons!
b) The entity of this RA is especially
active during Spring Break. He has turned on all the 5th floor water
faucets. Wet foot prints from the showers to the elevator appear during
this time of the year.
McClean Hall
8) McClean Hall, opened in 1949, was
named for the private secretary of Henry Hardin Cherry, a caring, efficient,
and talented woman, Mattie McLean. She had a wealth of personal characteristics
which served the student population and visitors as well. Besides being
a graduate of the Bowling Green Business College in 1902, she was motherly,
diplomatic, not easily ruffled and a source of encouragement. When she
died in 1954, her entity wasn't quite ready to leave the place where she
spent her life's work.
a) McClean Hall, her namesake became
her entity's place to stay. It was a women's dorm, and she adopted the
girls who live there. They felt her presence, heard her walking the
hallways, checking things along the way.
b) She did communicate with them
through the sometimes dangerous ouija board, and did materialize on
occasion when asked.
 Pearce Ford Tower
9) Pearce Ford Tower - Located on
the south end of the campus. This 27 floor co-ed dorm opened in 1970
a) A construction worker died on the
job when he accidentally fell to his death down the elevator shaft.
When the dorm is closed for school breaks, the elevators go up and down
the shaft, opening and closing their doors at the various floors.
b) A student who was one of the
first to live here, fell down the elevator shaft when he pushed the
button and stepped into space instead of the elevator, which had malfunctioned.
Always look before stepping into an elevator! As he was coming from
the shower, all that was left of him were the foot prints he made from
the shower room to the elevator. Every year on the day of his death,
these foot prints they say appear in the hall, making his fateful walk.
 Schneider Hall
10) Schneider Hall is described as
a Georgian Revival building, built in 1928. Originally it was called West
Hall, then White Stone Hall. It was renamed yet again Florence Schneider
Hall, a beloved registrar and "bursar."
This building over the years was used
as the student infirmary, housed Army Air Corps cadets during WW2. Sometime
after the war the building became a womens' dorm. As of 2004, the building
was being c hanged into a math building.
Probably during the 1950's, the story
goes that during Spring Break ( it seems a dangerous time for students?)
2 young women stayed behind to catch up on school projects. One of the
girls was brutally attacked by an escaped mental patient, as she studied
at her desk. With an axe in her head, she crawled down to the other girl's
room, and scratched on the door for help. She died there.
a) She is seen today sitting in windows,
likes to rearrange furniture, is fascinated with electric gadgets like
alarm clocks and computers ( turns them on and off).
b) She sometimes scratches on the
doors of the rooms and once a year during Spring Break reviews her last
hours of terror, desperation and pain.
c) The usual paranormal signs are
there as well. Cold spots in certain rooms, items are taken and then
reappear somewhere else, and the feeling of being checked out are reported.
Rhodes Harlin Hall
11) Rhodes Harlin Hall - Opened in
1966, as a resident hall for 400 women. It was named for John D. Rodes
and Max B. Harlin. It has been described as being both beautiful and very
functional. They are proud of their "spacious lobby and reception
area."
A disturbed young woman jumped off
the top of the building, falling to her death, which didn't give her peace
as she had hoped, because she now still haunts the building.
a) During the time period right after
her death, the entity of this jumper would tap on her roommate's door.
When the roommate opened the door, no one was standing on the other
side. She also scratched and knocked on other resident's windows and
doors.
b) Residents who live on the 9th
floor can hear her footsteps walk on the roof to the place where she
jumped.
c) On the anniverserary of her death,
she appears on the roof where she jumped, revisiting an act that she
may now regret.
STILL HAUNTED?
Yes, according to many witnesses
and a psychic or two, entities are hanging around their favorite buildings,
watching the living progress, while they seem to be stuck here and are
not willing or able to continue on their journey to the other side.
Sources: Pictures &
Information: 1) wku.edu 2) wku.edu
wku.edu/Library/dlsc/GhostStories/index.htm
theshadowlands.net/places/kentucky.htm * bgky.org
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