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Discover Mid-America — August 2006
Ghost sightings enliven the history behind the Belvidere Mansion
More than a century ago, a man in Claremore, OK, built a castle-like mansion that stunned his neighbors. John Melvin Bayless, a larger-than-life entrepreneur from Cassville, MO, was active in railroads, banking and land development. Belvidere, the home Bayless began building in 1902 for his wife and their seven children, was larger and more grandiose than any other house in Claremore.
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Today, it is a popular tourist destination, made more so by ghostly sightings of John Bayless and his large family. Kathy Wilkens, co-manager of the mansion’s gift shop, said that a paranormal investigating group, Ghost Chasers of Oklahoma, studied the house in two separate sessions. They detected the presence of various members of the Bayless family, including images of three children playing with marbles.
“Several tour participants have seen ghostly images of John Bayless,” Wilkens said, “recognizing him from a large framed portrait in the mansion.”
Although Wilkens claims not to take much stock in apparitions, she herself has witnessed unexplained events in the old house.
“Many times I’ve heard footsteps on the stairs when there was nobody in the house,” she said.
At any rate, there are enough “sightings” to get one’s attention. “We have a lady in the Historical Society, Ruth Fuller, who is a “ghost story” specialist,” Wilkens added.
Massive and square, with turrets at each corner, the three-story brick house is dominated by a large entrance porch topped by a matching balcony. Bayless had purchased most of the trim and woodwork in 1904 at the St. Louis World’s Fair, including stair railings, pocket doors and an elevator. An Italian craftsman was employed to lay tile in the entry hall. Wainscoted marble and tin were used on the walls. Rooms throughout the mansion have sliding pocket doors and fireplaces.
A covered entry on the side served to protect guests at the carriage entrance from inclement weather when they arrived for social events in the early 1900s. The wide entry hall was L-shaped, so that guests arriving at the front door met other guests in a large central “gathering place.”
If the occasion were a fancy ball, the guests would proceed to the third floor, where an elegant ballroom was accessible from all four turrets. A vaulted ceiling was highlighted by blue sky and clouds, and crowned with a skylight.
Bayless died in 1907, six months before his castle-like mansion could be completed. His family continued to live at Belvidere until 1919. The boys grew up to become solid citizens: bankers, a postmaster and a state Supreme Court judge.
In addition to the Belvidere, John Bayless also built a hotel, opera house, and athletic building in Claremore. However, only the Belvidere remains. In the 1930s, it was converted to apartments.
In 1991, the Rogers County Historical Society purchased the Belvidere Mansion, then in a state of disrepair. In addition to the purchase price of $75,000, the Society borrowed an additional $80,000 in 1995 to add sprinklers, fire exits and a new electrical system.
Period furnishings have been acquired and placed in the mansion, and the restored ballroom is painted in shades of ivory with gold chandeliers and gold wall sconces. Although the original loans are paid off, the society estimates that it will take $400,000 to complete the restoration, including the installation of an elevator to make the upper floors more accessible.
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Meanwhile, the Belvidere Mansion “earns its keep” by serving as a setting for weddings, receptions, parties and organizational functions. Wilken said that a “Tea On Tuesdays” event has been well received, and will continue through August. Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Christmas at the Belvidere,” an annual winter gala event started in 1991, begins each year on Nov. 1, and runs through the end of the year. During this period, the mansion is decorated for the holidays and the gift shop is filled with Christmas items.
Visitors can tour the mansion Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is by donation, but tours are $2. A Victorian Gift Shop sells fine lace, period dolls, handcrafted items, antiques and collectibles.
The Rogers County Historical Society is dedicated to completing its preservation of the Belvidere Mansion by the end of 2007, the centennial of both the State of Oklahoma and the completion of the mansion. In the meantime, anyone interested in helping preserve the mansion and other Rogers County heritage sites is invited to become a member. Write the Society at PO Box 774, Claremore, OK 74018 for details or call 918-342-1127.
Other Claremore attractions include the Will Rogers Memorial Museum and the J. M. Davis Arms & Historical Museum
Ken Weyand can be reached at kweyand1@kc.rr.com
> Traveling with Ken Archive — past columns
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