Kansas City has no shortage of history. And when a city has been around this long, a few stories are bound to linger.

From historic mansions and Civil War landmarks to an old hotel and a former Odd Fellows home, some of the most famously haunted places in Kansas City have very real histories behind their ghost stories.

Do we know if they're actually haunted? Absolutely not. But we do know a good KC story when we hear one.

So, in honor of spooky season, we're exploring five haunted and mysterious places around Kansas City, the history behind them and the local legends that refuse to disappear.

The Elms Hotel: Excelsior Springs' Famous Haunted Hotel

The Elms has been drawing visitors to Excelsior Springs for more than a century. The current hotel opened in 1912 after two earlier versions were destroyed by fire, and over the years its history has included mineral-water tourism, Prohibition-era stories and plenty of famous guests.

It also has a reputation for guests who may have never checked out.

Stories surrounding The Elms include a Prohibition-era gambler said to linger near the lap pool and a woman in a 1920s-style housekeeping uniform. The hotel has leaned into the lore over the years, including paranormal tours and even an appearance on Ghost Hunters.

The real history: The fires are real, but neither is known to have resulted in deaths. The ghosts? We'll let you decide.

Belvoir Winery: Liberty's Mysterious Odd Fellows Home

If Belvoir Winery looks like it belongs in a ghost story, there's a reason for that.

The Liberty property was once home to the Missouri Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization that built a complex here beginning around the turn of the 20th century to care for elderly members, widows, orphans and others in need. The property included residential buildings, a hospital and other facilities, and several of those striking historic buildings still stand today.

Now home to Belvoir Winery & Inn, the property has accumulated plenty of paranormal lore of its own, including reports of strange sounds, flashing lights and unexplained activity.

Add the property's historic architecture and cemetery, and it's easy to understand why Belvoir has become one of the KC area's best-known destinations for paranormal enthusiasts.

The real history: Whatever you think about the ghost stories, the Odd Fellows history is fascinating all on its own.

Sauer Castle: KCK's Mansion of Mystery

If you've driven along Shawnee Road in Kansas City, Kansas, there's a good chance you've noticed it.

Perched high on a hill, Sauer Castle is one of KCK's most recognizable historic homes. Anton Sauer built the Italianate mansion in the 19th century, and generations of the Sauer family called it home.

Over the years, the dramatic house became the subject of seemingly endless local legends: mysterious lights in the tower, figures in windows, hidden tunnels, buried treasure and considerably darker tales.

Here's where things get especially interesting: not all of those stories line up with the documented history of the house.

And honestly? That might make Sauer Castle even more intriguing. It's a perfect example of how a real historic Kansas City landmark can slowly accumulate a mythology all its own.

The real history: Sauer Castle is listed on both the Kansas and National Registers of Historic Places, and many of its more sensational stories are better classified as local legend than documented fact.

Vaile Mansion: Victorian Beauty With a Darker Side

With 31 rooms, soaring ceilings, nine marble fireplaces and a dramatic three-story tower, Independence's Vaile Mansion doesn't need a ghost story to get your attention.

Built in 1881 for Harvey and Sophia Vaile, the elaborate Second Empire mansion was considered one of the grandest homes in the region.

But the Vaile family's story took a tragic turn just two years later when Sophia died in the home from a morphine overdose while Harvey was away.

In the years since, stories have circulated of a woman appearing inside the mansion and looking from its windows, with some believing the figure to be Sophia.

Today, the beautifully preserved home is a museum and one of Independence's most fascinating pieces of Victorian architecture.

The real history: The mansion and Sophia's death are documented history. Whether she's still keeping an eye on the place is decidedly less certain.

John Wornall House: Where Kansas City History Gets a Little Eerie

Of all the places on our list, the John Wornall House may have the history most capable of giving you chills without a single ghost story.

Built in 1858, the home stood near some of the heaviest fighting during the Battle of Westport in 1864. It was commandeered as a Confederate field hospital before later being used by Union forces. Historical accounts describe wounded and dying soldiers filling rooms throughout the house.

Today, visitors come to learn about the Civil War, the Missouri-Kansas border conflict and the people who lived here. But stories of unexplained experiences have also followed the house, from mysterious figures and sounds to the smell of pipe tobacco when no one is smoking.

Ghosts or simply the weight of a remarkable history? Either way, this is one Kansas City house with stories in its walls.

Honorable Mention: 5 More Haunts

The Savoy Hotel | Downtown KC
The historic Savoy has accumulated plenty of ghost stories over its long life, including the legend of a woman named Betsy Ward associated with Room 505. The details of her story vary depending on who's telling it, which feels appropriately mysterious.

The Folly Theater | Downtown KC
Kansas City's oldest theater opened in 1900 and has more than a century of performances behind it. Along with the history come stories of unexplained activity backstage and legends of former performers and theater figures who may not have entirely left the building.

The Alexander Majors House | South KC
Built in the 1850s for Pony Express co-founder Alexander Majors, this State Line landmark has its own collection of paranormal stories. The museum even hosts a “Spirits in the Halls” paranormal audio tour exploring the experiences and legends associated with the property.

The Coates House | Quality Hill
Once one of Kansas City's grand hotels, the Coates House hosted prominent guests before its history took a tragic turn, including a deadly 1978 fire. Stories of shadowy figures, strange sounds and other unexplained activity have since become part of the building's lore.

Epperson House | UMKC
This 54-room Tudor-Gothic mansion on UMKC’s campus has inspired ghost stories for decades, many centered around Harriet Barse, a Conservatory organ instructor who lived with the Eppersons and died shortly after moving into the home. Students and staff have reported everything from footsteps and mysterious lights to the sound of organ music, even though Harriet died before the home’s custom organ was installed.

So, Is Kansas City Haunted?

We'll let you make that call.

What we can say is that some of Kansas City's best ghost stories lead back to fascinating pieces of real local history. These buildings have survived wars, fires, family tragedies and more than a century of a changing city around them.

And somewhere along the way, history became legend.

That's one of our favorite things about exploring Kansas City. You can live here for years and still find a story, neighborhood or landmark you never knew existed.

Now the important question: Which one would you actually be willing to visit after dark?