The Paranormal at Home: Hauntings in 50 States – Oklahoma’s Gilcrease Museum

Please click here if you would like to read the first article in the series.

Well, Halloween is officially over but Paranormal at Home is still truckin’ along! We are a little behind on the posts, but they will keep coming! Besides, the delay goes well with the theme of the series. Not only do unexplained things happen in all 50 states, but also at any time of the year – even when it’s not Halloween. That certainly seems to be the case at the Gilcrease Museum in Oklahoma.

Haunted Oklahoma: Gilcrease Museum

Main entrance to the Gilcrease Museum

The Gilcrease Museum covers a 460 acre property found northwest of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The facility is currently home to one of the most impressive collections of Western and Native American artifacts in the world.

Thomas Gilcrease was a member of the Creek Nation. He obtained land from the U.S. government that was distributed during the turn of the century.  His allotment turned out to be a major oil field, which allowed Gilcrease to form the Gilcrease Oil Company in 1922. He prospered and significantly expanded his lot throughout the following decade.

Gilcrease began amassing a collection of art, starting with an oil painting he purchased for $1,500 in 1912. Most of his collection was added after 1939. He was doing something that other collectors generally were not at the time: gathering pieces focused on the art and history of the American West.

Oil prices began to decline by the 1950s which made it harder to grow and maintain his unique western-themed collection. Gilcrease decided to sell it all intact to prevent the loss of any individual items.  Later, a small group of local citizens came together to push for a vote to keep the collection in Tulsa. Their efforts paid off and the collection remained right where it was.

Paranormal Activity at the Gilcrease Museum

Thomas Gilcrease adored his collection, so it seems only natural that he might want to stay with it in the afterlife. The passionate collector continued funding archaeological excavations up until his death in 1962. Some believe that he still lingers at the museum he worked so hard to create.

The gardens that Thomas Gilcrease
loves to wander

An apparition believed to be Gilcrease has been reported all over the estate.  He seems to favor the gardens but also wanders his former home which is now the site for the Art Education classes hosted by the museum. In fact he is seen so often after dark that some attribute his unnerving appearances to the facility’s high security turnover rate.

Some estimate that there may be as many as seven spirits that appear repeatedly at the Gilcrease Museum. A group of ghost children are said to roam the property. These are believed to be the spirits of Native American children, possibly drawn to the artifacts and land.

EVPs of a woman singing and men arguing have also been captured as well as odd whispering. Some employees claim to hear footsteps when no one is around.

Unexplained temperature changes have also been reported along with loud banging sounds. Doors will slam even though no one has touched them and the area is inexplicably prone to a higher than usual number of electronic malfunctions.

The Gilcrease Museum Today

The Gilcrease Museum continues to welcome travelers and locals who want to explore its fascinating collection. The museum’s website seems to stick with the traditional approach rather than pushing any ghost tours or paranormal history. It is currently under the management of the University of Tulsa.

Have you been to the Gilcrease Museum (or would you like to go)? Share your personal experiences or investigative approach to this location in the comments.