HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
PSU's 1929 music building where two students in 1979 heard organ music drifting from a sealed, darkened third floor — and found no one there
1701 S Broadway, Pittsburg, KS 66762
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Public university campus; no admission fee for exterior access
Access
Wheelchair OK
Paved campus pathways
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1929 · Pittsburg State Music Department History · Dean Recital Hall · 1929 Academic Architecture
McCray Hall was built in 1929 as the dedicated home for Pittsburg State University's music department, designed to provide performance and rehearsal space for a growing program. The building houses the Dean Recital Hall, which has served as the primary on-campus performance venue for PSU music students for nearly a century.
The structure is named for a university benefactor following the institution's common practice of naming academic buildings after significant donors or administrators. McCray Hall represents an architectural era of institutional expansion at PSU, built in the decade after the university had established its academic legitimacy following the 1914 Russ Hall fire and rebuilding.
The building remains in active use by the music department. Public recitals are held in the Dean Recital Hall throughout the academic year, making McCray Hall one of the campus buildings with the most regular community traffic.
Sources
The documented incident at McCray Hall dates to 1979. Two members of the PSU marching band were waiting outside the building for a ride late in the evening when they became aware of organ music coming from the third floor. The floor was dark — no lights were visible from outside — and the building was supposed to be closed for the night.
The students went inside to investigate. As they climbed toward the third floor, the music stopped. When they reached the level, they found no lights on and no one present. The organ — which would have required a physically present musician to produce sound — was unoccupied.
The story was documented by the PSU student-produced history project and subsequently appeared in Haunted Kansas, published by the University Press of Kansas, in a chapter titled 'The Musical Ghost of McCray Hall: Pittsburg State University.' The University Press of Kansas publication gives the account a degree of editorial legitimacy beyond campus folklore. No identity has been assigned to the organist in any documented account.
Media Appearances
Visit PSU's music department building, home to the Dean Recital Hall since its 1929 construction. The third floor, associated with the phantom organist legend, is accessible during normal building hours. Public recitals and performances are held regularly.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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