HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena, as catalogued
Jasper County's oldest home, built 1849, served as a Civil War headquarters and field hospital for both armies — the dining room table still carries what are said to be bloodstains from battlefield surgeries.
131 N Garrison Ave, Carthage, MO 64836
Research updated September 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
$$
Museum tours and paranormal investigation tours are separately ticketed. Check victoriancarthage.org for current pricing.
Access
Limited Access
1849 two-story historic structure; no elevator. Stairs required to access upper floors.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1849 · Oldest home in Jasper County · Civil War headquarters and field hospital for both armies · National Register of Historic Places · Site of Battle of Carthage-era activity
Ephraim Kendrick built the two-story Federal-style home at 131 N Garrison in 1849, making it the first documented permanent dwelling in what would become Jasper County. The house was already twelve years old when the Civil War came directly to its doors.
On July 5, 1861, the Battle of Carthage was fought nearby — the first full-scale land battle west of the Mississippi in the Civil War. Both Union and Confederate forces used the Kendrick House as a command post and field hospital in the days surrounding the engagement. General Jo Shelby's Confederate cavalry is reported to have stabled horses in the parlor during their occupation of the town. The dining room table, still in the house, is said to show stains from the surgeries performed during the hospital period, though the current condition of the table has not been independently analyzed.
The property is now managed by Victorian Carthage, a nonprofit preservation organization, and operates as a historic house museum. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places. EVP recordings and other paranormal documentation from organized investigations have been collected on-site over multiple years.
Sources
The paranormal reputation of the Kendrick House is grounded in the concrete weight of what the building was used for — battlefield surgeries performed on men wounded in the 1861 engagement, in rooms that have not been substantially altered since. EVP recordings gathered during organized investigation sessions have captured sounds and voices that researchers attribute to this period.
Reported phenomena are not dramatic by the standards of performed haunted attractions. Investigators describe temperature variations, equipment anomalies, and audio captures in the dining room and the upper floor rooms. The house operates its paranormal nights as investigations rather than theatrical experiences — participants bring equipment and document what they encounter rather than following a guided scare route.
The association with General Shelby's horses in the parlor has become part of the house's folk history, though the primary documented activity relates to the hospital function rather than the military command.
Guided tours of Jasper County's oldest standing structure, exploring its role in the July 1861 Battle of Carthage and as both Union and Confederate headquarters during the war. The original dining room table remains in place.
Organized evening investigations with access to the full house, including the rooms most associated with EVP recordings and reported activity. Schedule varies; check Victorian Carthage for upcoming dates.
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