FORT SMITH, Ark. — In October, the Around the Corner crew got to experience history at the Clayton House and learn about its creator, William Henry Harrison Clayton— a big name in Fort Smith.
Surrounded by trees in the Belle Grove Historic District, the Clayton House serves as a "living history book of Fort Smith’s elegant Victorian period during the city’s frontier beginnings on the border of Indian Territory," according to its website.
Built in the early 1880s, the mansion functions as a stunning setting for weddings and events. The building boasts sweeping land and historic parlors and attracts visitors from around the area, and beyond.
The name of Williams Clayton holds a lot of weight in the area; he served as the chief prosecutor for the “Hanging Judge" Isaac Parker and helped expand public education in the state as well as supporting women's right to attend school.
Clayton’s wife, Florence Alabama Barnes, helped develop the first Carnegie Library in the state, located in Fort Smith at the old 5NEWS building.
After hearing some of the history, Zac was beyond ready to hear some ghost stories. Jennifer Charter, ATC's concierge at the Clayton House, told the group some of the stories and some of her personal accounts:
Charter said one time she was in the dining room and saw what looked like a woman standing in the corner, but when she looked over again, the apparition was gone. Guests and staff would occasionally see a man standing at the top of the staircase when they came in from the back entrance.
Some visitors of the historic house have reported seeing a ghost cat walk by their feet— none of the ghosts have been reported to be mean or aggressive.
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