History and Background from the last owner of the building

 

Within two years of its operation, they supposedly had individuals dropped off at the front doorsteps rather than going to poorhouses for help.  These less fortunate individuals were not provided with the proper care and treatment they needed and were placed in two rooms on the front wing for housing.  There were also 2 of the front rooms supposedly used for mental health patients.  These patients received only basic care and food and were included in the nursing home patient count, allowing the building to receive additional funding.  This went on for about 8 months until some of the nurses filed a complaint with the state, which forced the residents out of the nursing home.

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It is said the facility later became a treatment center for mentally ill patients and served as a halfway house and juvenile home for children and teens in the 1990’s. Internet stories state it was a trauma center and a makeshift morgue at some point in its history. However, a search of the local and state newspapers could not corroborate these claims.

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The main wing in the middle was used for individuals who required more intensive care, not necessarily related to mental health, but instead medical care.  The people who were more competent and who could take care of themselves with minimal supervision were kept in the south wing.   The right wing was used as a hospice care wing.  They kept the more severe medical cases there and would keep them comfortable until they passed.  From 1954 to 1999, it served as a nursing home until it relocated across town.  

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Claims from former nurses who worked in the nursing home told others about their “paranormal encounters.”  These encounters ranged from seeing shadow figures, constantly hearing voices, and being touched.  This has also been a claim by former business owners who have set up in the old building.  Businesses usually did not last more than 9 months due to the alleged activity.  

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In 1976, the number of patients at the nursing home declined significantly, so the current owner had to rent out the other wings to other businesses to stay afloat.  They ended up renting out the south wing to a trauma center.  The employees of the trauma center stated they had many paranormal encounters with hearing voices, seeing full apparitions, and being touched, to the extent that they left a lot of their equipment in the building and opened up their center in Idabel, Oklahoma, which is about 20 minutes from the nursing home. The employees of the trauma center claimed there was too much paranormal activity taking place in the building, which prevented them from doing their job correctly.  

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The north wing was rented out in 1998 and became a halfway house for juvenile offenders.  Seven months after it was rented out, they opened up an alternative school in the same wing.  When this occurred, they had a student there nicknamed “Nick,” who took his life at age 17 in this same wing.  Nick had also lived in this wing during the time it served as a halfway house for juvenile offenders.  Nick’s family has been interviewed, and according to them, Nick’s life was very tragic since both of his parents were addicts, so he had to live with various family members and family friends during times when his parents could not provide a safe and secure home for him.  Nick is considered to be the main spirit who resides in the old nursing home.  It is also said that visitors to the building can now see two sides of Nick: his human side and his alternate ego, or dark side.

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Between 1999 and 2006, the building remained vacant.  Then, in 2006, the building was rented out again and became a fire training facility.  Evidence of this business can still be seen through its makeshift walls, located in the south wing, which were used as training routes.  Later, three businessmen decided to purchase the building and turn it into a “Haunted House.”  These three men had heard rumors that the old nursing home was haunted, but they were not believers in the paranormal, so they gave no credence to the rumors.  Two weeks into working the haunted house, known then as the “Broken Bow Asylum,” one of the men was doing electrical work in the rafters when he claimed someone approached him and whispered in his ear.  This disturbed him so severely that he withdrew from the partnership.  A few months later, when they were setting up for the haunted house, one of the other men went into the building with his 7-year-old son to drop off some of the supplies.  The son asked his dad, “Who’s that guy?”  The son had seen a man standing at the end of the hallway.  A bit shaken, the father and son backed out of the building and never entered it again.   The man decided to continue his partnership for another year but refused ever to enter the building again.   

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Workers for the haunted house also had paranormal claims.  One female worker reported being bitten on the leg by an unseen object.  She had physical bite marks to prove she had been bitten.  Another worker at the haunted house had a job of sitting in a tub full of body parts, and he stated that he felt like his leg was being sawed off, but no marks were left.  Another worker in one of the rooms was wearing a mask and felt the mask being pushed so hard into his face that it made him bleed.  With numerous reports of unusual claims, the previous owner of the building decided to sell it.

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The owner, subsequently, has had to invest a significant amount of money in the building to help restore it and has owned it for three years.   This owner has permitted paranormal teams to conduct investigations within the building.  She has claimed to have recorded various types of paranormal evidence.  

 

Another main spirit that is said to haunt this location is a little girl named Emily, who supposedly died from a house fire along with her dad.  She is often reported to be found in the south wing area.  The current owner is said to have found documentation of this alleged girl named Emily.

Shadow figures are often seen here as well.  She recommended using laser grids to help capture this phenomenon.  Bangs and knocks are also said to occur in the building.  Electronic equipment is said to produce excellent results, as well as electronic toys and music, especially music from the 1950’s and 1960’s.  The music that seems to be favored over all others is music by Elvis Presley and Patsy Cline.