The Murrell Home, located at 19479 E Murrell Rd, Park Hill, OK, is the only antebellum plantation house still standing in the state. Built in 1845 by George Michael Murrell, a wealthy white planter married to Minerva Ross, the home is one of the few surviving structures from the antebellum period in Cherokee lands. The Murrell family, allied with the influential Ross family, moved to Indian Territory around 1839. The plantation, originally named Hunter’s Home due to George's passion for fox hunting, features Greek Revival architecture and was equipped with modern amenities of the time, including living quarters for enslaved people, a barn, and a smokehouse. The home witnessed significant historical events, including troop movements during the Civil War, yet it survived relatively unscathed, unlike many local buildings.
In 1948, the state of Oklahoma acquired the house, which was designated a national historic landmark in 1974 and is now run by the Oklahoma Historical Society. The museum showcases life in the 1800s through living history demonstrations, allowing guests to experience chores, cooking, and crafting from that era. Additionally, the home is known for its haunted reputation, with numerous accounts of ghostly encounters, including sightings of Civil War soldiers and children playing. Paranormal activities reported include flickering lights, mysterious noises, and apparitions, such as a woman in an attic window and a shadowy girl in a plaid dress. Annual events like the May Day Celebration and Ghost Stories events attract visitors, making the Murrell Home a significant historical and cultural site within the Cherokee Nation.
Join Tiff as she takes us on a spine-tingling adventure to the early days of Indian Territory, where life was both humble and haunting…
Sources:
Ghost Stories from Murrell Home by Jennifer Sparks