Halloween Stories

CHENEY – As Halloween approaches, Cheney’s most infamous ghost stories come to life once again. Whether rooted in fact or pure legend, these eerie tales have become part of the town’s folklore. Here are three of the most well-known ghost stories that continue to haunt Cheney’s history.

The First

Recorded Ghost Story

In 1909, Elizabeth McLanahan made headlines in the Spokesman Review with her claim of a ghost haunting her Cheney home. McLanahan, a widow who earned a modest living doing laundry, was so troubled by the mysterious presence that she offered a $15 reward for its capture—a significant sum at the time, equivalent to about $400 today.

Her plea appeared in the Review on October 31, 1909, with the headline: “Ghost Seen at Cheney: Woman Fears Strange Specter That Haunts Cottage.” McLanahan told reporters that the ghost had been tormenting her for months. She explained, “Anyone who identifies the party prowling around my back door, yard, and kitchen windows between 7 and 9 o’clock, I’ll give them fifteen dollars.” She described the figure as “ghostlike,” adding that it seemed to float and didn’t appear to wear shoes.

McLanahan’s house was located at 321 6th Street, where Lee Apartments now stand, just across from Eastern Washington University. She sold the house in 1917 and moved several times within Cheney. One of her homes, located at 414 4th Street, burned down in the 1980s. Today, the site is a parking lot, but the memory of her ghost story lingers.

The Girl in the White Dress

Another famous tale from Cheney is the legend of a little girl ghost in a white dress, said to wander Cheney Cemetery. Descriptions of the ghost are consistent—she is thought to be around six or eight years old, wearing an old-fashioned white dress, silently roaming the cemetery.

Some say she is searching for her family, while others believe she died under tragic, unknown circumstances. Visitors to the cemetery have reported sightings of the girl at dusk or in the dead of night, often near the gravestones or wandering among the trees. On occasion, she disappears when approached, vanishing into the mist. Witnesses frequently describe a sudden chill in the air and faint sounds, like whispers or giggling.

Despite the lack of historical records confirming her identity, the legend of the girl in the white dress has become an enduring part of Cheney’s folklore. Helen Boots, a local historian with the Cheney Cemetery Association, commented on the story twenty years ago: “There’s a girl in a white dress at Cheney Cemetery, alright. She usually sits by that tree,” she said, pointing to a large tree near the center of the cemetery.

Harriet: The Ghost of Sutton Hall

One of the spookiest stories in Cheney takes place on the campus of Eastern Washington University. Sutton Hall, one of the university’s oldest buildings, is said to be haunted by the spirit of a young woman named Harriet.

According to campus legend, Harriet was a student who lived in Sutton Hall many years ago. The circumstances of her death are murky—some claim she died in a tragic accident, while others suggest she took her own life. Either way, her presence has been felt ever since.

Students and staff have reported strange happenings in the building: doors opening and closing on their own, lights flickering without explanation, and eerie footsteps echoing through empty halls. Harriet is generally thought to be a benign spirit, but some have experienced a more unsettling atmosphere, with shadowy figures and inexplicable movements of objects.

Though Sutton Hall has been renovated and repurposed over the years, Harriet’s story persists, especially around Halloween. For those who believe, the historic building remains a hot-spot for paranormal activity.