SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — Siouxlanders may be able to visit staged haunts during the Halloween season, but there are some places in Sioux City that are rumored to be really haunted. Some have even been investigated by a paranormal team.  

Swift Packing Company

Among the oldest locations in Sioux City that have been rumored to be haunted include the old KD station, and the history of the building may suggest those rumors are true.  

The KD building started as a meat-packing plant in 1915 but the plant didn’t last long before going bankrupt. It was then purchased by Swift and Co. and operated as a packing operation, according to the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce.

According to Iowa Haunted Houses, there had been an explosion resulting from a gas leak in 1949. The incident cost several lives, and some believe those spirits still reside there.  

According to the Siouxland Chamber of Commerce, the location was turned into a shopping center, a bowling alley, and a miniature golf course. The security and martial arts owner was the first to report strange occurrences.

The Chamber states that the martial arts owner unscrewed all of the lights at the KD station before heading to the front of the building to lock the doors and leave. When he glanced back at the building, all of the lights had been turned back on.

The owner allegedly reported that because the lights had to be unscrewed in order to turn them off, it took longer than 30 minutes to turn them back on. He indicated that it would have been impossible for someone to turn on the lights in 30 seconds, which scared him away from going back inside that night. The Chamber writes that when he returned, the lights were off.

Iowa Haunted Houses and the Chamber showed that visitors also reported strange occurrences, including elevators that seemed to move when they weren’t in operation.

Iowa Haunted Houses also state that the center’s brochures were printed with “Paul Pulaski, our in-house ghost, welcomes you.”  

The building caught fire in 2006 and was deemed unsafe, it is now slated for demolition.  

One reviewer of the location stated that while they were exploring the basement with their friend, rocks were thrown at them, but they couldn’t find the source. They indicated that it could have been a homeless person, or a ghost saying get out.  

Para911, Sioux City’s paranormal investigators, said that they were set to investigate the building, but it was canceled because the building was slated to be demolished before they had the chance.

Calvary Cemetery 

The Calvary Cemetery is Sioux City’s second oldest cemetery in town, and some who’ve walked the grounds have reported an unexplained ringing in their ears accompanied by the feeling of cobwebs being draped over their faces.  

Iowa Haunted Houses indicated that the spooky sensations increase when approaching a grave whose headstone was carved from part of a tree. It’s also rumored that the tree was once used for hangings.  

Rose LeFluer with Para911 said that she noticed that it looked like there were the spirits of a family in the background of one of the photos that she took of the carved headstone.

One reviewer states that she was followed by the stench of something dead while looking for the grave of her ancestors.  

The latest reviewer reports seeing a full-body apparition. He says that he and his wife saw a full gray man running “at a full sprint” past them before turning into a mist running from left to right. When they were leaving the cemetery, they noted that there had been a fresh grave dug where the apparition allegedly turned to mist.  

Lefler House 

The Lefler house is rumored to be haunted due to several murders that allegedly took place there. Historian John Vodochodsky stated that more than 40 years ago, an ex-boyfriend of one of the residents allegedly strangled one of their friends in his car that was parked in the driveway.

Vodochodsky explained that the spelling of Lefler has never been clear, and records have shown it spelled as Leflur as well.

and Iowa Haunted Houses have reported that people have seen a red glow upstairs, and if someone working on the house left their tools inside they would be found in the basement the next day.

Vodochodsky also reported that residents couldn’t keep birds as a pet because the bird would die prematurely and seemingly for no reason. He also alleged that dogs would refuse to go inside.

Vodoshodsky and Iowa Haunted Houses showed that the attic will get so cold that you can see your breath, even in the hottest time of summer.

Iowa Haunted Houses added that there were reports of a washing machine that runs on its own, and the owner reported seeing the ghost of a woman who was wearing a blue dress. The owner also indicated that they’d seen a marble being thrown across the home.  

A reviewer stated that while they were living behind the house, they experienced paranormal activity. Allegedly, you could hear people outside when there was no one out there. They reported smelling smoke and hearing footsteps, and ghosts shutting the lights off at bedtime. Allegedly, the ghost would move things out of the back bedroom and held the reviewer’s mother down on the bed because it didn’t like her.  

Dave LaFleur with Para911 said that he had heard several people talk about the house being haunted. He also stated that he heard that the house was haunted by several spirits who died there and reports of a red light on one of the upper floors.

Prairie Hills 

The Prairie Hills was investigated by Para911 in 2021, and Board Chairman Rockey De Witt said it was approved because there have been stories surrounding the building for years. He indicated that even some deputies have told De Witt stories about the building.  The building was slated to be demolished after the team did their investigation.  

According to Dave LaFleur, 2-3 voices or sounds were heard and one instance, while they were in an enclosed workout room where a heavy punching bag was swinging slightly. The room had no open doors or windows, so there was seemingly no reason for the bag to be swinging on its own.

Rose LaFleur stated that while they were in the lady’s ward, the audio recording picked up a “peek-a-boo” while they were walking through a set of double doors. She specified that they never heard it until they listened to the recording.

Additional audio picked up a man’s voice in the kitchen, according to Dave LaFleur. He added that they inferred that the original cook who worked there had passed away.

Myrtle Street residence

Para911 had the opportunity to investigate a residence located on Myrtle Street off West 19th Street. Dave Lafleur said there were reports of things that would fly off of bookshelves, doors and windows would slam, and additional paranormal activity.

Dave LaFleur added that it was one of the only houses in Sioux City that they have investigated where the team picked up audio of class A electronic voice phenomenon (EVPs).

Dave Lafluer said that the team was asking the spirits questions. They asked how the spirit felt about the people living in the residence, and the audio picked up an older man’s “really gruff” voice that stated, “we don’t want nobody here.” He specified that video evidence showed that no one investigating the house could have been the source of the voice.

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The Para911 team said that while they are based in Sioux City, they often travel to several places to investigate, including the Missouri State Penitentiary. They added that anyone who would like them to investigate a haunted location can contact them on Facebook with the details of the suspected haunting.

Iowa Haunted Houses have specified that they do not endorse entering buildings that are unsafe or not open to the public. All parties wishing to enter haunted locations should obtain the proper permits or permissions before entering.