Stone Lion Inn

The Stone Lion Inn originated in 1907 when Oklahoma transitioned from Indian Territory into the 46th United States state, and prominent lumber merchant F.E. Houghton commissioned local craftsmen to construct a luxurious mansion in Guthrie's high-society neighborhood. Spanning 8,000 square feet across three grand floors and a full basement, the Houghton residence showcased fine hardwoods, imported glass, and neoclassical stone columns during this early era.

Tragedy struck the Houghton family in the early 1910s when their eight-year-old daughter, Irene Houghton, died inside the mansion. According to family accounts and local tradition, young Irene was suffering from a severe cough and fever when a maid accidentally administered an overdose of cough syrup containing codeine and opium, leading to her untimely death in an upstairs bedroom.

Following the Houghton family's departure in the 1920s, the mansion was sold and converted into a commercial funeral home, operating for nearly forty years. In 1986, local preservationist Becky Luker purchased the neglected mansion, meticulously restoring its original Victorian architectural details and opening the Stone Lion Inn, which operates today as a modern historic bed and breakfast.

The primary ghost legend at the Stone Lion Inn centers on the spirit of young Irene Houghton. Guests staying in the third-floor suites and second-floor bedrooms frequently report encounters with a playful, mischievous ghost child. According to innkeeper Becky Luker and dozens of overnight guests, Irene's specter can be heard running down the hallways late at night, giggling, pattering with bare feet, and playing with vintage toys left in guest rooms.

Numerous overnight visitors report waking up in the middle of the night to feel a small child gently patting them on the cheek or tucking the bedsheets tightly around their chin. Toys left out on dressers, particularly wooden blocks and antique dolls, are routinely found moved across the room or stacked into neat piles overnight. Guests also report hearing small footsteps coming from the locked attic space directly above the third floor.

In addition to Irene, guests and murder mystery participants report encounters with adult specters linked to the mansion's funeral home era. A tall gentleman dressed in a dark 1920s suit with a pocket watch is frequently seen standing silently near the main parlor staircase, while staff in the basement wine cellar describe feeling an icy, oppressive presence believed to be an old undertaker still watching over his former embalming room. Local lore maintains that the mansion's unique dual history creates an unusually active haunt.

Overnight guests, inn employees, and television investigation crews at the Stone Lion Inn have documented a wide range of active paranormal phenomena. The most frequent occurrence is the sound of disembodied footsteps and childish laughter echoing through empty upper hallways long after all guests have retired for the evening.

Physical poltergeist events are regularly recorded inside the guest suites. Closet doors unlatch and swing open on their own, water faucets turn on unexpectedly in private bathrooms, and bedside lamps flicker or turn off despite modern electrical wiring. Multiple guests have reported seeing shadowy human silhouettes standing at the foot of their beds at night.

During interactive murder mystery dinners, participants have witnessed heavy velvet parlor drapes swaying violently without any draft, accompanied by sudden localized cold spots that drop room temperatures dramatically. Unexplained scents of old-fashioned floral embalming perfume and tobacco smoke are also frequently noted near the formal entry hall.

The Stone Lion Inn is a majestic three-story Greek Revival and Neoclassical mansion spanning over 8,000 square feet. The exterior features massive white stone lion statues guarding the front entrance, a two-story portico supported by grand Ionic columns, expansive covered verandas, and red brick masonry with decorative stone trim.

The interior retains its original 1907 architectural splendor, featuring Quarter-sawn oak woodwork, grand pocket doors, hand-carved fireplace mantels, leaded stain-glass windows, and a sweeping central oak staircase. The mansion houses six luxurious guest suites, formal parlor dining rooms, a commercial kitchen, and a historic stone basement once used as a funeral home embalming facility.

The Stone Lion Inn is located at 1016 West Warner Avenue in historic Guthrie, Oklahoma, approximately 30 miles north of downtown Oklahoma City via Interstate 35. The inn operates year-round as an active bed and breakfast lodging facility and special event venue.

Overnight room reservations are available for guests wishing to experience the mansion's historic rooms, fine hospitality, and famous ghost lore. The inn is world-famous for its weekend interactive murder mystery dinner theater packages, which include a seven-course dinner, entertainment, and overnight stay. Free off-street parking is available on the manicured grounds for all visiting guests and dinner participants.

The Stone Lion Inn's haunted reputation stems from its tragic history involving young Irene Houghton's accidental death combined with four decades of operation as a commercial funeral home. Featured on major national television shows including 'My Ghost Story' and celebrated for its interactive murder mystery dinners, the mansion stands as Oklahoma's premier haunted bed and breakfast destination, attracting dark tourism enthusiasts from around the world.