Entry No. 30 — the Des Moines file — filed under: poltergeist
Boone County Historical Society (former Masonic Temple)
The 1907 Champlin Memorial Masonic Temple — now the Boone History Center — is a legitimately operating county museum whose resident poltergeist "Frank" is blamed for slamming doors, triggering the old elevator, and switching lights back on after closing. Staff working late have reported hearing their names called in an empty building, giving the place a genuinely eerie layer beneath its exhibits on Eisenhower, Kate Shelley, and early Boone history.
The story
On the corner of 6th and Story Street sits a heavy 1907 structure originally built as the Champlin Memorial Masonic Temple. From the sidewalk, it looks like a standard small-town preservation project—the home of the Boone History Center, filled with quiet exhibits on local coal mining, First Lady Mamie Doud Eisenhower, and teenage railroad heroine Kate Shelley. But beneath the municipal archives and glass display cases lies the distinct, heavy atmosphere of its original secret-society stewards.
Staff and volunteers who stay past the afternoon threshold have long documented an uninvited presence they call "Frank." Frank isn't just a vague local rumor; his routine is remarkably specific. He's blamed for flipping light switches back on after the building is locked down for the night, rattling door frames on the upper floor, and triggering the mechanical clunk and ride of the old elevator without anyone inside.
If you stick around when the galleries empty, the experience turns subtle and distinctly unnerving. Staff members working late in an entirely vacant building have reported hearing their names called clearly from the darkness of the second-floor lodge room. Whether Frank was a former lodge brother attached to the 1907 woodwork or something else entirely, the museum holds a double life once the front doors close.
What it's like
You'll find the museum in downtown Boone, about a 45-minute drive northwest of Des Moines, with easy free street parking right on Story or 6th Street. Inside, it feels like a textbook county historical collection—quiet rooms, framed photographs, and historic artifacts spread across the grand Masonic building. The major hurdle is the operating window: it's open only Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Aim to arrive around noon to inspect the Kate Shelley rail exhibits, then stick near the second floor and elevator shaft as 1:00 p.m. approaches and the floorboards quiet down.
The move: Visit during open hours (Tue–Sat, 10am–1pm) to tour the museum's history galleries in the atmospheric old Masonic lodge, then linger near closing time when the building is emptying out and "Frank" is most active — listen for footsteps on the second floor or the elevator moving on its own, and end with dinner in downtown Boone a block away.
📍 Before you go The History Center sits in the imposing 1907 former Masonic temple on Story Street in downtown Boone, an easy day trip northwest of Des Moines (roughly 45 minutes). Free street parking is usually available right out front on Story and on 6th Street. It's a small county museum open only a few daytime days a week, so confirm the schedule before you make the drive. Bundle the visit with the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad — the museum's Kate Shelley exhibit ties neatly to the famous Kate Shelley High Bridge nearby. The Mamie Doud Eisenhower birthplace house is also in town, but check whether it's open before counting on it.
- 📍 Boone
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 602 Story St, Boone, IA 50036
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Paradox Antiques, Art, & Oddities — Walk just a block down Story Street afterward to browse Victorian taxidermy and dark curiosities that fit the temple's offbeat mood.
- Kate Shelley High Bridge — Drive four miles west to see the massive 185-foot-tall railroad viaduct that brings the museum's Kate Shelley exhibits into full scale.
- In Spyrit Metaphysical (& Des Moines Paranormal) — Head 15 minutes east to Ames to check out a metaphysical supply store co-run by active Iowa paranormal investigators.
Good to know
Where is the museum located?
It occupies the former Champlin Memorial Masonic Temple at 602 Story St in downtown Boone, Iowa.
What are the hours for visiting?
The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Hours can vary, so verify before driving out.
Who is 'Frank'?
Frank is the resident spirit reported by museum staff, blamed for slamming doors, calling out staff names in empty rooms, running the elevator on its own, and turning lights back on after dark.
Where should I park?
Free street parking is usually easy to find right outside on Story Street or around the corner on 6th Street.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · hauntedplaces.org · traveliowa.com
last checked: 2026-06-07