After purchasing an old building, the new owner discovered it was once a mortuary
OZARK, MO. – Alta Bivens and her mother Charlotte Bivens, a local real estate agent, are no strangers to buying old properties and fixing them up. It seems this is a financial investment and a beloved hobby both were born to do.
When the historic corner property on Church Street in Ozark, Mo., just off the town’s square, went up for sale, Charlotte said: “I think you should buy it.” And she did. The rest, shall we say, is history.
When Alta purchased the former Methodist Church, which was converted into the Christian County History Museum for 30 years (the museum is now located on the south side of the square), she had no idea her dream of a historic antique shop and historic community venue had formerly served as the Presbyterian Mortuary.
“I fell in love with the design of the building and the architectural integrity it showcased,” Alta said. “I was surprised when I learned a part of its history, but that just adds to the allure.”
At the sale’s closing, when doing a walk-through of the property, the real estate agent commented: “The hearse would park at the north end of the alley for the funeral home.” This was the first time Alta realized her latest purchase had once been a funeral home.
Alta was given a newspaper clipping from a contracted plumber during the construction process that touted the building as home to Klepper’s Funeral Home. The property had previously been home to Ozark Undertaking Company and The Embalming Company before the Kleppers owned it. Mr. Klepper worked as a funeral director while working part-time as a washing machine salesman. Since he sold Maytag appliances, Alta honored him by selecting modern versions of a washer and dryer by the same name. She is hopeful this will endear his spirit to her, should he still be hanging around what was once his home and livelihood.
The rich and varied history of this enchanting church, mortuary and antique shop has seemingly inspired Alta and Charlotte to make this a historically, and possibly haunted, Airbnb. Many local guests have stayed in the home, some traveling from several states away to indulge in the rare opportunity to temporarily reside in what used to be a home that housed the dead.
When Alta purchased the property, she dreamed of turning it into an antique shop/flea market, but that space is now the main living quarters in the Airbnb.
When Alta and Charlotte decided to capitalize on the historic church’s macabre history, they focused on converting the space into a modern residence for visitors to enjoy. Alta wanted to stay in tune with the morgue-like atmosphere. While the furnishings and amenities are comfortable and aesthetically pleasing, each piece was carefully selected to pay homage to the building’s rich history and morgue-like theme.
In the kitchen is an impressive scrapbook-themed framing of the old building’s records, pictures, and other interesting memorabilia Alta has collected since she purchased the property. There are several important documents and records from 1900 when the building housed the Methodist Church. There is also an embalming registration certificate from 1918.
At the foot of the king-size bed is a rare 1800s cooling table once used to lay out the bodies of the dead, preserving them for burial. Before modern methods of keeping bodies cool to delay decomposition, blocks of ice were placed under the table to maintain a cool temperature until burial.
Another interesting piece is the coffee table (which Alta calls the “coffin table”) in the seating area. It was a holding table for coffins and allowed easy transport from room to room.
The property did not come furnished or with rare morgue utilities.
“These were all finds I researched and purchased locally to accentuate the theme of our guest home,” Alta explained.
Exceptional attention to detail was chosen for the décor. From the skull-enhanced sheets to the hauntingly amenities, this Airbnb was set up to pay homage to its historic role as a living morgue.
Alta recently discovered the large, spa-like bathroom was once the embalming room for the funeral home. A decorative “Embalming Room” sign hangs on the door leading to the restroom. The sign was hung before she realized it was once used as an embalming room.
Alta desired to keep as much integrity from the original architecture as possible. The bathroom and living area both host a wall of beautifully exposed brick. The black claw-foot tub belonged to Alta’s great-grandparents. There is also a large glass-walled walk-in shower.
Plans for The Historic Morgue, Alta said, include opening the front part of the building (what was once a church sanctuary) as an antique shop, perhaps as early as the fall of 2024. In addition, she would like to clear the storage items from the basement and include the area as part of the paranormal ghost tours in which so many curious investigators are inclined to participate.
That paranormal activity, along with a healthy sense of haunted curiosity and wild imagination, is a draw for guests.
Alta offers a journal for her guests to record any strange experiences they might have during their stay. However, she suggests not reading about others’ experiences before allowing the home to speak individually to each guest who stays.
Each stay includes a paranormal kit, a basket of selfie-promoting gadgets, and an original coffin-shaped marquee, personally welcoming each family of guests to The Historic Morgue. Being an animal lover herself, for an additional fee, Alta encourages guests to include their pets in their haunted home-away-from-home adventure. However, she states many guests seem to experience less otherworldly phenomena when their canine family members are present.
A paranormal team once left at 3 a.m. after gaining more frights than they bargained for in their search for otherworldly footage. A single male resident also left the building and slept in his car. He later said: “If I hadn’t been alone, I might have stayed. But there was definitely enough creep factor that I just needed to get out of that atmosphere.”
One bizarre occurrence happened on Halloween night. Multiple guests in the same family felt frequent tapping on their legs while trying to sleep. A little girl’s voice has been heard, saying what sounded like the word: “Me.” Numerous guests, as well as Alta and Charlotte have seen and heard the heavy door between the kitchen and living area close, seemingly on its own.
Alta describes herself as a skeptic yet has had multiple encounters that can only be explained by non-physical visitations or paranormal phenomena. As she worked alone in the former church/mortuary, Alta felt the distinct pressure of a hand on her shoulder, but no one was there when she turned.
Alta and Charlotte were painting the inside of the church, and a cardboard box was sitting on the floor. Its contents, that of a barn door, were weighty. The box began to rotate and shift upwards, against the natural downgrade of gravity from the sloped sanctuary floor. Alta and Charlotte gently chided whoever was causing the bizarre encounter and simply continued with their painting.
During construction, random items were moved around or were missing. They chalked it up to the spirits who never left.
“They were here before us, so we respect their right to be here still, and we talk to them all the time,” Alta said, adding that it is not unusual to hear footsteps or shuffling feet, which speed up or slow down based on the person’s lead.
Recently, Alta was contacted by a local assisted living coordinator in hopes she could bring her retirees on a field trip to The Historic Morgue. She questioned the coordinator if this was the best audience for a place with such a seemingly macabre history focused on death. They laughed over the irony of the situation, yet the elderly guests enjoyed the visit, asked questions, and soaked up the history of the old morgue.
Their harrowing visit to the morgue was the perfect get-away dessert to their fancy dinner at the
Alta and her mother take the role of owner and host of The Historic Morgue very seriously. They have tried diligently to keep the integrity of architecture intact. They love the richness of history this old building affords and enjoy sharing it with their beloved community of Ozark and the surrounding area.
“This converted home has a comforting and creepy air if that makes sense,” Alta said. “It is comforting because you are never alone, even when you think you are. Yet, it is creepy for the same reason.”
