Utah

Utah ghost stories: Draper’s haunted history

Published

4 weeks ago

November 8, 2025

Utah ghost stories: Draper’s haunted history

I don’t know if I believe in ghosts. But I very much believe in ghost tours.

Ghost tours are one of my favorite spooky season festivities. “Isn’t spooky season over?” you might ask. I, for one, don’t think so. The weather leading up to Halloween was unseasonably warm and it never truly felt gloomy enough to really get into the haunted spirit. But now, the week when we turned back the clocks, it’s been freezing in the mornings and I’ve felt existential dread every day at 1 p.m. when the sun starts to set. So I’m feeling gloomier and spookier than ever, and ready to think about how my town might be haunted.

I’ve done a lot of ghost tours in major cities, often to the chagrin of my travel companions. I forced my mom to take a Jack the Ripper tour with me in London. I’ll be honest, that one was more gruesome than I had anticipated. My husband had to tromp around Chicago with me for the mobsters and murder tour, which again, was pretty detailed about the specific ways the “ghosts” had been murdered. And I signed my friends and myself up for the official Savannah, Georgia, ghost tour. Which was, once again, gruesome.

These big, touristy cities all seemed to have plenty of gnarly stories to fill hours worth of guides’ tales while walking around their downtowns. It’s something that would never work in my small Utah city, I assumed. Foolishly.

So I was surprised and delighted to learn that there was a Draper, Utah, ghost tour available. I was so excited that I signed up without realizing I would be out of town for the last available tour date. When I reached out to cancel my reservation, the tour guide, Anna Sokol, kindly offered a private tour for when I was back in town.

This was Sokol’s third year doing the tour. Sokol — a history and spooky story enthusiast — started offering the free service while she was still in high school, believing she could gather enough spine-tingling stories about historic Draper to put together a tour. She was correct.

Now, as a freshman at Brigham Young University, Sokol has stayed committed to the tour and commuted back and forth from Provo to Draper to entertain the ghost-curious Draperites on many October nights.

Anna Sokol poses for photos in the area of the Draper Historical Park on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025. Sokol offers ghost story tours in the area. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

We met in Draper Historic Park near the gazebo the day after Halloween, where she handed me the ghost detector she usually hands to children on the tour. Sokol was equipped with a binder full of dates, images and newspaper clippings, and a head full of Draper’s scariest stories. She began by pointing out the statue of Ebenezer Brown, the pioneer who settled in Draper in 1849. His life wasn’t any spookier than a typical pioneer, but, according to Sokol, a few generations down the family line, Brown’s great-great-great-grandson murdered his wife and tried to plead insanity. His plea failed when it quickly became apparent that his motive was long-held misogyny.

Next, Sokol showed me a home built in 1918 to house World War I veterans. It’s been a number of different businesses over the years and now functions as the coffee and soda shop Bubbles and Beans. It was Sokol’s high school job at the shop, and a spooky encounter she had there, that piqued her interest in Draper ghosts in the first place.

“We always knew it was a little haunted,” she told me.

One day, when she showed up for work, she found a few police officers outside the house talking to her co-workers. They had called the police after hearing footsteps in the attic and assuming there must be a squatter inside. But when the police went to the attic to investigate, they found that the layer of dust that coated the floor remained undisturbed. This was confusing news to Sokol’s co-workers, who had used a selfie stick to raise a phone up to the window of the attic and captured a dark and blurry picture that showed the reflection of two eyes. But when they went to show the police the photo, it was gone from the phone.

Virtually every business in the area has similar spooky stories, Sokol learned when she asked the people in these places to share. The employees at the salon around the corner from the soda shop told Sokol about the ghost they believe haunts the space. They have named her Myrtle. Sokol showed me the Sorenson home, once occupied by a woman named Martina. Martina enjoyed sitting in her yellow rocking chair and listening to baseball games on the radio up until her death in 1954. Years later, some teens attempted to break into the Sorenson home, but were deterred when they spotted the silhouette of a woman in a rocking chair, and heard the faint sounds of a baseball game.

But it was in the small cemetery between many of the houses-turned-businesses where Sokol shared the town’s spookiest stories. There were stories of teen troublemakers taunting spirits and regretting it when a malevolent spirit allegedly revealed itself. Stories of visions of the deceased at vigils and bright images in the sky. The most unsettling story, however, had no supernatural elements, but instead revealed how gruesome history is on its own.

Moroni Clawson was murdered and initially buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery. His body at the time was unidentified, so a kind-hearted police officer purchased clothes for Clawson to be buried in. When Clawson’s brother later claimed the body and requested to have it moved to Draper, officials exhumed the coffin. And they were startled to find Clawson’s body unclothed within.

Clawson had been the latest victim of the grave robber Jean Baptiste. A search of Baptiste’s home revealed he had been robbing graves for years, and nearly 300 plots were violated, many of them belonging to women and children. Baptiste was exiled to an island in the Great Salt Lake. But the exile didn’t last long before he fashioned a raft out of the door and sides of his shack, escaped and was never seen again. It was a gruesome and upsetting story.

And it numbered among the best I’ve heard on any ghost tour. Because the best ghost tours, led by the best guides, reveal that history doesn’t need any supernatural elements to make our hair stand on end. It’s plenty spooky on its own, so long as it’s presented correctly. And can, sneakily, imbue a respect for the people and places of our towns’ histories. “It makes life special to know the background of the buildings and the people who came before us,” Sokol explained.

“I love history,” Sokol told me. “And I think it’s just so much more palatable and so many more people are interested if there’s a spooky element to it.”

She loves history so much that she’s committed to doing the tour until the day she dies. “I love that it’s accessible,” she said. “I love that I can just say, come to Draper Park at 6:30 the weekend before Halloween and I’ll teach you a little bit about history. I’m an enthusiast.”

Next year, I’m taking everyone I know on the tour with me. Because I think it’s important to know the history of where we live. And it’s fun to feel spooked every once in a while.

Until then, I’ll be watching for updates at @draperhistoricghosttour on Instagram.

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Utah

Gov. Cox calls Utah Legislature into special session on redistricting, to repeal collective bargaining ban

Published

3 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Press Room

Gov. Cox calls Utah Legislature into special session on redistricting, to repeal collective bargaining ban

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Gov. Spencer Cox has called the Utah Legislature into a special session to address redistricting and election-related issues, and repeal Utah’s collective bargaining ban after it qualified for a vote on the 2026 ballot.

The call was anticipated, but beyond election deadlines, the agenda items signal that lawmakers will address the appellate process when they gather on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 6 p.m. The GOP-controlled legislature is currently anticipating embarking on an appeals process after a Third District judge struck down a redistricted map drawn by lawmakers and put in place one crafted by an expert for anti-gerrymandering groups.

Lawmakers will address “amendments to court rules related to appeals by government officers or governmental entities and appeals of election, voting, and redistricting cases; and clarify that the Utah Supreme Court has exclusive and original appellate jurisdiction over election, voting, and redistricting cases, to address the appeals process for a post-judgment motion on attorney fees in such cases, and address statutory inconsistencies,” according to the Governor’s call.

As reported exclusively by ABC4, lawmakers will push back filing deadlines and consider a joint resolution about the “constitutional authority” of the courts. Utah’s GOP leaders have been highly critical of Judge Dianna Gibson since the ruling in late August, some even suggesting impeachment.

Repeal of HB267 after successful signature gathering

The repeal of the anti-collective bargaining ban, known by its bill name H.B. 267, comes after months of speculation that a repeal was in the works after public labor unions gathered more than enough signatures at lightning speed for a referendum to put the question to voters in 2026.

The coalition labor groups, called Protect Utah Workers, supported the repeal in a statement after the call was made public.

“The expected repeal belongs to the Utahns who stood up and signed the referendum,” the coalition said. “More than 320,000 people who signed the petition sent a clear message that public workers deserve a voice on the job. The coalition thanks legislative leadership for respecting the will of the people. This anticipated repeal preserves the rights of firefighters, police, nurses, public educators, transportation workers, airport staff, and all other critical public workers who improve the lives of Utahns every day,” said a spokesperson for the group.

Here is the complete list of agenda items for Tuesday’s special session:

to modify election provisions relating to qualifying for placement on a primary election ballot, including changing the declaration of candidacy filing period for congressional office;
to consider a joint resolution of the House of Representatives and the Senate regarding constitutional authority, including in redistricting, and the redistricting process;
to consider amendments to court rules related to appeals by government officers or governmental entities and appeals of election, voting, and redistricting cases;
to clarify that the Utah Supreme Court has exclusive and original appellate jurisdiction over election, voting, and redistricting cases, to address the appeals process for a post- judgment motion on attorney fees in such cases, and to address statutory inconsistencies regarding the appellate jurisdiction of the Utah Supreme Court and Utah Court of Appeals; and
to repeal H.B. 267, Public Sector Labor Union Amendments, enacted in the 2025
General Session.

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What to Watch For in OKC Thunder vs. Utah Jazz

Published

16 hours ago

December 7, 2025

Press Room

What to Watch For in OKC Thunder vs. Utah Jazz

Oklahoma City has dominated the NBA. They hope to continue to do so on Sunday against the Utah Jazz, the second time the Thunder have played in Salt Lake City this season. In the first meeting, OKC overcame a red-hot shooting night to eventually blow out the Jazz after Utah put themselves in a great position following the opening frame.

In that game, the Thunder were short handed, much like they will be in this contest. So far this season, Oklahoma City has missed multiple games from All-NBA swingman Jalen Williams, Rising Star big man Chet Holmgren, Sharpshooter Isaiah Joe, Top Bench Bucket Getter Aaron Wiggins, Defensive-Aces Alex Caruso and Lu Dort, veteran Kenrich Williams and starting big man Isaiah Hartenstein.

For this Sunday affair, the Oklahoma City Thunder will see their superstar, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, miss his first game of the season with elbow bursitis. Joining him in street clothes will be Joe, Caruso, Dort and Hartenstein.

This will make Mark Daigneault’s job a bit trickier but the OKC Thunder are still favored to win this road contest. Here is what to watch for tonight.

Nov 21, 2025; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) goes to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) during the first half at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images | Rob Gray-Imagn Images

What to Watch For

Oklahoma City is having to navigate its first game of the season without superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. To take an automatic 30 points out of the lineup will be hard to replace; he has been the lone constant in this season for the short-handed Bricktown Ballers. This will take Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren stepping up in a big way in the scoring department to replace that production.

The big question remains the Thunder’s depth, Oklahoma City will have to shuffle their rotation and likely include lineups without any of Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams or Holmgren on the court. How will OKC handle that outcome on the offensive end?

This game will likely come down to who performs the best shooting from distance, the great equalizer in basketball and if either team is red-hot it can help mask deficiencies for both clubs.

Game Information

Date: Dec. 07
Matchup: OKC Thunder (22-1) vs. Utah Jazz (8-14)
Time: 07:00 PM CT
Location: Delta Center –– Salt Lake City, UT
TV: Fanduel Sports OK
Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1 FM)

The Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping to cap off a 3-0 week with a win tonight over the Utah Jazz. The Thunder then get to enjoy two more days off before opening up the knockout round of the NBA Cup tournament on Dec. 10 against the Phoenix Suns. That game holds the right for the winner to advance to Vegas and continue their pursuit of the cup championship and cash prize at the end. Oklahoma City sits 22-1, two games shy of the Warriors’ 24-1 start way back in 2015-16.

Stay tuned to Thunder on SI for complete coverage of this Oklahoma City Thunder season as the Bricktown Ballers continue to make history this season.

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Oregon State men grind out win over Southern Utah for second straight

Published

1 day ago

December 6, 2025

Press Room

Oregon State men grind out win over Southern Utah for second straight

CORVALLIS — Never quite able to pull far enough away for comfort despite a 22-point lead in the first half Saturday, Oregon State men’s basketball beat Southern Utah 81-70 at Gill Coliseum.

The Beavers (5-5) were led by Dez White with 20 points and Johan Munch with 16.

The Thunderbirds (4-7) were the worst team OSU has faced this season in terms of NET ranking at No. 343.

“That’s as good as we’ve seen them play on tape this year,” OSU coach Wayne Tinkle said of Southern Utah. “They did a lot of really good things, played their tails off, caused us some frustration. We did a lot of really good things in spurts, but it wasn’t as good of a 40-minute effort as we need.”

The win was Oregon State’s second straight, coming on the heels of a five-game losing streak.

White was red-hot from the start, hitting his first three attempts to give OSU a 13-6 lead. He had 16 points in the first half alone.

Noah Amenhauser came in at center and forced his will, scoring two straight baskets to make it 17-6 Beavers.

Turnovers and poor transition defense hurt OSU as the first half progressed, though, and Southern Utah rattled off a 6-0 run to cut the OSU lead to 20-16.

“We didn’t keep the ball in front of us,” Tinkle said. “They got downhill, got to the paint at will. In our zone, we didn’t have enough communication or urgency to match. And when we don’t communicate and see our area and the ball, we have breakdowns. They still got to the rim against zone a couple of times and we lost shooters.”

But as the Beavers picked up the pace, they blew the game wide open.

Ja’Quavis Williford — playing his third game since returning from injury — hit two quick buckets to make it 25-16 Beavers. OSU would extend that to 45-23 at one point, fueled by transition play and White’s confident scoring at all three levels.

OSU is dealing with both injuries and illness for key players: Yaak Yaak is still reconditioning after being out for the entire Paradise Jam tournament; Matija Samar is close to being back from a sprained MCL, and the Beavers are hoping to have him next week; and Keziah Ekissi is recovering from an illness that has kept him sidelined.

The Thunderbirds finished the half strong, going on a 7-0 run to cut it to 45-30 at the break.

While OSU came out in the second half sluggish in the early going, Munch powered to the basket on three straight possessions to get the lead up to 55-38 with 13:45 to go.

OSU kept the lead around 12-14 as the second half rolled along, but Tinkle’s frustration was evident throughout the game — primarily in response to defensive breakdowns leading to easy baskets for the Thunderbirds.

OSU led 65-51 at the 9:40 mark. Southern Utah got as close as 68-59 with just under seven minutes to go.

The Beavers picked up the defensive effort down the stretch, including a Munch block. OSU was able to pull out a double-digit victory in the end, but late turnovers and a lack of urgency on offense from the Beavers almost made it interesting as Southern Utah hit its open outside shots.

“We are a long ways off,” Tinkle said. “Defensively, we play stretches of really good defense, but we’ve got to do a good job for 40. Offensively, I think we’re getting more comfortable these last couple games in understanding how important it is to get turns of the ball and not go 1-on-1.

“When we go 1-on-1, that’s when we turn it over, take bad shots, and shoot a poor percentage. And we carry that frustration over to the defensive end.”

Next game: Oregon State (5-5) vs. Montana State (4-5)