Tulsa, Oklahoma

Cave House of Tulsa

A former chicken restaurant that doubled as a speakeasy is now a quirky home full of wonderfully strange traditions.

With its curving stucco walls, maze of mysterious rooms, and the jagged, stalactite-like bumps jutting from the walls and ceilings, this house really does feel like a cave. But it’s certainly no ordinary grotto.

The odd abode was built in the 1920s, when it was used as a chicken restaurant. But those with an appetite for fowl foods weren’t the only ones flocking to the building.

According to local legend, the strange structure once featured tunnels that led into a secret room that transformed into a speakeasy at night. Patrons sneaked in through the concealed passageways to indulge in a bit of boozy fun, safely tucked out of sight from any policemen prowling the area. However, there’s no actual evidence of any of these tunnels or clandestine quarters.

After its restaurant days ended, the Cave House did eventually become a home. People tell odd tales of one of its residents, a woman with a penchant for collecting rags whose ghost supposedly still hangs scraps of fabric to dry from the windows. The house currently pays homage to another one of its previous tenants, a lady with a love for collecting lost keys. A “key tree” is nestled in one of its corners, its branches full of keys left behind by curious visitors.

The house’s current owner doesn’t actually live there, but she’s already earned a reputation as the “stick lady.” The inside is full of her twiggy creations, most notably a birds nest-like bed created from branches. Pop in for a visit, and the owner will guide you through rooms full of her stick and bone collections and quirky antique furniture while telling tales of the house’s storied past.