Fort Smith, Arkansas, will once again serve as a backdrop for the paranormal investigation series “Haunted Arkansas,” created by local filmmaker Gavin Webb. The show’s second season is set to feature the Fort Smith Museum of History, where Webb hopes to uncover connections to the city’s storied past. The return of the series follows a successful first season that garnered over 600,000 social media views across various platforms, including TikTok.
Webb, an Alma native, expressed excitement about the new season, particularly given the museum’s recreation of Judge Parker’s court and its historical significance. “We had a lot of experiences with the Clayton House,” Webb noted, hinting at the potential for intriguing revelations at the museum.
The strong interest in “Haunted Arkansas” reflects a growing engagement with local history, with Webb reporting that approximately 80% of his audience comes from Arkansas, while others tune in from neighboring states such as Missouri, Oklahoma, and Illinois. “Whenever Arkansas is mentioned, your ears kind of perk up,” he said, highlighting the audience’s connection to familiar locations.
The first season of “Haunted Arkansas” is currently available for purchase or rent on Amazon.com, having sparked a wave of personal stories from viewers sharing their own experiences at the Clayton House. Many of these accounts, shared through social media, added depth to the narrative and encouraged Webb to continue exploring the area.
Filming for Season 2 commenced in October 2023, and it promises to feature ten new locations, including the Royal Theatre in Benton and the MacArthur Museum in Little Rock. Webb has also upgraded equipment for the new season, introducing tools like an enhanced spirit box and a unique “dead bell,” which is designed to be rung by spirits during investigations.
Reflecting on the challenges of the first season, Webb recounted a particularly unsettling experience while filming at Cosmic Caverns. Alone in the cave, he used an Ovilus, a device that generates words from environmental readings, which returned alarming terms such as “manslaughter” and “kill.” This incident led him to reconsider the safety protocols for the series and strengthened his resolve to continue.
Despite its paranormal focus, skepticism remains a cornerstone of Webb’s approach. “We’re all kind of skeptics,” he said, noting that the team always attempts to debunk findings before considering them as potentially genuine paranormal activity. “When we can’t debunk it, that’s when we’re like, ‘OK … we don’t know how to explain this. So maybe this is real.’”
Through his work, Webb has developed a deeper appreciation for Arkansas’s history, transforming from a general history enthusiast into a dedicated advocate for local heritage. “It completely changed the way I see history. It makes me love this state even more,” he stated.
As “Haunted Arkansas” returns to Fort Smith, Webb aims to blend the intrigue of the paranormal with the rich history of the region. He describes the series as “a love letter to Arkansas,” capturing both its mysteries and its stories. With the new season, viewers can look forward to thrilling investigations and a renewed focus on the heritage that makes Arkansas unique.
