Horror Fans & History Buffs Will Love Visiting the 10 Most Haunted Places in America
What Will You Encounter?
Do you believe in ghosts? Haunted places have been a part of America’s folklore for hundreds of years. From prisons and asylums to private homes and entire towns, the restless spirits of the dead don’t discriminate.
Whether the hauntings are fabricated to draw attention, or completely true, the fact remains that people are pulled in by a good ghost story.
While some people see fall as a time to embark on the most scenic drives possible, others see this season as a time for taking in all things spooky and creepy. As the nights grow longer, and Halloween draws nearer, consider visiting one of the most haunted places in America.
Galveston, TX
In 1900, Galveston, Texas was practically decimated by a hurricane that killed over 8,000 people. Some of the victims of that storm reportedly still haunt the Tremont House Hotel, along with a murdered salesman and a Civil War soldier. Another creepy Galveston property, The Hotel Galvez, has many resident ghosts, with the fifth floor reigning as one of the most haunted hot spots.
The Menard House, a former private residence, was also the site of quite a few deaths that left lingering spirits. If you’re lucky enough to visit during October, you may even get to attend a seance held there, hosted by a local psychic.
Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, GA
With over 70,000 graves, chances were pretty high that Oakland Cemetery might produce a ghost or two. In fact, an entire section is dedicated to Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War — their ghosts still roaming the grounds. According to legend, on some nights the ghostly soldiers will do a roll call of those present in their battalion.
Numerous people have also claimed to see a woman in mourning, searching for her lost love. There are even those who believe they saw the spirit of Margaret Mitchell, author of “Gone With the Wind,” whose remains were laid to rest in Oakland during the 1940s.
Don’t worry — there are plenty of non-haunted things to do in Atlanta to help you shake off the heebie-jeebies after your cemetery visit.
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Villisca Axe Murder House, Villisca, IA
On June 10, 1912, an entire family and two guests were murdered in their home by an unknown assailant. Over 100 years later, people are still drawn to the house because of the mysterious crime and the restless souls that walk there.
Tours are conducted daily, and the bravest visitors can even book overnight stays — including on the anniversary of the murders. Countless videos across the internet propose to have evidence of the house’s hauntings, with many interactions focusing on the six murdered children who are just looking to play with the living.
Alton, IL
A frequent destination for paranormal investigators, people flock to Alton for the high density of haunted places there. McPike Mansion stands out as one of the most haunted houses in Illinois —and the country — where 11 different entities have supposedly been seen or heard.
Inside the Mineral Springs Mall, a former hotel, you might experience disembodied voices, shadow people, or mysterious orbs — especially if you partake in their Overnight Camp Out. Ghost tours of the town also include a visit to the Jacoby Arts Center, which used to house a morgue in the basement, and frequently produces encounters with restless spirits.
Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, PA
If you’ve ever watched one of those paranormal investigation shows on TV, chances are you’ve seen the Eastern State Penitentiary. It’s easily the most well-known and closely studied place of paranormal activity in the United States and a popular place for dark tourism. While there was no execution system in place, hundreds of prisoners were tortured and put in solitary confinement there.
Others died of disease, old age, murder, or suicide while imprisoned. Scary tales of getting pushed or grabbed by unseen forces abound, as do those of shadow people and ghostly faces. Seeing as over 60 paranormal investigations occur there every year, there must be something creepy going on inside those walls.
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Bacon’s Castle, Surry, VA
Naturally, the oldest brick building in the United States (and Virginia) has a bit of haunted history behind it. Bacon’s Castle has consistently been subject to a number of tragic events, which have led to its notoriety as a haunted locale.
Disembodied heads have been seen floating around the slave quarters — possibly belonging to a slave that was forced to live and work there long ago. Fireballs also make frequent appearances, as do the moans and wails of the castle’s ghostly occupants.
New Orleans, LA
New Orleans, particularly the French Quarter, has frequently been touted as one of the most haunted places in America. In particular, the LaLaurie Mansion (made famous by “American Horror Story: Coven”) has a wicked past of torture, which befell the slaves of Madame Delphine LaLaurie.
Other houses such as the The Beauregard-Keyes House and the Sultan’s Palace have long inspired ghost stories of past residents. However, it’s the St. Louis cemetery that attracts some of the most avid paranormal enthusiasts, for which it is one of the more popular places to visit in New Orleans.
Famed Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau has been sighted walking among the graves there, where you just might experience her vengeful wrath in the form of a shove, pinch or scratch.
The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Weston, WV
Hundreds of patients reportedly died at The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum — some of neglect, some of natural causes, and some even of murder. It even had its own morgue and autopsy room.
The psychiatric hospital sits on an eerie 666-acre plot of land and operated for 130 years, making it one of the oldest of its kind in America. Every year, countless apparitions are seen there, inspiring frequent visitors who partake in guided tours and overnight experiences.
Creepiest of all is the rumor of demonic entities that may have possessed some of the patients and still remain inside the asylum to this day.
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Whaley House, San Diego, CA
Named the most haunted house in the United States, San Diego’s Whaley House has a history of paranormal activity dating back to the mid-1800s. Before the house was even built, the land was used as a site for hanging executions. The Whaley’s themselves were haunted by the ghost of a man who was hanged there, until they too died and began making appearances from beyond the grave.
Ghost sightings, whispers, footsteps and phantom smells are just a few of what you might experience there. Not just a residence, the Whaley House also housed a theater and a courtroom where sounds of past activity have also been heard on occasion.
Gettysburg, PA
Nearly a third of the 166,000 soldiers who fought during the Battle of Gettysburg died on that field. Many were never given a proper burial, their souls in a constant state of unrest. As such, countless soldier sightings have been had by tour guides, reenactors and tourists alike.
Most drift across the battlefield, but some have lingered in nearby buildings that played a big role in the aftermath of the battle. Many hotels and farms were used as makeshift hospitals to tend to the injured and receive the dead.
Some of the current owners swear they even have photographic evidence of the hauntings, which regardless of fact, certainly helps draw curious ghost hunters to investigate their claims.
