The most haunted places in America
What is the most haunted place in America?
Is your neighborhood haunted? What about that old hotel down the street? That creepy tunnel at the edge of town? That mansion with the peeling paint?
If it's on this list, that's because some locals believe the answer is yes.
Here's a spooky list of houses, hotels, eateries, cemeteries (of course) and more, all across the country — and all, if you believe in ghosts, super-duper haunted.
For example: The entire town of Bannack, Montana. Founded as a gold-mining community in 1862, the place saw plenty of executions during the boom years. The area also includes a residence called the "Crying Baby House," where children's wailing has been reported.
Bannack is now an official ghost town, literally and figuratively. The last residents moved out in the 1970s.
Illinois: Bachelor's Grove Cemetery
A haunted cemetery? Who'd have thunk it?
A farm community founded this burial ground; psychics insist that it's haunted.
Pennsylvania: Eastern State Penitentiary
The 142-year-old building was once known for its horrifying punishments, including locking prisoners in "The Hole." It's also notorious for its reports of supernatural activities. The prison, which closed in 1971, offers day and night tours, and access for paranormal investigations.
Minnesota: Wabasha Street Caves
Ghostly apparitions have been reported in the caves, which are open to the public for tours. The site was supposedly once a gangster's hideout during the Prohibition era.
Louisiana: LaLaurie House
Are you fan of "American Horror Story"? Then you may already be familiar with this notorious New Orleans mansion, on the site of the onetime residence of bloodthirsty socialite Delphine LaLaurie. The spirits of her abused slaves reportedly still haunt this French Quarter landmark.
Nevada: Governor's mansion
If you happen to visit the official Carson City visitors guide online, you'll learn that this classical revival mansion has at least two ghosts in it.
Guests and staff reportedly have seen a woman wearing a white dress, and a young girl wandering about.
The city even claims that the home is one of the most haunted locations in the state.
South Carolina: Pawleys Island
Before a storm strikes, the spooky Gray Man supposedly appears to warn residents of this South Carolina island.
Texas: USS Lexington
Also known as the Blue Ghost, the vessel has been rumored to experience paranormal activity, including mysterious screams and cries. Some visitors claim they've felt uncomfortable and have mysteriously fallen ill.
Washington: The Olympic Club Hotel
Once a "gentleman's resort" in the early 1900s, the hotel has a rich history of gambling, bootleggers and "ladies of the night." There are also legends of resident ghosts who move objects and cause mischief.
Maryland: Paw Paw Tunnel
Some say the spirit of a deceased lock keeper haunts this canal tunnel, which is part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park. A few people have also reported disembodied whispers and unexplained shadows.
Connecticut: Union Cemetery
The cemetery dates back to the 1700s. Some visitors have reported a ghost known as the "White Lady." The spirit is said to be wearing a white nightgown or dress, wandering among the graves or suddenly appearing before cars.
Iowa: Villisca Axe-Murder House
In 1912, eight people, including six children, were murdered here. Paranormal encounters have since been reported, including banging sounds, moving objects and children's voices. Visitors can take a daylight tour or book an overnight stay.
Ohio: The Ridges
What was once the Athens Lunatic Asylum, the facility has been featured on "The Scariest Places on Earth." Paranormal investigators believe the site may be haunted by deceased patients.
Idaho: Shoshone Ice Caves
Both visitors and staff at the tourist attraction claim they've heard footsteps and strange voices in these allegedly haunted caverns. One legend speaks of a Shoshone Indian princess, Edahow, who may have been buried in the caves.
Colorado: The Stanley Hotel
There's a reason this historic hotel served as the inspiration for Stephen King's "The Shining." Tourists have reported seeing ghostly apparitions, and the site has hosted numerous paranormal investigations. One of the more well-known spirits, the former hotel owner's wife Flora, is said to be heard playing the piano for patrons.
Texas: Excelsior Hotel
The staff of this East Texas hotel are, reportedly, under strict orders not to acknowledge any ghosts that may or may not be on the premises. But that hasn't stopped ghost tours from showing up at the front door, with tales of unexplainable events, including the mysterious smell of pipe smoke.
California: Winchester Mystery House
The mansion was once home to Sarah Winchester, widow of the founder of Winchester Repeating Arms Company. As legend goes, a medium told the widow she needed to continuously build a home for the ghosts of those killed by Winchester rifles. The result was the strange, and allegedly haunted, "mystery house," which brave souls can tour.
New Jersey: Pine Barrens
If you grew up around New Jersey's Pine Barrens, you may have heard the legend of the Jersey Devil, a fearsome, legendary beast supposedly born in the 1730s.
Arkansas: Crescent Hotel
The hotel, which was built in 1886, has been said to be haunted by numerous ghosts. One rumored spirit is a young woman who died after jumping, or being pushed, off the roof. The hotel is still operational and hosts regular ghost tours.
North Carolina: The Biltmore Estate
George Vanderbilt died in his home in the early 1900s, and visitors have said his ghost can still be spotted on the property. Witnesses claim to have heard his late wife, Edith, calling his name.
Arizona: Bird Cage Theatre
In the late 1800s, the saloon operated a poker room and brothel and was known for attracting a rough crowd. Paranormal activity, including spirit sightings and the sounds of music, have been reported. It is now a tourist attraction and has been investigated on programs such as "Ghost Hunters."
Maryland: Antietam National Battlefield
In 1862, 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or went missing after one of the deadliest battles of the Civil War. Visitors have reported seeing the ghosts of soldiers and hearing the sounds of gunfire.
Maine: Fort William Henry
Locals claim the fort at Pemaquid Beach is haunted by the ghost of Native American Chief Taukolexis, who was hanged and killed at the site in 1696. Witnesses say they've spotted his spirit by the tree where he died.
Alabama: Sloss Furnaces
Workers at this early-20th-century furnace were pushed to work long hours under dangerous conditions. Some were injured and others lost their lives. For decades, there have been reports of suspected supernatural activity, including loud noises and alleged assaults by restless spirits.
A museum now occupies the space and also features a "Sloss Fright Furnace" event every October.
Oregon: The Shanghai Tunnels
These infamous underground tunnels may once have been used for "Shanghaiing," the illegal act of kidnapping people to serve as sailors. Visitors can see the spooky tunnels for themselves on a walking tour.
Kentucky: Waverly Hills Sanatorium
The site, which now hosts paranormal investigations and overnights, once housed patients during a devastating tuberculosis outbreak. Researchers claim thousands may have died at the former hospital. Several scary programs have been filmed on the site, including "Scariest Places On Earth" and VH1's "Celebrity Paranormal Project."
Delaware: Fort Delaware State Park
The historic site, which has been investigated on series such as "Ghost Hunters Academy" and "Most Haunted," was once a prison for Confederate soldiers during the Civil War.
Conditions were horrid, with some prisoners fighting over rats to eat. Since then, witnesses have claimed to hear soldiers' footsteps and voices and have spotted ghostly apparitions.
South Carolina: Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
This former plantation, featured on "Ghost Hunters," has been in the same family since 1680. Among the paranormal activities that some have claimed to witness: mysterious voices and noises, growling and the sound of music.
Kansas: Stull Cemetery
What makes this cemetery a potential paranormal hotspot, besides its deceased residents? Legend has it the graveyard has a hidden stairway that descends into hell itself. There are also tales of witches being killed by local townspeople.
West Virginia: Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
The former psychiatric hospital was known for poor sanitation, lobotomies performed with ice picks, and for locking patients in cages. Among the numerous reported ghost sightings is that of "Lily," a lonely little girl in search of a playmate.
Nebraska: Nebraska State Capitol
The home of Nebraska's state government has had more than one death on site, spurring rumors of paranormal sightings. Witnesses claim to have heard shouting and the sounds of someone falling down a staircase.
Indiana: French Lick Springs Hotel
The hotel, built in 1845, is home to numerous spirits, according to believers. Some say former owner Thomas Taggart still operates the hotel elevator, and the apparition of a late bellhop has been spotted. Members of the staff have claimed to receive mysterious phone calls from empty hotel rooms.
Mississippi: Lyric Theatre
Staff has nicknamed their rumored on-site ghost "Antoine." The spirit can apparently be heard humming and moving throughout the theater. The theater was once used as a field hospital after Tupelo was hit by a deadly tornado in 1936.
Tennessee: Bell Witch Cave
The cave has been rumored to be haunted by the so-called "Bell Witch." According to local legend, the spirit haunted the Bell family of Tennessee during the early 1800s.
Florida: St. Augustine Lighthouse
Still an active lighthouse, the tower is open to the public by day and hosts ghost tours by night. Shadows and voices of spirits have been reported, perhaps belonging to the three girls who died in an accident while the tower was being built.
Utah: Mountain Meadows Massacre Site
Nearly 120 settlers were murdered at the site in 1857, during the Utah War, by members of the Utah Territorial Militia. Area visitors have reported hearing the sounds of voices and cries at the site.
Oklahoma: Veteran's Lake
According to some local residents, you can see the spirits of drowning victims at this lake.
New Mexico: KiMo Theater
Locals say a boy named Bobby died at the theater in 1951, when a boiler exploded during a movie screening. Staff members leave out gifts and food to keep his "spirit" from disturbing patrons.
Georgia: The Pirate's House restaurant
Restaurant patrons and staff have reported a sense of being "watched" by spirits, and some claim to have seen ghostly apparitions. The most popular sighting is that of Captain Flint, the fictional character from the novel "Treasure Island," who apparently died in Savannah.
Wyoming: Heart Mountain Relocation Center
The building was once used as a relocation center for the Japanese during World War II. Local legends claim "Shadow People" can be seen at the center, and witnesses claim to have heard mysterious footsteps on the premises.
Hawaii: Hilton Hawaiian Village
Some people have supposedly witnessed the spirit of a woman in a red dress in the hotel and along its nearby beach. Legend has it she is either the spirit of a woman who was killed on the premises, or she is Madame Pele, the volcano goddess.
Alaska: Hotel Captain Cook
According to local legends, in the early 1970s, a woman committed suicide in one of the hotel restrooms, and since then, some guests have reported sightings of a female spirit dressed in white.
Arizona: Copper Queen Hotel
The website for this Bisbee hotel, built by a mining company for its executives in 1902, describes this location as "haunted." Staffers have said an ex-colleague is among the resident spirits, along with a departed prostitute named Julia.
Arkansas: Crescent Hotel and Spa
If you believe local lore, the entire town of Eureka Springs may be haunted.
In 2007, investigators from the popular "Ghost Hunters" TV show reported seeing a full-body apparition through their thermal imaging camera. A local historian has claimed that a Victorian-era ghost named Jacob has his own table in the hotel restaurant.
Alabama: Drish House
Local folklore says that strange lights, as if a fire is burning, have been seen in the tower room. The lights may be the spirit of the departed Mrs. Sarah Drish, who, in life — if you believe the local legend — had asked that candles be burned around her coffin in the event of her death. No candles were burned, so the story goes, and the ghostly fire may be a sign of her wrath.
Louisiana: Muriel's
The staff at this New Orleans institution is happy to talk about its resident ghost, Jean Baptiste Destrehan, who owned the property in the 1740s.
Here, boards cover the windows of Muriel's Jackson Square Creole restaurant in New Orleans, Louisiana, in April 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic.
Georgia: Moon River Brewing Co.
This brewery is haunted. Just ask the people who work there. You can see visitor and staff testimonials on the eatery's website.
California: Queen Mary
The RMS Queen Mary, a TK ship perma-docked in Long Beach, California, supposedly has a haunt or two. It even has a hotel suite with a ghost in it... if you're into that sort of thing.
Here, Scorpion, a former Soviet submarine, is seen next to the Queen Mary in 2019.
Louisiana: Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Bar
If you take a ghost tour in New Orleans, you're likely to stop at this lively spot, where a pair of disembodied red eyes is, apparently, among the regulars.
Alabama: Sturdivant Hall
Sturdivant Hall, a historic Greek Revival mansion in Selma, Alabama, is said to be haunted by a former owner, John McGee Parkman.
Louisiana: Jimani Lounge
The site of a massive arson fire hate crime that killed 32 men in 1973, this New Orleans bar is now said to be haunted.
Investigators from the popular TV show "Ghost Hunters" claimed to hear unexplained screeching, shuffling and other strange noises there.