Till this day, a debate exists on whether ghosts and specters are real or just a myth. The United states is no stranger to these. Travel from coast to coast to see some of the most haunted places in America, including abandoned asylums for the insane, Broadway theatres, and even a city zoo. And if ghosts aren’t your preferred travelling companions, don’t worry; these locations have enough culture, history, and stunning landscapes and buildings to keep you firmly grounded in this world.
Here is a list of the most haunted places in America in no order of spookiness.
1. Bodie (California)
If there is talk of most haunted places in America and Bodie isn’t talked about, it is a sham. When gold was discovered in the hills surrounding Mono Lake in the 1870s and ’80s, Bodie, a town of 10,000 people, experienced a boom. There have been many occurrences of paranormal stuff and happenings here, all still unexplained. The horror and trauma inflicted on the victims is paramount and is said to be lasting. There also have been ghost sightings, according to records. Truly, one of the most haunted places in America.
2. Salem (Massachusetts)
People looking for most haunted places in America cannot miss this one. This legendary Massachusetts town, site of the Salem Witch Trials, attracts paranormal investigators from all over the world. Visitors seeking goosebumps should visit The Witch House, where Judge Corwin, an investigator from the infamous trials, lived, Gallows Hill, the site of the unjustly hanged defendants, and Old Burying Point (where the accusers are buried). The location that might be the scariest of all? The residence that served as the model for Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel The House of the Seven Gables. You might want to cover your ears for this one since visitors to the ancient Salem mansion, which is now a museum, have reported hearing voices in their ears even when no one else was nearby as it is one of the most haunted places in America.
3. Cahawba, Alabama
The name of the state’s longest river, which meets the Alabama at the Cahaba River’s confluence, is shared with the state’s first capital and one of the most haunted places in America. There have been lots of stories and sightings of ghosts and specters here. The phenomena, which came to be known as “Pegues’s Ghost,” continues to draw enquiring people to the location today and justifies its status among most haunted places in America.
4. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
One of the most haunted places in America, supported by historical events. At the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863, thousands of troops perished, but some of their spirits live on. People claim to hear cannons, smell gunpowder, and frequently see the ghosts of soldiers in the town’s hotels and restaurants. They have even been known to dash across the battlefield at night. Many infamous locations in the Gettysburg National Military Park have had paranormal activity, such as weird floating orbs seen near the Gettysburg National Cemetery. There is also Sachs Covered Bridge, here, witnesses in the past have reported seeing three floating heads that were thought to be the ghosts of three hanging Confederate soldiers. Surely one of the most haunted places in America.
5. Dock theatre, South Carolina
The most haunted places in America list keeps getting spookier. This location in downtown Charleston is one of the oldest theatres in America and has seen a lot of turmoil and drama through the years. The Planters Inn was constructed there after the original theatre was destroyed by fire; it underwent a theatre conversion in the 1930s. It has been seen that her shadow, wearing a crimson gown, may be seen gliding down the theatre’s second level. A famous actor from the 19th century named Junius Brutus Booth was also present. Truly a top entry among most haunted places in America.
6. The Castle, South Carolina
One of the most haunted places in America, South Carolina, is its most well-known antebellum mansion. The mansion was only partially completed when it was taken over in 1861 to serve as a Civil War military hospital, despite building having started in the 1850s. The hospital’s morgue was located in an outbuilding behind the mansion, and there are rumours that victims were buried on the home’s expansive grounds. After the battle was over and the home was completed, strange occurrences started to occur. One of the ghosts residing on the possessions is Gauche, a French dwarf clown who arrived in the area in the 16th century. He apparently used to stroll the grounds in plain view of gardeners and guests while having tea parties with a fledgling girl who lived there. The eeriest among most haunted places in America.
7. State Penitentiary, Pennsylvania
A strange entry among most haunted places in America is the state Penitentiary. With 15 haunted attractions inside the prison walls for Halloween, the location—one of the most haunted places in America—now draws thousands of people each year for both its museum and annual “Terror Behind the Walls” festival.
8. Waverly hills, Kentucky
A hospital specialising in tuberculosis care originally operated out of the 1910 Waverly Hills Sanatorium, which, regrettably, frequently served as the final residence for many of its patients. It is said to be haunted by many of their ghosts, and visitors frequently report seeing ominous figures when touring the Louisville, Kentucky, building. When stopping by, visitors have three options: a guided tour, a self-guided tour on particular floors, or a private overnight stay. Surely one of the most haunted places in America.
9. Emily’s Bridge, Vermont
Even though New England is recognized for its attractive roofed links, some of them are extra probable to inspire fright than delight. According to the legend, Emily was supposed to go on a date with her boyfriend at the bridge, but when he never presented up, she hanged herself from the beams. Today, Emily’s spirit is rumoured to be haunting the location with malice, tearing at passing cars and even scratching people’s backs until they bleed. By evidence, one of the most haunted places in America.
10. Bachelor’s Cemetery, Chicago
The Chicago organized crime gangs of the 1920s and 1930s allegedly exploited this small, deserted cemetery in the suburbs of Chicago as more than just a place to dump remains. Not unexpectedly, it’s also the scene of some really spooky events, such as near misses with fictitious vehicles and a ghostly mother who strolls the grounds clutching her child during full moon. Even spooky for most haunted places in America.
11. Ohio Reformatory
One of the most haunted places in America is the Ohio Reformatory. The Ohio State Reformatory will be a popular destination for movie enthusiasts and paranormal investigators. The Shawshank Redemption was filmed in the former jail, which is said to be haunted by former inmates, the facility’s former superintendent and his wife, and the former farm boss and his family who were slain outside the institution. This 132-year-old Mansfield, Ohio, landmark is open for tours all year long.
12. The Grove, Texas
This National Register of Historic Places-listed site in Jefferson, Texas, is rumored to be haunted by a number of ghosts, including a Lady in White. No one is precisely sure what happened at the Grove, but a number of previous residents, neighbors, and townsfolk have related tales of frightful sightings. All year long, tours are offered, although they require bookings. One of the most haunted places in America, for sure.
13. Whitney restaurant, Michigan
If you visit the Whitney Restaurant, you are in for a spooky surprise and you might run into the building’s original owners, David Whitney and Flora Whitney, whose ghosts are said to still be there. But don’t panic, staff members say that the ghosts that frequently appear look pleasant. For this story alone, it is one of the most haunted places in America.
14. Vulture mine, Arizona
This gold mine in Wickenburg, Arizona, dates back to 1863 and was once a hive of activity teeming with laborers. But according to local tales, there are now only ghosts that linger there. In 2010, the Ghost Adventures crew on the Travel Channel even recorded some spooky sights and noises on audio and film. Ghastly, isn’t it? It is one of the most haunted places in America, for a reason.
15. Emlen estate, New Jersey
One of the most haunted places in America in ancient Cape May, New Jersey, is this Victorian home turned museum. Although it’s unclear what ghosts still linger there or what connections they have to the Emlen Physick Estate, there have long been reports of recurring paranormal visitors that guests and neighbors have seen. Visit for a ghost tour or one of the many festivals held there all year round.
