America is dotted with sites where history lingers in shadows, where old walls whisper stories of tragedy, mystery and unexplained phenomena. From abandoned hospitals to colonial mansions, these places carry an aura that chills even the most skeptical.
Legends of restless spirits, eerie sounds and sudden cold drafts thread through centuries-old hallways, blending fact and folklore. Each location holds its own dark narrative, shaped by events that time has not fully erased, leaving an unsettling trace on the present.
For those who document the paranormal or study haunted history, these sites are more than curiosities, they are echoes of the past, frozen in moments of fear and fascination. Their allure lies not just in fright, but in the mysteries that remain stubbornly unsolved.
Bannack, Montana
Bannack is a preserved ghost town, founded in 1862 during the Montana Gold Rush, and briefly served as the territory’s capital. Its boom-and-bust cycle was marked by violent crime, largely attributed to a notorious gang of road agents allegedly led by the town’s own sheriff, Henry Plummer.
Plummer and his associates were ultimately apprehended and hanged by a vigilante committee. Today, the town’s historical buildings are the focus of extensive paranormal claims, with many believing the spirits of these outlaws and their victims remain.
The most reported hauntings center on the Hotel Meade, which was originally a courthouse. Visitors and staff have reported cold spots, doors slamming and swinging open without cause, and the sound of crying babies.
A key apparition is that of Dorothy Dunn, a teenage girl who drowned nearby in 1916 and is frequently sighted in a long blue dress in the hotel’s windows or on the second floor. Sheriff Plummer’s apparition is also consistently reported, often seen patrolling the main street near the old saloon and the hangman’s post where he met his end.
Stanley Hotel, Colorado
The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, is famous for inspiring Stephen King’s novel The Shining, following his stay in Room 217 in 1974. However, reports of paranormal activity predate King’s visit.
The hotel’s co-founder, Flora Stanley, is frequently cited as a resident ghost, with guests claiming to hear her phantom piano playing in the Music Room. Her husband, F.O. Stanley, has reportedly been seen by staff, sometimes appearing at the reception desk.
Room 217 remains the focus of intense activity. Its notoriety stems from a 1911 explosion caused by an accident involving head chambermaid Elizabeth Wilson, whose spirit is believed to be active there.
Guests have reported bizarre occurrences like having their luggage unpacked, clothing put away in drawers, and—for unmarried couples—an invisible force wedging them apart in bed. The fourth floor is also highly active, with claims of “spectral children” and the presence of a “cowboy” ghost in Room 428.
Whaley House, San Diego, California
Known as “America’s Most Haunted House”, the Whaley House in Old Town San Diego is built on land previously used for public executions. Most famously, horse thief “Yankee Jim” Robinson was hanged here in 1852, and his spirit is the oldest and most commonly reported ghost.
Thomas Whaley, who built the brick house in 1857, noted hearing heavy, mysterious footsteps shortly after moving in, which he attributed to Robinson. The family itself endured profound sadness within the home, contributing to its haunting legacy.
The Whaley’s infant son, Thomas Jr., died of scarlet fever in the house in 1858, and reports of small footsteps, crying, and giggling children are attributed to his spirit. Later, their daughter Violet committed suicide in the house in 1885 and is reportedly seen as a forlorn young woman on the second floor.
Visitors and staff have consistently reported a range of phenomena, including unexplained mists, cold spots, flickering lights, and the sway of the parlor room chandelier.
Freetown-Fall River State Forest, Massachusetts
The Freetown-Fall River State Forest is considered one of the most infamously cursed and bizarre locations in the U.S., forming a crucial part of the Bridgewater Triangle, an area known for an array of unexplained phenomena.
The forest has a documented history of violent crime, including the 1978 discovery of the body of 15-year-old Mary Lou Arruda, and three subsequent murders in 1987 and 2001.
Beyond the documented crimes, the forest is strongly linked to persistent rumors of Satanic cult activity, with police having been approached by locals reporting such activities in the early 1980s. Investigators have also found suspicious clearings stained with animal blood.
Paranormal claims include sightings of ghosts, UFOs and cryptids known as Pukwedgies (humanoid creatures from Wampanoag tradition). The area’s dark reputation is often attributed to the violent conflicts between settlers and Native Americans that historically took place there.
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia
The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Weston, West Virginia, is a massive, 19th-century facility built under the Kirkbride plan, which initially aimed to provide a peaceful environment for the mentally ill.
However, the asylum’s capacity of 250 patients was vastly exceeded, peaking at around 2,400 people by the 1950s. This severe overcrowding led to decades of unsanitary conditions, violence, neglect, and the use of controversial procedures like lobotomies, resulting in thousands of patient deaths and a legacy of immense suffering.
The building is now a major center for paranormal tourism, drawing ghost hunters who cite the high level of chronic pain and violent death as the source of its intense haunting.
Numerous sightings of full-bodied apparitions and reports of disembodied voices have been reported by both guests and investigators from various television programs. Spirits such as a young girl named Lily and the angry entities of former patients—many of whom died alone or violently—are said to be trapped within the facility’s decaying structure.
Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Eastern State Penitentiary, opened in 1829, was a fortress designed to inspire penitence through solitary confinement, a controversial concept known as the “Pennsylvania System”. This isolation, coupled with brutal punishments like the “Mad Chair” and the “water bath,” led to widespread mental illness and despair among its inmates.
The prison closed in 1971, leaving behind a massive, decaying structure saturated with decades of psychological trauma. The penitentiary is widely regarded by paranormal investigators as one of the most haunted locations in the country.
The most famous spirit is allegedly James Clark, one of the victims of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, who is said to have haunted notorious mobster Al Capone during his eight-month stint at the prison.
Visitors and staff report disembodied voices, whispering, crying, and the appearance of shadowy figures standing motionless in the long hallways and atop the abandoned guard towers.
Myrtles Plantation, St. Francisville, Louisiana
This historic Southern mansion, built in 1796, is widely rumored to have been constructed on a Native American burial ground and has become legendary for its concentrated paranormal activity, being referred to as one of America’s most haunted houses.
Though many of its gruesome legends are historically questionable—like the story of the poisoned slave, Chloe—the plantation’s actual history is still rife with death, tragedy and unexplained phenomena.
The most frequent reports involve the legendary figure of Chloe, a woman wearing a green turban, who has allegedly been captured in photographs taken by guests, including a famous 1992 image.
Staff and visitors also report hearing the disembodied giggling of ghost children and feeling their clothes being inexplicably tugged. Additionally, a mirror inside the house is said to contain the trapped spirits of Sara Woodruff and two of her children, occasionally showing handprints despite being cleaned.
Villisca Axe Murder House, Villisca, Iowa
This seemingly unassuming two-story home was the scene of one of the most horrific and still-unsolved mass murders in American history. In June 1912, the entire Moore family—Josiah, Sarah, and their four children—along with two visiting children, were brutally murdered in their beds by an unknown assailant wielding an axe.
The house has been preserved to look as it did in 1912, and the sheer brutality of the crime has left a tangible sense of lingering dread, making it a hotspot for overnight ghost hunters. Hundreds of people who have visited or stayed overnight have reported a profound sense of concentrated dread, profound sadness, or even inexplicable rage.
Paranormal claims include hearing the disembodied cries and whispers of children, objects moving on their own, and strange fogs witnessed moving between rooms. The attic, where the killer allegedly hid before the attack, is cited as a particularly dark and active location, with visitors occasionally claiming to have been scratched by an unseen entity.
Lizzie Borden House, Fall River, Massachusetts
The Lizzie Borden House remains famous as the site of one of America’s most enduring and controversial unsolved crimes. In August 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally murdered with an axe; Andrew’s daughter, Lizzie Borden, was tried and acquitted for the double homicide, though she remains the central figure in the mystery. The house operates as a bed-and-breakfast and museum, allowing guests to stay overnight in the room where the murders occurred.
The house is a staple of New England ghost tours due to the intense and sorrowful energy attributed to the murders. Guests who stay in the house frequently report hearing disembodied footsteps and whispers, as well as the sound of a woman crying.
The phantom presence of both victims and, sometimes, the alleged voice of Lizzie herself have been reported. The enduring controversy and the proximity of the violent deaths have left an indelible, chilling atmosphere that permeates the house.
RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California
The RMS Queen Mary is a retired ocean liner—turned-hotel, but her service years from 1936 to 1967 as a luxury vessel and a World War II troopship were marked by a high number of deaths, fueling its nickname, “The Ghost Ship of Long Beach”.
Over 50 confirmed deaths occurred aboard, leading to reports of up to 150 different ghosts haunting the vessel. The ship is considered a paranormal hot spot, with multiple tours dedicated to its spectral residents.
Stateroom B340 is arguably the most haunted room, having been closed for decades due to intense phenomena, including bedsheets being pulled off, lights flickering, and doors opening by themselves.
The drained First-Class Pool area is another major focal point, with reports of hearing the laughter and splashing of a little girl named Jackie, who supposedly drowned there in the 1940s. Additionally, the apparition of a young crew member, John Pedder, who was tragically crushed by watertight Door 13 in the Engine Room in 1966, is often sighted near the site of his death.