Theme parks are typically places of fast rides, faster food and family fun – but this one has a darker tale. The story begins in the 18th century when land feuds between Indigenous peoples and a white settling family led to murder on both sides. So you might say that Lake Shawnee Amusement Park, opened here in the 1920s by entrepreneur Conley Snidow, was doomed from the start. There were numerous tragic accidents and deaths at the park before it was abandoned in the 1960s. Now the annual Dark Carnival event makes the most of the mouldering remains.
America definitely boasts a teeth-chattering roster of haunted hotels, but Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs is the most ghostly of them all. When it opened in 1886, it was dubbed "the finest hotel west of the Mississippi", however, after facing dwindling visitor numbers, the hotel was bought by pseudo-doctor Norman Baker. Baker professed he had a cure for cancer and he transformed the place into the Baker Cancer Clinic. Sadly his claims were baseless and his treatments ineffective and many people died of the disease here. Today tours go in search of the spirits that remain.
It's not uncommon for former prisons to be plagued with tales of spirits and spectres – and the West Virginia Penitentiary is no exception. The castle-like prison was opened in 1876 and was known for its chilling conditions and super-cramped cells, as well as riots, breakouts and many harrowing executions. The most terrifying portion of all is the North Hall, nicknamed the Alamo by former inmates. This max-security area is said to be haunted by the ghosts of one-time prisoners and you can explore it on a guided walk.
The Ohio State Reformatory is best known as the location for The Shawshank Redemption, the epic 1990s prison film starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. But its ghostly reputation is another thing keeping visitors interested. Macabre tales of murder (including the demise of wardens and inmates) are attached to the abandoned prison, which only shuttered in the late 20th century. It's said that the whispered exchanges of those deceased echo about the halls and tours reveal paranormal secrets, as well as the prison's movie history.
At first glance, the little desert city of Marfa mightn't seem remotely supernatural. But the curious phenomenon of the Marfa lights will probably change your mind. For more than a century, people have spotted strange orbs of (sometimes colourful) light dancing over the horizon. There's no telling when they're going to arise and no official explanation, but theories abound: they're said to be everything from aliens to the spirits of deceased Spanish conquistadors.
Savannah is known as 'The Hostess City of the South' – and apparently it's not just living beings that this sultry Georgia city welcomes. It's renowned for its haunted spots, and the most famous among them is the Olde Pink House, a Georgian mansion and restaurant that dates back to 1771. It's said that the spirit of original owner James Habersham Jr, a merchant and Revolutionary War figure, still wanders about the place.
RMS Queen Mary was first a ritzy cruise ship beloved by celebrities, before serving as a troopship in the Second World War – and today the vessel is both a floating hotel and, purportedly, the world's most haunted ship. The creepiest room of all is state room B340, where a passenger is reported to have died in the 1940s. Ghostly goings on have plagued the room since then, with reports of flickering lights, slamming doors and spectral figures lingering at the end of the bed. It's possible to stay in the room, if you dare, and tarot cards and a Ouija board are thrown in for good measure.
Swing by Red Onion Saloon for a drink and a bite to eat and you might get more than you bargained for. The classic Gold Rush saloon dates back to the 19th century and once also served as a bordello – there's even a Brothel Museum above the main bar. It's said that the ghost of one of the brothel workers, Lydia, still haunts the place today.
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The Windy City's grand Congress Plaza Hotel was built back in 1893 and was one of the most anticipated and revered hotels of its day. Over the years, it has housed presidents, including Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, but it's the spectral guests that excite many modern visitors. The ghost of notorious mobster Al Capone is said to have been seen wandering the halls, along with a worker who sadly met his death during the hotel's construction.
Even without stories of ghosts and ghouls, the Winchester Mystery House is a wonder. It was the vision of widow Sarah Winchester, who first bought the humble two-storey farmhouse in 1886. She eventually built the home out to a seven-storey mansion complete with 160 rooms and the seemingly never-ending construction remains a mystery to this day. Some believe her bizarre building frenzy was the result of her being plagued by spirits and paranormal stories are explored on guided tours – there are typically special events for Halloween too.
No American prison is more renowned than Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary. It was first opened back in 1829 and was famed for its austere forms of punishment, which included long periods of solitary confinement. Today, though the prison has long been shuttered, its crumbling cell blocks remain, and the spirits of its former inmates apparently do too. After-dark tours and special Halloween Nights bring the penitentiary's ghost stories into focus.
This creepy site in Tennessee is exactly what it sounds like: a cavern haunted by an angry witch, whose wrath has been known for generations. The Bell family, who lived on the site, are said to have been plagued by supernatural forces from the year 1817, with reports of curious animals lingering about the place and all manner of unnerving noises. Eventually things got physical with the Bell Witch purportedly pinching and scratching the Bells and their young child. Eventually patriarch John Bell died and many connect the Bell Witch to his death. Now tours typically take curious visitors into the cave, as well as to a replica of the Bell family's home cabin.
Built in the Roaring Twenties, this Flagstaff hotel has played host to some colourful characters over the years and some found the rooms so plush they reportedly never left. Among them is the 'Meat Man', a creepy inhabitant known for hanging hunks of raw meat from the light fittings – since his death, staff and guests have reported a presence in the room, and oddities like TVs turning on of their own accord. None other than Western star John Wayne also reported experiencing a 'phantom bellboy' who announced room service only to disappear into the night.
This striking black-and-white beacon might not seem particularly creepy, especially when you consider it's in sunny St Augustine. But the lighthouse has a sombre past and has even made an appearance on reality series Ghost Hunters. It's said to be haunted by Joseph Andreu, a 19th-century keeper who fell to his death while on watch. Three young girls, including two daughters of 19th-century superintendent Hezekiah Pittee, also died while playing nearby: locals say their playful spirits still haunt the site.
This former hospital for the mentally ill has a sombre and humbling past. The place was opened in the mid-19th century and thousands of patients passed through its doors, sadly experiencing inhumane conditions and abhorrent 'treatments' like electroshock therapy. The creepy, crumbling site is said to be haunted by the spirits of the many people who passed away here.
Salem is notorious as the site of the 1692-93 witch trials, which saw hundreds of women persecuted and accused of supernatural deeds. Today the city has a tourism industry propped up by this witchy history and, unsurprisingly, some of its historic buildings are thought to play host to spirits. Among them is the House of the Seven Gables. Here visitors have reported seeing the ghost of a man on the house's secret staircase, and many have mentioned a sense of unease or foreboding as they explore the place. The dark clapboard building looks every inch the haunted house too.
This elegant, early 20th-century mansion was the vision of successful newspaper publisher Henry Pittock, who lived here with his family from 1914. But when Pittock passed away, and his family moved on, the mansion ended up deserted for several years. Though it was eventually restored and opened to the public, the pile hasn't been able to shake the spirits of the past. It's said that the amiable ghosts of Henry, his wife Georgiana and their groundskeeper all call the mansion home. Staff and visitors have reported hearing them stomping around the estate's upper floors and smelling Georgiana's rose perfume.
The Greek Revival-style Whaley House has been many things since it was built in 1857: a courthouse, a theatre, a general store and home to the Whaleys, a family among San Diego's early settlers. And legend has it, the Whaleys never left. Visitors, who comes in their droves to seek out the spirits, have reported seeing vanishing spectres in period clothing and hearing whispered voices in the air.
It's not hard to imagine ghosts wandering about Charleston's streets and disappearing down its cobbled alleys. And it's said that a place they particularly like to lurk is around Dock Street Theatre. It began life as a hotel in 1809, before becoming a theatre in the 1930s. But today it's as well known for its phantom residents as its curtain calls. One of the most prolific ghosts is rumoured to be Nettie Dickerson, a courtesan and regular visitor of the original hotel during the 1800s.
San Antonio is often named among the most haunted cities in the States, with landmarks including hotels, theatres and cathedrals all said to be host to spooks and spirits. None more so than The Alamo, though. Hundreds of Texans died here, as Mexican forces captured the fort during the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. The shadows and moans of long-deceased soldiers have been noticed here in the centuries since.
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Old Cahawba is a ghost town in more than one sense. The former state capital was all but abandoned in the 19th century: capital status was reassigned to Tuscaloosa and, during the Civil War, Confederate soldiers built a large prison for captured Union troops at Cahawba's centre. Today ruins of homes and gravesites sit among Spanish-moss blanketed trees and reportedly they're visited by eerie apparitions. Among them is the ghost of American Civil War leader Colonel Pegues, who died at the Battle of Gaines' Mill in Virginia, and who manifests as a ball of white light.
NOLA's Faulkner House Books describes itself as a "sanctuary for fine literature" – but legend has it it's also a sanctuary for the supernatural. The French Quarter bookstore dates back to 1988 and was the former home of namesake William Faulkner, the American writer who penned revered works like The Sound and the Fury. It's said that Faulkner still haunts his former abode, surprising bookish shoppers with wafts of tobacco smoke and his ghostly form at his old writing desk.
The Mizpah Hotel – which sprang up in 1907 when Tonopah was a thriving mining town – is no stranger to lists of America's most haunted places. It's known as the 'Jewel of the Desert' for its opulent suites, all heavy red drapes and glistening chandeliers, and since it reopened in 2011 after more than a decade of desertion, it's embraced its reputation for phantoms and frights. It's said that the ghosts here are the friendly kind, and they include the Lady in Red, the spirit of a woman tragically murdered by her lover. She apparently leaves pearls for guests she takes a particular liking to.
This elegant mansion – once the summer home of English Colonel Roger Morris – is more than 250 years old. So it's had plenty of time to earn a rep as one of the Big Apple's most haunted spots. It served as a HQ during the American Revolutionary War and later as a tavern, before becoming the private residence of wealthy merchant Stephen Jumel and his wife Eliza. In more recent history it's been a magnet for ghost hunters, who are convinced its distinguished former residents never left. Candlelight Ghost Tours and Historical Paranormal Investigations are both regular occurrences here.
If walls could talk, the ones in Calcasieu Courthouse would presumably have a lot to say: not least about the building's most famous supernatural resident, Toni Jo Henry. Toni lost her life to the electric chair after purportedly killing a man in an effort to break her boyfriend out of prison. It's said she now haunts the place, meddling with the electrics, the scent of her perfume and singed hair wafting through the halls. The ghostly tales earned the courthouse a cameo in Travel Channel's Ghost Stories series.
If you're after a side of the supernatural with your slap-up dinner, head to The Whitney, a historic mansion and restaurant in Detroit. It was the home of wealthy lumber baron David Whitney Jr from 1894 – he died at the property, as did his first and second wife – before becoming a hospice for tuberculosis patients. Unsurprisingly, then, it's said that the place is haunted, with reports of ghostly faces in the windows and a lift that has a mind of its own. The Ghostbar is a nod to the supernatural, while events like the Paranormal Dinner Tour immerse guests in the ghostly goings on.
This former prospectors' town – home to 5,000 residents at its peak – was established in 1863 and deserted by 1942, when a focus on war efforts led to the closure of the gold mine. Since then, the rickety abandoned structures have been restored, but this facelift apparently hasn't discouraged phantom residents from haunting the site. There are regular paranormal-themed events here, and it's said that the old brothel is particularly haunted. It's also said that the ghost of young miner Jimmy Davis, who died in the mine shaft, lingers onsite too.
Though she was eventually cleared of brutally murdering her father and stepmother with an axe, Lizzie Borden (who died in 1927) remains one of America's most notorious true crime protagonists. There are folk rhymes and films about her, and she was shunned by her community despite her acquittal. Today the house where the brutal murders took place is open to visitors, and it's even possible to stay the night. Ghost hunts take brave guests down into the basement and include the use of ghost-hunting equipment.
This landmark hotel is known for its long history, built as it was by affluent cattle baron Jesse Driskill in the 1880s and changing hands many times over the years. So the story goes, the original owner, Driskill, was so attached to his property that he's never left. Visitors and staff have reported the scent of cigar smoke in the lobby, where Driskill was known to smoke as he chatted with guests. It's also purportedly haunted by a friendly child ghost Samantha, the spirit of a senator's young daughter who died after falling down the stairs here. Chillingly, living children have reported playing with 'Samantha' while staying in the hotel.
Opening in 1888, the sprawling Jekyll Island Club Resort was a retreat for some of the most wealthy people in America, from the Vanderbilts to the Rockefellers. And it seems some of the resort's elite guests couldn't tear themselves away, even in the afterlife. Some say the property is haunted by late financier J.P. Morgan, whose cigar smoke can still be smelt about the place. Others say they've seen the ghost of Samuel Spencer, a railroad executive who also frequented the club.
Given its chequered history, it's unsurprising that this military outpost is said to be host to ghosts and ghouls. Fort Humboldt watches over its namesake bay, and was established in the mid-19th century, most famously housing Union Army leader Captain Ulysses S. Grant. However, it was abandoned quickly, and left deserted and decaying by the 1870s. Not all its military heroes left, though. The fort is reportedly haunted by the spirit of a commander who died of malaria in the late 1800s and he's seen gazing forlornly from the windows of the abandoned infirmary.
Mackinac Island's Grand Hotel proudly tips itself as the "world's largest summer hotel", but it may also be among the most haunted. The hotel opened back in 1887, playing host to film stars and literary icons like Mark Twain – though today it's equally as well known for its ghostly guests. Over the years, visitors have reported sighting a mysterious black cloud and a smartly dressed spectre in a top hat.
It's not hard to believe that the George Wythe mansion, with its imposing red-brick façade and period interior finishes, is a haunted house. The mansion, which dates to the 18th century, was owned by its namesake George Wythe, a prominent attorney in his day and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Today it's said to be as haunted as it is historic. Some say the home is haunted by Wythe himself, who died under suspicious circumstances in 1806. It's also apparently host to the spirit of a Lady Skipwith, a high society member who had stayed at Wythe House and is purportedly still seen and heard going up and down the staircase here.
There's a lot of mystery surrounding Portland's Shanghai Tunnels. They were used to transport goods from about the mid-19th century to the 1940s and, more sinisterly, for 'shanghaiing', the practice of capturing men and selling them as sailors to ship captains against their will. The tunnels may also have been used as a portal to an underground world of gambling dens and brothels. Either way, tales of lingering spirits are rife. Explorers have heard whistles, seen dark shadows, and even felt the touch of ghostly cold hands on their person.
Now a National Historic Landmark, Birmingham's Sloss Furnaces had their heyday in the late 1800s and early 1900s when they produced hundreds of thousands of tonnes of pig iron. However, dangerous working conditions meant that many furnace workers sadly lost their lives: the fearsome foreman James 'Slag' Wormwood, who worked his labourers into the ground, was also among those who perished here. It's said that Slag and more of the fated workers still haunt the furnaces and several Ghost Hunters-style TV crews have gone in search of these spirits. The annual Fright Furnace event milks the site's creepy backstory.
The Dakota apartment building has a sombre and storied history, most notably as the site of John Lennon's assassination in 1980. It's renowned for its striking architecture, which blends styles like Gothic Revival and Châteauesque, and its star-studded list of residents, from the late Beatle to actors like Judy Garland. And, over the years, it's earned a reputation for its supernatural inhabitants too. Guests have reported seeing ghostly apparitions, including a little girl in period dress, while none other than Yoko Ono reported seeing the ghost of her partner Lennon sitting at his piano in their apartment.
Want to rub shoulders with Hollywood's A-listers? Over the decades, this ritzy hotel – established in 1927 – has played host to showbiz heavyweights like Marilyn Monroe and Charlie Chaplin. And it's said to be a favoured haunt for the ghosts of Hollywood past. Among the celebrity spectres is Montgomery Clift, who has been accused of tapping unsuspecting guests on the shoulder, and Carole Lombard, who's been spotted drifting about the halls.
Fancy royal palaces are few and far between in the States, but Iolani Palace is a truly regal pile, once home to King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani, among others. And, if that wasn't enough, it's reportedly got a few ghostly residents to boot. Guards and guests of the royal palace have reported sightings of Hawaii's last sovereign monarch, Queen Liliuokalani, floating about the grounds and gazing out from palace windows.
Hulking Fort Delaware was built in the mid-19th century and served as a prison during the Civil War, as well as a mighty defensive structure protecting the cities of Wilmington and Philadelphia. Today it's renowned as one of the most haunted forts in the USA, attracting amateur paranormal investigators, as well as the Ghost Hunters team. Visitors have reported seeing the ghosts of long-dead soldiers and paranormal tours are typically run on the site each autumn.
The Orpheum Theatre is a beloved Memphis landmark that's hosted performances for nigh on a century. And, apparently, audience members are often joined by some spectral guests. The most talked-about is Mary, a curmudgeon of a spirit who vexes those visitors unfortunate enough to be assigned her favourite seat. There are also rumours of a masked spirit who occasionally waves at spectators from the shadows.
Cemeteries can be creepy at the best of times, but this one is well-known for its ghosts and phantoms. The teensy burial site has been abandoned for decades, leaving it ripe for human vandals and spectral visitors. Many ghost hunts and paranormal investigations have taken place here, and there's a handful of returning spirits that have been seen over the decades. They include a lady all in white gliding between the mouldering tombstones, a big black dog, and even a ghostly farmhouse that disappears as you approach.
Baltimore's Fell Point neighbourhood has a long history and the Admiral Fell Inn has been a part of it for decades, beginning life as an anchorage and then a YMCA. It's been a boutique hotel since the 1980s but guests have still reported sightings of ghostly sailors floating around the inn. The property typically runs a ghost tour that includes a drink at the Tavern.
The Bourbon Orleans Hotel, in the Big Easy's French Quarter, doesn't shy away from its haunted reputation. In fact, it proudly touts its creepy credentials as one of the 'top 10 most haunted hotels in America'. The site served as the Orleans Theatre and Ballroom when it opened in 1819, before becoming a convent, and finally a hotel in the 1960s. That means a whole host of haunting figures make themselves known today. They range from a Confederate soldier, who's said to prefer the third and sixth floors, and a solo dancer swirling around the grand Orleans Ballroom.
Another hair-raising ghost town, Kennecott is hidden away within Wrangell-St Elias National Park in southeastern Alaska. At its peak, Kennecott was a booming copper-mining town home to hundreds of people – but as supplies dried up, the mine closed and the population had dwindled by the 1930s. Now tourists come to explore the old General Store and mill buildings and they've reported sightings of spirits drifting around the hodge-podge of deserted structures and floating along the historic railroad track.
This foreboding penitentiary has a history dating back to 1872, when its gates first clanged open for some of America's most hardened criminals. Those who visit the site today will hear tales of breakouts and riots, and have the chance to explore centuries-old cell blocks and solitary confinement areas. There might even be the chance to spy a ghostly resident too: the crew of reality TV show Ghost Adventures have descended on the prison to search for spirits. Most active is thought to be "Idaho's Jack the Ripper", Raymond Allen Snowden, who was executed in the haunting "Five House" area of the prison complex.
Established in the 1840s, Golden was a pious mining town, unique for its distinct lack of saloons and its multiple churches. And though living residents have long cleared out (the town was all but abandoned by the 1920s), there's thought to be a spirit or two still lingering here. The town has even had a visit from the crew of Travel Channel's Ghost Adventures, who reported an 'aggressive entity' haunting the deserted site.
This Italianate mansion in the Blue Ridge Mountains once stood abandoned, and today serves as an atmospheric wedding venue with stained glass and a swirling staircase. But happy couples might have a wedding guest or two that they didn't bargain for. Swannanoa Palace is rumoured to be haunted and has been investigated by The Twisted Paranormal Society, a local ghost-hunting group. The group reported hearing eerie moans and footsteps echoing around the property.
Fort Worden's tunnels and passageways easily conjure up images of shadowy spirits and some visitors have purportedly spotted some for real. Built between 1898 and 1917 to guard the Washington coast, the imposing site is said to be among the state's most haunted places. The complex is also home to abandoned Victorian-era houses, and now a campground, and on-site campers have reported strange, flickering lights from abandoned buildings. An old boiler is also said to be haunted by the spirit of a murdered soldier.
This quaint stone bridge might not seem very sinister at first – especially when compared to the foreboding 19th-century mansions and creaking ghost towns scattered across the States. But the unassuming structure is said to be a magnet for spirits. Many visitors have reported feeling a strange presence here and one ghost hunter even claims to have seen a pair of shining orbs hovering near it.
A fun family attraction like Lincoln Park Zoo might be the last place you'd expect to encounter ghosts. But this Windy City favourite is indeed said to be haunted. Parts of the site were actually built over a burial ground so, unsurprisingly, visitors from beyond the grave are said to be frequent. Staff have reported hearing voices and a seasoned ghost hunter who explored the site even noted symptoms of nausea and lightheadedness. It's a staple stop on Chicago ghost tours and haunted history tours are common around Halloween time too.
Colorado's Stanley Hotel is famous as the inspiration for Stephen King's spine-chilling book The Shining. But, legend has it, the ghosts aren't confined to the pages of a horror novel. Rooms 401, 407, 428 and 217 (where King himself spent the night and where chambermaid Elizabeth Wilson was injured in an explosion) are all reportedly plagued with spirits, including those of former owners the Stanleys themselves. The Stanley Hotel Spirited Night Tour takes visitors on an hour-long, after-dark tour and reveals the venue's ghostly secrets.
On the outside, Waverly Hills Sanatorium is a striking, Tudor pile that's worth a visit for the architecture alone. On the inside, it's touted to be 'one of the most haunted places on Earth'. The Sanatorium was once a hospital for tuberculosis patients, before serving as a care home for the elderly, and today tours go in search of the paranormal residents left behind. They apparently favor Room 502: it's rumored that multiple nurses passed away here over the years, and visitors have reported hearing voices and noticing all sorts of curious shapes.
These are the world's haunted hotels that will keep you up all night