11 Haunted American Landmarks That Will Chill You to the Bone
Have you ever read a book about a haunted house, mansion, or town and wondered what it would be like to live in one? You can always visit a haunted place even if you cannot live in one. Surprisingly, many haunted places in America can satisfy the thrill-seeker and adrenaline rush in you.
This is a list of the 15 haunted places in America. Get ready for some heart-pounding and hair-raising feelings.
Bodie, California
A booming town in the 1870s and 80s due to gold mining in the surrounding hills of Mono Lake, today, Bodie is a ghost town with not a single person staying there. It lies in a state of “arrested decay.” You will find tables with place settings, fully stocked shops, and music being played from behind shuttered bars. As per a legend, if a visitor takes anything from Brodie, bad luck will befall him.
The Stanley Hotel, Colorado
If you have been impressed or spooked by the haunted hotel in Stephen King’s The Shining, then you must visit the Stanley Hotel in the serene mountains of Colorado. That’s where Mr. King got the inspiration for his book. Since its opening in 1909, the hotel has been home to paranormal activity. Guests have reported a specter of a woman (the former hotel owner’s wife, Flora) playing the piano, flickering lights, and encountering ghostly apparitions.
St. Augustine Lighthouse, Florida
Several tragedies occurred at this historic site that have led to the haunting of this lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper died while painting the tower and is believed to watch over the grounds. In another tragedy, three young girls met with a horrible death when the cart in which they were playing broke and fell into the ocean. Ever since, people have heard the cries of children at night.
Gettysburg Battlefield, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg Battlefield witnessed one of the bloodiest and most gruesome battles during the Civil War. No wonder it is haunted by the negative energy and lingering spirits of the soldiers sacrificed in the war. Visitors report seeing ghostly apparitions of soldiers, hearing gunshots, and feeling inexplicably cold in certain places.
The Myrtles Plantation, Louisiana
The Myrtles Plantation reminds visitors of Conjuring when they see the tree in front of the house from which the dead body was shown hanging. History has it that a former owner had cut off a slave girl, Chloe’s ears, for eavesdropping, who in turn had poisoned his two daughters. She was then hung in the very house. However, it’s not only the spirit of Chloe but many former slaves’ spirits that haunt the plantation. People have heard strange noises and seen mysterious handprints on mirrors.
Villisca Axe-Murder House, Iowa
In the early 1900s, eight people, including six children, were bludgeoned to death while they were sleeping in the house. Since then, paranormal activity has been reported, such as banging sounds, moving objects, and children’s voices. If you don’t mind encounters with otherworldly activities or are looking for thrill and adventure, you can take a daylight tour or book an overnight stay.
Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, Chicago
This small cemetery was allegedly used by Chicago’s crime gangs as a dumping ground for bodies in the 1920s and 1930s. Visitors have reported some creepy sightings, from a spirit walking the grounds holding her baby during the full moon to collisions with phantom vehicles and a phantom farmhouse that shrinks as you get nearer and completely disappears.
The Winchester Mystery House, California
Located in San Jose and built by Sarah Winchester, the widow of the inventor of the famous eponymous rifle, the house is said to be haunted by the ghosts of those killed by Winchester rifles. This haunted Victorian and Gothic-style mansion is renowned for its size and architectural quirks, such as staircases leading to nowhere, doors opening into walls, and inexplicable cold spots.
Moss Beach Distillery, California
Once a well-known West Coast nightclub perched atop a cliff overlooking a cove on the California coast, this infamous Spanish-style structure is supposed to be the home of the Blue Lady ghost. The woman was allegedly conducting an affair in the restaurant during the Prohibition era and was murdered along with her lover on the beach below. The ghost of the woman now plays pranks, locks doors, and even steals earrings from lady diners.
Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, Georgia
Bonaventure Cemetery is home to many time-worn statues resting in the shade of Spanish moss, lending it a particular Gothic atmosphere. Though many notable figures were buried here, the grave of six-year-old Gracie Watson is the most visited. A life-size marble statue of her marks her grave. Visitors usually leave a toy at her grave, and some have reported seeing the ghost of Gracie. Some have even heard crying babies and barking dogs, while others have seen statues smiling at them suddenly as they approach. Guests at Kehoe House, an erstwhile funeral parlor and an inn presently, have reported being woken up by gentle caresses in the night and surrounded by ghostly mourners. Sometimes, the Kehoe twins, who died playing in the house’s chimney, also pay visits to the guests.
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is infamous for multiple haunted locations and draws ghost hunters from all over the globe. It is home to the Witch House from the notorious trials of 1692, Gallows Hill, where the wrongfully accused were executed, and Old Burying Point Cemetery, where those executed were buried. People have reported ghostly apparitions and a sense of unease while visiting these places. However, the scariest place is the House of the Seven Gables, which inspired the novel of the same name by American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Salem mansion is alleged to have been cursed by its former owner.
