There are plenty of haunted places in America ranging from haunted buildings and old prisons, providing thrills, backstories or social activities – haunted houses offer all that and more.
From Civil War battlefields to a house where three families were brutally killed, here are some of the most haunted places in America.
1. McRaven House
Built in 1797, McRaven House has an extensive history of paranormal activity. Numerous Civil War soldiers perished there during battle for Vicksburg while its fields hospital was used by past owners too. Additionally, several of them passed away there themselves.
One of the more well-known ghosts that reside at McRaven House is Highwayman Alexander Glass, a notorious criminal from Natchez Trace who would rob people before hiding out at McRaven House before being shot and killed there – his ghost still lingers today!
Mary Howard’s spirit can often be seen wandering her former home during the antebellum era and is frequently reported by residents who hear or see voices or see figures moving about in the house; people also report feeling as though someone were pulling at their hair or feeling something touching them in her bedroom.
2. Octagon Farm
Octagon Farm was the site of a tragic 19th-century event: bride-to-be on horseback was startled and thrown off her horse before collapsing to her death; witnesses claim to see her ghostly presence every night on the farm.
Other reported haunted sites are said to include the former Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in Pennsylvania and Los Lunas Mansion where Josefita Otero’s passion for her home seems to outshone anything else – with guests reporting unexplained apparitions, doors slamming shut, and unexplained noises being witnessed at her mansion.
Other haunted locations in America include Lizzie Borden House and Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo. Iolani Palace in Honolulu may also be haunted by ghosts of King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani; finally Old Idaho Penitentiary has ghostly residents that may linger here.
3. St. Augustine’s Old Jail
St. Augustine’s Old Jail is one of the most haunted locations in America. Built as a county jail in 1891, this former county prison served the community before eventually being closed due to cruel treatment of prisoners.
People have reported feeling as if they are being watched by an unseen force; feelings of sadness, and an oppressive presence have also been reported. Many believe the Old Jail to be the resting place for spirits of Timucuan Indians as well as victims of yellow fever.
Visitors who wish to experience the haunted side of the Old Jail can join one of Historic Tours of America’s daily or nightly tours, offered both by daytime and by nightfall. Historic Tours also operates the St. Augustine Trolley, Potter’s Wax Museum and Old Jail itself.
4. Portland’s Old Jail
Americans claim to encounter ghosts across America. From California’s Winchester Mystery House and Philadelphia’s Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia to other locations such as Lake Erie or Maine, people claim paranormal activity is rampant.
American cities known for murder, fire and gangster activity often hold haunted locations that are filled with ghostly spirits. Chicago in particular is said to be full of ghosts; one such location in Chicago is Iroquois Theater where an arson fire killed hundreds. Additionally, Chicago was home to H. H. Holmes who became America’s first serial killer.
Charleston is known to attract many spirits due to its Civil War-era buildings and history with pirates, voodoo, and other supernatural practices such as pirate lore. One such place, The Marshall House served as a hospital during yellow fever epidemics during both World Wars. Visitors have reported faucets turning on and off by themselves and seeing ghost children running down hallways.
5. The Pine Barrens
The Pine Barrens in New Jersey are both beautiful and unsettling – home to several ghost towns which once flourished here, as well as having a bloody past of violence.
James Still, an African American doctor lynched for practicing medicine, is said to haunt the Pine Barrens as an entity and assist people who find themselves lost or injured within its realm. It has even been suggested that his spirit might even provide aid if someone gets lost or injured within its borders.
The Pine Barrens were originally inhabited by members of the Lenni Lenape Indian tribe. This triadic community comprised three clans and used matrilineal inheritance; their matrilineal system passed kinship down through mother’s lineage. Furthermore, shells were often used to construct burial mounds which have been described as being in the shape of devils.
