Virginia offers plenty of creepy locations that will appeal to paranormal fans, with almost one hundred and seventy allegedly haunted spots across its state borders.
Virginia boasts many haunted locations ranging from mysterious forests to battlefields where Civil War soldiers perished, making for plenty of spine-chilling experiences this Halloween season. So where should you visit in Virginia?
Ferry Plantation House
Ferry Plantation House can add an exciting, chilling twist to your Halloween. Situated in Virginia Beach, this historic house is said to be haunted by up to eleven ghosts; these include Grace Sherwood who was first prosecuted for witchcraft in Virginia as well as Sally Rebecca Walke who still mourns the death of her soldier lover.
Through the year, visitors to Colonial Williamsburg can immerse themselves in its history through historical reenactments and witnessing ghost sightings – including reports of seeing an unknown woman dressed entirely in white roaming the house!
Other spirits found at Ferry Plantation House include victims from an 1810 shipwreck, painter Henry, and an enslaved male slave that lived in its quarters upstairs – sometimes playing tricks on unsuspecting visitors and sometimes leaving footsteps upstairs even when it is closed! Guests have reported hearing footsteps walking upstairs when no one is around!
Paxton Manor
Travel + Leisure named Leesburg’s haunted house as one of the scariest in America. Additionally, this location hosts Shocktober: an event lasting one month that features two houses and the Well of Souls as part of this former home of Mason Locke Weems and Benjamin Botts now haunted by Mamie Merchant and Violet Merchant who suffered epilepsy, along with Col. Erasmus Burt who was injured at Ball’s Bluff battleground.
House of Terror is an increasingly popular attraction this Halloween season, drawing in visitors looking for thrills. Run by volunteers raising money for Paxton Campus — an organization providing support services to people with disabilities in Loudoun County — they strive to give visitors an unforgettable experience, earning themselves a humanitarian award from Visit Loudoun for their efforts. New this year: the Carver family have returned as ghostly figures to cause terror throughout Loudoun.
Major Graham’s Mansion
This 1840s brick fortress in Wythe County ties directly back to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s seminal Southern rock band that perished in a plane crash in 1977, offering more than music alone. It’s hard to ignore all its connections and resonance.
An antebellum mansion has long been linked to mysterious activity and strange happenings, making it a fascinating and terrifying site for visitors and ghost hunters alike.
Many believe the ghostly presence at Major Graham’s Mansion is attributable to ghosts of children killed there, with many even suggesting Clara may still haunt it.
J.C. Weaver has restored this mansion and uses it to host music festivals and paranormal tours, during one of which his team from Virginia Paranormal Investigations encountered strange phenomenon, such as being physically touched and hearing footsteps, as well as hearing unidentified children screaming their name!
Staunton Train Depot
Virginia is well known for its long and rich history, so it should come as no surprise that there are numerous haunted sites throughout its borders. From bedsheets being pulled taut or shadow figures looming into rooms – there seems to be something unnerving at every turn in this state!
Staunton, Virginia is home to one of Virginia’s most haunted places: the Train Depot. Over time, paranormal investigators have documented strange lights and noises at this haunted site as well as reports of ghostly voices heard at nighttime.
Spooky spots in Virginia include the Overton-Hillsman House in Staunton, which saw some of the bloodiest moments during the Civil War, and Spotsylvania National Military Park, believed to be haunted by spirits of those killed during its bloodiest battle ever in North America.
