Kentucky may be best-known for its horse pastures, world-famous bourbon production and exciting outdoor adventures; but it also harbors some seriously creepy ghosts! Take a haunted tour of Civil War battlefields or encounter an apparition at an abandoned sanatorium before exploring paranormal activity at historic state parks in Kentucky.
Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Louisville is considered to be one of the most haunted places in America, with visitors reporting hearing slamming doors and unidentified voices in its halls.
Mammoth Cave
Mammoth Cave is not only one of the world’s longest cave systems but it is also considered one of the most haunted. There have been over 150 documented instances of paranormal activity at Mammoth Cave National Park alone – making this National Park one of the scariest places ever!
Cave was home to an experimental hospital that experimented on treating tuberculosis patients; local legend suggests they were haunted by ghostly presences from deceased loved ones and friends.
Visitors of Mammoth Cave have reported hearing footsteps when no one else is there, disembodied screams, and other bizarre noises within its confines. Many believe the cave to be haunted by Civil War-era soldiers from both sides as well as by Pope Lick Monster; its menacing atmosphere could easily cause anyone to flee!
Liberty Hall
Liberty Hall in Kentucky is renowned for educating history lovers, but this attraction also hosts its share of ghostly spirits. You might hear moans coming from dead Polen Farm workers or spot an old Native American ghost while exploring this haunted museum in Hardin County.
Liberty Hall was constructed by a statesman and has witnessed much of America’s history. If its walls could speak, you would hear stories of political scandal and murder from past guests; particularly that of Mame Varick who still haunts Liberty Hall today even though she and her family members were reburied elsewhere.
Kentucky State Penitentiary
Each paranormal enthusiast knows about Waverly Hills Sanatorium and Bobby Mackey’s Music World; both spots top lists of haunted places in Kentucky and are featured prominently on major ghost hunting shows. But there are other haunted places in Kentucky worth taking a closer look.
Kentucky State Penitentiary is a maximum security prison with a long history of mistreatment, abuse, a prison break attempt and two executions. The haunted location has long been recognized for eerie voices and footsteps heard around its walls – voices from prisoners can often be heard echoing through its halls.
Steve Asher maintains that the Kentucky State Penitentiary building itself acts like a paranormal “dynamo.” Constructed with prison labor, its design attracts negative energy that causes supernatural phenomena such as apparitions and other supernatural experiences among both prisoners and guards alike. His book Hauntings of the Kentucky State Penitentiary contains reports from prisoners who experienced strange happenings there as evidence.
Cave Hill Cemetery
Cave Hill Cemetery’s 296 acres have long been home to legendary figures, such as portrait painter Mary Ann Xantippe “Tip” Saunders – cousin of Mark Twain; Mildred and Patty Hill (sisters who wrote Happy Birthday song); Muhammad Ali; boxing champion; Mildred and Patty Hill who composed song Happy Birthday for Mildred Hill and boxing champion Muhammad Ali among many more. Additionally, Cave Hill is known to host ghosts who have made significant impacts in society such as Colonel Harland Sanders who founded Kentucky Fried Chicken as well as Paul Hornung who won Heisman Trophy award winner.
Visitors have reported witnessing translucent figures among the gravestones and hearing disembodied voices, with one particularly haunting sighting being of a young man appearing outside windows with an anxious look or walking with a soldier as though lost.
Grandview Cemetery
Near Eastview, this haunt is located approximately an hour from Louisville and boasts an ominous, Manor-esqe house featuring plenty of sets designed to shock visitors. Furthermore, its fantastic backstory includes trains, ancient Egyptian artifacts, wolves and even an appearance from “The Sinister Lord of Darkness.”
Many visitors who visit this cemetery report an uncomfortable sensation upon entering its grounds, like being watched. Some have experienced disembodied voices and seen people appearing lost – orbs are also often visible in photographs taken there.
Kentucky boasts many haunted houses, yet not all of them offer equal scares. Some are more terrifying than others and the best haunted houses feature unique environments or histories that make them particularly haunting.
