The Most Haunted Place in Every State
Ready for a dare?
America is full of spooky stories of lost souls from days gone by — souls eternally tied to places that were important to them in life. Legends of haunted places are as old as the country itself. And one reason for that is we just love to be spooked.
Haunted house stories also give form to very real feelings of grief and guilt. Novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne famously based his book "The House of the Seven Gables" on this 1668 colonial mansion in Salem, Massachusetts. In the book, the titular house is haunted in many ways, literally and figuratively.
Keep going to see haunted places in all of America's 50 states. You'll find ghost stories that span centuries, dogs that keep fetching the newspaper, even in death, and loads of lingering spirits, both friendly and not.
It's time to get spooky.
Alabama: Gaines Ridge Dinner Club
This southern restaurant boasts about its ghosts on its website.
According to legend, there’s “the woman who screams and calls out,” as well a crying baby — and sometimes, a reflection of a gaunt, tall, bearded man dressed in black.
Alaska: Hotel Captain Cook
This Anchorage hotel took unusual measures to cut back on unpleasant paranormal encounters: They bolted one of the women's bathroom stalls shut for good.
In 1972, during the second tower's grand opening festivities, a woman died by suicide in one of the bathroom stalls — specifically, the last one on the left in the second tower. Legend has it that her ghost gets quite upset when people enter the stall, occasionally grabbing unsuspecting guests by the ankles.
So, the hotel decided enough was enough, and they bolted the door shut.
Arizona: Jerome Grand Hotel
Before it was a hotel, the Jerome Grand was the United Verde Hospital, where an estimated 9,000 patients died.
The hotel's guest book reads like a lengthy diary of paranormal encounters. “We ... immediately began receiving reports from guests hearing voices (and a hospital gurney) in the hallways, but no one was there," general manager Chris Altherr said.
Arkansas: Crescent Hotel & Spa
Built atop a hill above the village of Eureka Springs in 1886, this is considered one of America's most haunted hotels. Marty and Elise Roenigk hired mediums to assess the spirit saturation when they bought the place in 1997. The mediums said that the hotel was home to a portal to "the other side."
Guests have often reported the mysterious smell of pipe tobacco lingering in the air and orbs floating around, according to the hotel’s blog and the director of the in-house ghost tour department.
California: The Hollywood Roosevelt
The Hollywood Roosevelt opened in 1927 and immediately became a favorite haunt of Tinseltown's elite.
Legend has it that Marilyn Monroe, who once lived in the building, still roams the corridors of the iconic Los Angeles hotel. Guests have also pointed to Carole Lombard and Montgomery Clift as two of this hotel's resident ghosts.
Colorado: The Stanley Hotel
As one might expect, the hotel that inspired Stephen King's “The Shining” has some ghost stories of its own. One such story involves a maid who remains a stickler for propriety.
Way back when, the hotel's head chambermaid was Elizabeth Wilson. Wilson died in 1951, but, if you ask hotel staff, her spirit stuck around to keep guests in line. In Wilson's time, unmarried men were not allowed to stay in the main hotel overnight. They had a lodge next door for that.
Legend has it that if an unmarried couple stays in a room together in the main hotel, Wilson might pack a man's bags for him and leave them outside of the door.
Connecticut: Captain Grant’s Inn
According to Carol Matsumoto, this bed and breakfast is populated with a dozen friendly, helpful spirits — she literally wrote the book on it.
Guests have reported hearing disembodied footsteps, especially in and around the Adelaide room.
Delaware: The Addy Sea
The beachy bed and breakfast was built by John M. Addy as a summer getaway for his family in 1901.
Room 11 is said to be the most haunted, often said to be visited by The Addys' long-deceased handyman, Paul Dulaney.
Florida: Orange County Regional History Center
The founder of American Ghost Adventures, a popular Orlando tour company, voted the historic Orange County Regional History Center building as one of the most haunted locations in downtown Orlando.
And exactly who do locals believe is haunting this former courthouse? That would be none other than serial killer Ted Bundy. Bundy's second murder trial — and second conviction — took place inside this building.
Georgia: The Marshall House Hotel
The Marshall House — located in Savannah — was built in 1851, and served as a hospital through the Civil War and two yellow fever epidemics. It has operated off and on as a hotel since 1900.
Guests have reported seeing ghosts of children running through the halls. Others said they felt a cold hand gently touch their foreheads, like a nurse checking for fever.
Hawaii: Hilton Hawaiian Village
This is one of the younger entries on this list. The Hawaiian Village Hotel opened its doors in September 1955. Hilton hotels assumed management of the resort in 1961.
Despite its youth, the hotel is already collecting supernatural stories. One legend says a woman in a red dress haunts the hotel. Some speculate she was killed there, and others believe she is Madame Pele, the volcano goddess.
Idaho: The Egyptian Theatre
The theater in Boise has been open since 1927, and is believed to be haunted by "Joe," who served as a projectionist in the 1920s.
Guests have reported lights turning off and on, strange noises and doors closing.
Illinois: The Congress Plaza Hotel
The Chicago hotel opened in 1893 and has served as the stomping ground for the city's most notorious criminals, leaving many possibly restless spirits lurking in the halls.
Some guests have reported seeing none other than famed gangster Al Capone wandering the halls. Serial killer H.H. Holmes also lurked in the hotel lobby, in search of fresh victims to lure to a building he had rigged with torture devices and a crematorium.
Indiana: The Story Inn
The Story Inn in Nashville is home to horses, whimsical cottages and a cat named Doc. They host rustic weddings and lavish Victorian dinners.
The hotel is also home to a ghost. The Blue Lady is said to haunt the grounds. Locals believe that the Blue Lady, with "piercing eyes as blue as ice," is the wife of Dr. George Story, who founded the Story village in 1851.
Iowa: Franklin Hotel
The owners and guests believe that a sex worker from the 1920s haunts this Iowa hotel.
There have been reports of a mysterious presence, strange noises and sightings of a figure in a lavender gown.
Kansas: Hutchinson Public Library
Workers at this library report having a little paranormal company on their shifts. That ghost: one Ida Day Holzapfel. Holzapfel worked at the Hutchinson Public Library for a total of 13 years, from 1916 to 1922 and again from 1946 to 1953. In 1953, she resigned in favor of a reference librarian position in Visalia, California.
Tragically, Holzapfel was killed in a car accident on what was supposed to be her first day in Visalia. Believers say Ida's ghost returned to Hutchinson to reclaim her place and make her presence felt when she feels things aren't being kept up to her standards.
Kentucky: Talbott Tavern
According to guests and locals, the most famous ghost to visit this Kentucky tavern is outlaw Jesse James.
Guests have reported sightings of strange orbs and forks moving without anyone touching them.
Louisiana: Arnaud’s Restaurant
Arnaud Cazenave, a French wine salesman, opened the restaurant in 1918.
Several waiters at the fancy New Orleans restaurant have apparently seen the ghost of a gentleman in a tuxedo, happily looking around when the establishment is at its busiest.
Maine: Strand Cinema
Staff at this Skowhegan movie theater has reported numerous run-ins with ghosts they describe as ranging from friendly to evil.
One manager said she saw a woman walk into the room behind her, but when she turned around, there was no one there. Another employee felt a menacing presence in the basement. Despite the spooky sounds and apparitions, the Strand remains operational today.
Maryland: Admiral Fell Inn
This inn in Baltimore dates back to the 1700s, and staff members have reported hearing strange noises.
In 2011, TripAdvisor added the Admiral Fell Inn to its list of Top 10 Haunted Hotels in America.
Massachusetts: Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum
Only the brave stay at the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum in Massachusetts. In 1892, Lizzie Borden was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe.
She was acquitted, and the mystery remains unsolved. The B&B even allows guests to stay in the bedroom where the couple was murdered.
Michigan: Holly Hotel
Hotels of a certain age tend to accumulate ghost stories over the decades. In 1989, “ghostbuster” Norman Gauthier claimed the Holly Hotel was positively brimming with ghosts and spirits.
The hotel keeps a running list of spirits that guests might encounter. Ghostly residents include Mr. Hirst, the owner of the building's first hotel business; Nora Kane, a hostess whose ghost is heard singing and playing piano; and Leona, the Hirst family dog, among others.
Minnesota: Palmer House Hotel
Here's another hotel with ghost stories that span decades (and even species).
Guests and staff members of this Sauk Centre landmark have reported hearing children in the hallways, despite no children being on the premises. Weirder still, some guests say they felt a cat jump onto their bed as they were drifting off to sleep.
There have also been reports of furniture moving about independently. Others say they have seen ghosts.
Mississippi: King’s Tavern Natchez
King's Tavern Natchez closed permanently in the summer of 2020. The building, which is one of the oldest in Mississippi, is believed to be haunted by the ghost of Madeline, the mistress of the tavern's original owner.
In the 1930s, a few locals said they found three human skeletons (two men, one woman) and a jeweled dagger hidden behind the tavern's fireplace. Did the female skeleton belong to Madeline? We may never know for sure, but Mississippi legend says yes.
Staff and guests have reported plenty of supernatural mischief — objects moving mysteriously, unexplained noises and, spookiest of all, Madeline's reflection appearing in mirrors.
Missouri: Lemp Mansion
The Lemp family made their fortune brewing beer, including St. Louis' first locally brewed lager. In 1876, William Lemp Sr. purchased a large house near the family brewery and expanded it into a palatial Victorian landmark.
But it wouldn't be long before tragedy struck the Lemp family, and, as we know, tragedy often germinates stories of the paranormal.
It all started when Frederic Lemp, William Sr.'s oldest son, died suddenly of heart failure in 1901. William Sr. fell into a deep depression, and in 1904, died by suicide.
That same year, William Lemp Jr. took over the family business, and the fortune that came with it. But William Jr. was more interested in hosting parties and spending his inheritance than with growing the brewing enterprise. The family was beset with unhappy marriages, mental illness, substance abuse and more suicides. Eventually, the Lemps sold off the mansion, and the building became a boarding house. That's when the ghost stories began.
Today, the Lemp mansion operates as a hotel and restaurant. They also offer tours for guests hoping to catch a glimpse of one of the old family ghosts.
Montana: Fort Peck Theatre
The Billings Gazette named the Fort Peck Theatre one of Montana’s most haunted places.
The theatre was built in 1934, and is said to be haunted by a male ghost in 1930s work attire.
Nebraska: The Monster Club (Formerly O’Connor’s Pub)
Whiskey isn't the only spirit making the rounds at this Omaha watering hole. Back when it was O'Connor's, staff reported that lights would turn off and on of their own accord. Similarly, they said, doors would open and close on their own.
In 2019, owners of a nearby record store moved into the location and rebranded it as The Monster Club, leaning all the way into the haunted ambiance. The Monster Club is a horror-themed bar with statues of scary icons like Frankenstein and Pennywise perched throughout.
Nevada: Bally’s Las Vegas
Las Vegas has its fair share of haunted-building stories. In the 1980s, a horrific fire broke out at the old MGM Grand hotel, killing 87 people.
While most of the hotel complex was rebuilt and renamed "Bally’s," the tower where the fire took place still stands. Guests have reported hearing strange noises and seeing shadows moving in the halls.
New Hampshire: Three Chimneys Inn
The New Hampshire inn was built by Valentine Hill in 1649, as a homestead and sawmill overlooking the Oyster River. Soon after, Hill, wife Frances, and daughter Hannah moved onto the property.
Though record-keeping was decidedly less thorough in the 1600s, we know that Hannah was married in 1659, around age 20, and probably gave birth to one son in 1661. That's where the history gets fuzzy, and, fittingly, where the lore kicks in.
Legend says that, sometime after giving birth to a baby boy, Hannah drowned in the Oyster River. Staff and guests report seeing her spirit roaming the grounds.
New Jersey: Hotel Macomber
This historic seaside hotel in Cape May is home to a charming restaurant with all the seafood you can eat.
Legend says the hotel — room 10, specifically — is also home to a ghost named Irene “Trunk Lady” Wright.
New Mexico: La Fonda
La Fonda, a hotel in Santa Fe, is one of the most historic buildings in New Mexico and is rumored to be haunted by several ghosts.
These spirits include a gambler who died in 1857, a judge in his black coat and a young, murdered bride.
New York: Ear Inn
Before it was a bar, the Ear Inn was a home to George Washington’s aide James Brown, during the Revolutionary War.
Bar owners say there are several friendly ghosts that frequent the New York haunt. One, named Mickey, is said to be eternally waiting for his clipper ship to pull into the harbor.
North Carolina: Biltmore Estate
Unlike many haunted houses, this mansion in Asheville was home to a happy — and extremely wealthy — family. George Vanderbilt loved the North Carolina mountains and began construction on the massive, French-style summer home in 1889. Vanderbilt, his wife Edith and daughter Cornelia lived happily at Biltmore for nearly two decades.
George died in 1914 during an emergency appendectomy. Guests of the North Carolina estate claim to have heard glasses quietly clinking in the dining room and Edith whispering "George" in the halls. Some have even reported seeing George Vanderbilt wandering the grounds.
North Dakota: Children’s Museum at Yunker Farm
Locals say this children's museum is home to the ghost of Elizabeth Yunker, a woman who bought the farmhouse with her husband in 1905.
Some have reported elevators in the facility running on their own, while others have seen the ghost of a child who drowned in a well.
Ohio: Franklin Castle
This home in Cleveland was built in the late 1800s and is said to be haunted by many of the people who died while living there. Emma Tiedemann was the first to die inside the home. She died from complications of diabetes in 1891, when she was just 15.
Emma's family suffered more tragedies in the years after her death; Emma's grandmother and three of her siblings also perished in the subsequent three years. Rumors swirled — of murder and illegitimate children — as the family's death count ballooned. Finally, Emma's mother, Louise, died in 1895, from liver disease. Emma's father, Hannes Tiedemann, sold the home in 1896.
Oklahoma: Belvidere Mansion
Construction on this gothic-style brick home in Claremore began in 1902, but the original owner, railroad tycoon John M. Bayless, died before the home was complete. His wife, Mary, finished the home and lived there with her six children until 1919.
Visitors have claimed to have seen and heard the ghosts of the Bayless family wandering the halls. Another spooky feature of this creaky old house: spontaneously flushing toilets.
Oregon: Columbia Gorge Hotel
This century-old hotel in Hood River has hosted many glamorous guests through the years, from President Franklin D. Roosevelt to American actress Shirley Temple.
Rumors say that a woman in white jumped to her death from a hotel balcony and continues to haunt the hotel.
Pennsylvania: Eastern State Penitentiary
The defunct prison — it closed in 1971 — is considered one of the most haunted places in America. The harsh methods of punishment inflicted on prisoners would scare anyone, but several people have also claimed to hear voices and cackling around the cell blocks.
In the 1990s, Gary Johnson, who contributes to maintaining the prison, opened an old lock in cell block 4 and was overtaken by a "negative, horrible energy" that gripped him so tightly that he was no longer able to move.
The prison is now open year-round for public tours. Enter, if you dare.
Rhode Island: Providence Biltmore
The hotel was built in 1922 and is rumored to be home to many paranormal guests.
A former event planner claimed to have seen spirits dancing in the ballroom late at night.
South Carolina: Magnolia Plantation and Gardens
This plantation was featured on a 2012 episode of Syfy's “Ghost Hunters.”
The paranormal investigators heard music and a young girl’s voice, as well as unexplained growling and coughing.
South Dakota: Orpheum Theatre
On Halloween, the Sioux Falls theater allows guests to explore parts of the building normally closed off to the public.
Staff members claim to have seen brides on balconies and kids playing in the middle of the night.
Tennessee: Thomas House Hotel
The Tennessee hotel, located in Red Boiling Springs, offers ghost tours on the weekends, giving the public a glimpse into the haunted history.
Guests have reported moving beds, cold spots, disembodied voices and shadowy figures.
Texas: Menger Hotel
San Antonio’s Menger Hotel is thought to be haunted by President Teddy Roosevelt. No, he didn't die here, but the hotel's bar was a favorite hangout for Roosevelt and his crew of Rough Riders.
Patrons also report spotting Sallie, a hotel chambermaid who was killed in 1876 by her husband, Henry Wheeler. The San Antonio newspaper at the time wrote that Sallie sought police protection from "crazed" Wheeler's abuse.
Police searched the home but found no weapons. Upon returning to her home, Sallie found her husband waiting with a revolver in hand. He chased her through the streets and eventually shot his wife outside the hotel. Wheeler fled and was never brought to justice. The hotel paid Sallie's funeral costs.
Utah: Ben Lomond Suites
As the story goes, the 11th floor of this hotel in downtown Ogden is the building’s most haunted.
Visitors in room 1102 might spot the ghost of the bride who drowned in the bathtub while on her honeymoon. Another woman died in room 1106 during WWII.
Vermont: The Norwich Inn
From the outside, Norwich looks like a storybook New England town, but look a little closer and you'll find a bit of horror.
It’s said that the Walker House, one of the inn's three buildings, is haunted by Ma Walker. She was the proprietor of the inn in the 1920s and, according to legend, never really retired, even in death.
Virginia: The Martha Hotel & Spa
Reports of ghostly visitors have been circling around this hotel in Abington since the time of the Civil War.
Staff members say they’ve seen ghostly apparitions throughout the property.
Washington: Kells Irish Pub
This Seattle pub is said to be haunted by a well-dressed man and a little girl with red hair.
Staff and patrons have also reported hearing strange voices and seeing mirrors shatter without explanation.
West Virginia: Lake Shawnee Amusement Park
Local legend says that the abandoned amusement park is still full of spirits.
The park has been empty since 1966. Six visitors died on rides. But the land's dark history predates the amusement park. A nearby monument describes a deadly clash between white settlers and the indigenous Americans who were living on the land.
Wisconsin: The Pfister Hotel
This hotel has a reputation for being so scary, some of Major League Baseball's fiercest players refuse to stay there while their teams visit Milwaukee to play the Brewers.
Through the years, guests have reported seeing apparitions. Some say that it's Charles Pfister himself, the original owner, who haunts the property.
Wyoming: The Wyoming Frontier Prison
Just shy of 150 miles west of Cheyenne, Wyoming's state capital, you'll find a small town called Rawlins. Fewer than 10,000 living people call Rawlins home, according to the 2010 census, but that number might climb a bit if you factor in the ghosts.
Explored in an episode of Travel Channel's “Ghost Adventures,” this spooky prison was once the home to nearly 200 inmates.
The prison opened in 1901 and officially closed 80 years later. If you ask the folks who've spent time there, something — or someone — remains inside the stone walls.