The creepiest places in all 50 states

From rundown prisons to defunct hospitals to hotels with resident ghosts, discover the creepiest spot in your state … if you dare.

Open from 1882 to 1971, this National Historic Landmark in Birmingham was once the world’s largest manufacturer of pig iron, though this achievement came at a cost. Working conditions at the plant were miserable, particularly from 1900 to 1906 under the reign of graveyard shift foreman James “Slag” Wormwood. Wormwood pushed his workers to take dangerous risks to speed up production, and 47 workers died during his reign (while many others were injured). The foreman himself died on site, and his spirit is said to have lingered. Workers complained of an “unnatural presence” at the plant, as well as being pushed from behind or told to “get back to work” by a mysterious voice. All in all, more than 100 reports of suspected paranormal activity at Sloss Furnaces have been recorded by the Birmingham Police.

Established in 1898, the Red Onion Saloon in Skagway was a popular brothel during the Klondike Gold Rush, and today it’s said to be haunted by one of the women who worked there. Known as Lydia, the resident ghost has reportedly been spotted running down a hall into a room once occupied by the madame. Others claim to have smelled her perfume or to have experienced extreme cold spots. The Red Onion Saloon offers a Ghosts and Goodtime Girls Walking Tour, which gives guests a closer look at the establishment’s history.

Yuma Territorial Prison held more than 3,000 murderers, thieves and other criminals during its 33 years in operation from 1876 to 1909. More than 100 people died on the premises. Guides have reported feeling a chill near cell #14, where a prisoner named John Ryan committed suicide. Another unsettling spot is known as the “Dark Cell,” where disruptive inmates were held in isolation. While no one is known to have died in the Dark Cell, two inmates were transferred to an insane asylum shortly after being released. Visitors to Yuma Territorial Prison can get a closer look at the cell blocks, guard tower and more.

Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism

Located in Eureka Springs, The Crescent Hotel was one of America’s most luxurious resorts when it opened in 1886, but it closed in the 1930s due to tough economic times. In 1937, it was purchased by Norman Baker and converted to Baker’s Cancer Curing Hospital. Baker had no medical training, and his supposedly groundbreaking cancer treatments were, in fact, a scam. Today, the hotel has been restored to its original grandeur, but Baker’s patients and other spirits are still said to haunt the property. Common ghost sightings include Theodora, a patient who fumbles for her keys outside of room 419, and Michael, an Irish stonemason who fell to his death while building the hotel. Nightly ghost tours end at the morgue — still intact from the hospital and said to be a hotbed of paranormal activity.

Embarking on her maiden voyage in 1936, the elegant Queen Mary carried some of the world’s most prominent people, from Winston Churchill to Clark Gable. But in 1940, the liner was stripped of her luxuries and retrofitted as a World War II troopship, known as the “Grey Ghost” for her muted color. After the war, the Queen Mary was converted back to a passenger ship and eventually retired from service in 1967. Today, she’s docked in Long Beach and serves as a floating hotel, but some ghosts of her past are said to remain. Visitors have reported seeing a lady in white, an engineer who died in the engine room and several children in 1930s-era garb. Guests of the Queen Mary can partake in a Haunted Encounters tour to learn more about the ship’s legends.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the century-old Stanley Hotel in Estes Park is famous for inspiring Stephen King’s horror novel, The Shining. Though the hotel drew many affluent guests when it opened in the early 1900s, it had fallen into disrepair by the 1970s, when King and his wife paid a visit. They were the only guests at the hotel during their stay, and wandering the empty corridors led to some disturbing dreams that prompted the author to pen his bestselling story. Today, the hotel has been restored to its original splendor, yet its haunting atmosphere remains. Guests can take a nighttime ghost tour or book a “spirited” room with high paranormal activity (including the Stephen King Suite 217).

Now a National Historic Landmark, this Hartford residence was once home to author Samuel Clemens (aka Mark Twain) and his family from 1874 to 1891. Penning some of his most well-known works here (including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn), the author called these some of the happiest and most productive years of his life. However, after daughter Susy died of meningitis in 1896, the Clemens family was too heartbroken to continue living in the house and sold it. Today, the home is maintained as a museum and is said to be haunted by a “lady in white.” In October, visitors can see for themselves during Graveyard Shift Ghost Tours. Filled with haunted history, dark tales and Victorian traditions, these nighttime tours are as educational as they are goosebump-inducing.

Set on Pea Patch Island, Fort Delaware served as a Union prison camp during the Civil War, housing as many as 12,595 Confederate prisoners of war at one time in reportedly dreadful conditions. Inmates had no beds or water to wash with, and were forced to sleep on cold stone floors among vermin. Fort Delaware was abandoned in 1944 and became a state park in 1951, but its dark history has made it a popular spot for paranormal enthusiasts. The dungeons, where prisoners were held, are said to be a particularly active spot.

Completed in 1874 and still active to this day, the St. Augustine Lighthouse is said to be haunted by several former keepers and their families. The most famous ghosts of the lighthouse are two young sisters, Eliza and Mary, who drowned in the nearby water. Their laughter can supposedly be heard at the top of the tower late at night, while Eliza has been spotted on the grounds wearing the same blue dress she died in. For paranormal enthusiasts, the Dark of the Moon tour takes visitors inside the lighthouse tower and the keepers’ house at night.

Featured on the cover of the bestselling novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah is hauntingly beautiful with its stately trees, lush Spanish moss and Gothic-style tombstones. Visitors have reported paranormal activity in the cemetery for years; some say that the statue of a girl named Gracie, who died of pneumonia at age 6, cries tears of blood at night. Others claim to have heard sounds of children playing (with no children in sight) or to have seen statues smiling or grimacing at them.

This outdoor museum in Waipahu (on the island of Oahu) reconstructs life on Hawaii’s sugar plantations from 1850 to 1950. Of the 25 structures on the plantation (some original, some replicas), about half are said to be haunted: There’s a ghostly young girl in the Portuguese house, a choking ghost in the Okinawan house and a doll that wanders from its case in the Puerto Rican house. Each October, the plantation is transformed into a haunted attraction with costumed actors, who aren’t allowed to work in the buildings by themselves due to the property’s paranormal activity.

Clay Almquist / Idaho State Historical Society

The Old Idaho Penitentiary in Boise was built in the late 1800s by its prisoners, who mined nearby sandstone quarries to build the walls. The penitentiary closed in 1973 after inhumane conditions led to riots among the inmates, but its structures remain intact and are reportedly ripe with paranormal activity. 5 House, the building where notorious inmate Raymond Allen Snowden (also known as “Idaho’s Jack the Ripper”) was executed, seems to be the most active. Old Idaho Penitentiary is open most days for tours.

Perched over the town of Alton atop its highest point, Mount Lookout Park, historic McPike Mansion is a hotspot for paranormal investigators who claim to feel the presence of its original owners, Eleanor and Henry McPike, as well as other residents. Some even believe the haunts date back to before the house was built, with detections of Native American ghosts and a residue from a possible Underground Railroad stop. Overall, more than 11 spirits have been experienced throughout the home. Alton is considered one of the most haunted small towns in America, and other eerie spots include a Confederate prison, a school and a church.

Built in 1851, The Story Inn is the only structure still standing from the small mining town of Story, which went defunct during the Great Depression. Restored in the 1960s, the inn now serves as a quaint bed and breakfast — with a resident ghost. For years, visitors have documented their ghostly encounters in the inn’s guestbooks, namely with the “Blue Lady.” Thought to be Dr. George Story’s wife, she’s said to appear if you turn on a blue light in one of the rooms above the restaurant. If you smell cherry tobacco — her favorite — she’s already come and gone.

Located in the small town of Villisca, this unassuming house was the site of one of the most gruesome crimes in Iowa history. In 1912, six members of the Moore family, as well as two overnight guests, were murdered in their sleep. To this day, the crime remains unsolved. Restored to its 1912 condition, the house is now open for daytime tours and overnight stays by reservation. Visitors have reported a bedroom door opening and closing on its own, mysterious sensations of pinching and shoving, and unexplained cold chills.

Once the home and office of a physician, the Sallie House in Atchison is said to be haunted by a 6-year-old girl who died on the operating table during a botched appendectomy. Tony and Debra Pickman, a couple who rented the house in the 1990s, claimed that a ghost frequently attacked Tony, leaving visible scratches on his back, chest and arms. (Though she never harmed Debra or their baby.) Tours and overnight stays are now available at the home. Known as the most haunted town in Kansas, Atchison is a popular destination for paranormal enthusiasts and also offers cemetery tours, haunted trolley rides and ghost hunts.

Photo by The Real Waverly Hills Sanatorium

From 1910 to 1962, Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville housed thousands of tuberculosis patients; the facility was so vast that it had its own ZIP code, post office and water treatment facility. The death toll was so high that the building was also equipped with a “Death Tunnel,” where bodies were discretely removed for burial to prevent panic among the residents. Today, Waverly Hills is known as one of the most haunted places in the world. Tours and paranormal investigations are offered regularly, and ghost hunters have reported hearing slamming doors, seeing apparitions and having objects thrown at them.

Stephen Saks / Lonely Planet Images / Getty Images

Now a bed and breakfast, the antebellum-era Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville is touted as “One of America’s Most Haunted Homes.” Its most famous ghost is Chloe, a slave girl who took revenge on her owner by poisoning him and his family; her apparition has since been spotted roaming the house in a white apron and green turban. Guests have also reported hearing footsteps on the stairs, the sounds of children playing and a grand piano that inexplicably repeats the same haunting chord over and over again — until someone enters the room.

One of the nation’s oldest cemeteries, Mount Hope in Bangor may look familiar to fans of the movie Pet Sematary, adapted from Stephen King’s 1983 horror novel. King himself made a cameo in a scene that was filmed here, in which he played a minister presiding over a funeral. Plus, actual gravestones in the cemetery inspired the names of some of his most well-known characters: Carrie (from the 1974 novel of the same name) and Georgie (from 1986’s It). Many fans of the author make the journey to Bangor each year to see the places that inspired him, and this is a must-visit stop.

With 23,000 soldiers killed, wounded or missing, the bloodiest battle of the Civil War took place at Antietam Creek near Sharpsburg in 1862. Today, visitors to the battlefield have reported hearing gunfire or smelling gunpowder when no one else was in sight, or seeing mysterious figures in Confederate uniforms. Some also claim to have spotted strange balls of blue light at Burnside Bridge, where many soldiers were hastily buried.

Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism

In 1892, Andrew and Abby Borden were brutally murdered in their Fall River home in broad daylight. Lizzie, their youngest daughter, was charged with the crime and later acquitted. Though many still believe her to be guilty, the murders remain unsolved to this day. The house has been converted into a bed and breakfast and museum, and those who have spent the night have reported hearing a woman crying and seeing apparitions.

The site of two major battles during the War of 1812 and a host of other violent events over the years, this picturesque island is actually a hotbed of paranormal activity. One notably haunted spot is the Drowning Pool, where a witch hunt was conducted in the 1700s and early 1800s. Seven women who were accused of being witches were thrown into the water with rocks tied to their feet; if they sank, they were deemed innocent. Other spooky spots include the Grand Hotel (said to be haunted by an “evil entity” with glowing red eyes) and Mission Point Resort (reportedly haunted by a young college student who committed suicide).

During Prohibition, these former mining caves in St. Paul were turned into a speakeasy that became a hotspot for gangsters including John Dillinger and Ma Barker. Rumor has it that three gangsters who were gunned down in the caves are buried under the floors. Though the bodies haven’t been found, you can see the bullet holes from the incident during a tour of the caves.

Built in 1797 and expanded in 1836 and 1849, the McRaven house in Vicksburg has been called a “Time Capsule of the South,” as each addition left the previous rooms untouched. Several former residents died in the home, and it served as a Confederate field hospital during the Civil War — two factors that have made the property ripe with paranormal activity. Mary Elizabeth Howard is said to be the most active spirit; the lady of the house, she died in 1836 shortly after childbirth in one of the upstairs bedrooms. McRaven offers haunted tours and ghost hunts year-round.

Now a restaurant and inn, the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis is marked by 60 years of tragedy for the wealthy Lemp family who originally lived there. At least four members of this doomed dynasty, owners of the Lemp Brewing Company, died in the house. Today, their spirits are said to linger, and guests may encounter them on a weekly ghost tour.

Founded in 1862 after gold was discovered in a nearby creek, this historic ghost town was once the site of a thriving boomtown where prospectors and businessmen flocked. Over the years, Bannack slowly became abandoned as its inhabitants moved on to bigger cities and new opportunities. Today, the weathered structures stand preserved, serving as architectural skeletons of Montana’s rugged past. A visit to Bannack may give you a glimpse of a long-forgotten miner clutching a cache of gold or the faint sounds of a piano in the old saloon.

Many spooky tales surround this landmark building in Lincoln, one involving Christmas lights that once decorated the dome. According to this urban legend, prisoners were tasked with the dangerous job of hanging the lights, in exchange for shorter sentences. One of these men reportedly panicked, had a heart attack and fell to his death. Some say you can still hear his sobs and screams to this day near the building.

Built in 1907 and renovated in 2011, the historic Mizpah Hotel in Tonopah retained many things from its Wild West past, including the spirit of a woman murdered on the premises. In the early 20th century, the “Lady in Red” reportedly met her demise on the fifth floor of the hotel and is now a resident ghost. Guests can book the Mizpah’s Lady in Red Suite and enjoy high-thread-count bedding, a claw-foot tub and perhaps a haunting.

The Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods was built in 1902 by businessman Joseph Stickney, who died the following year. His widow, Carolyn, is believed to haunt the property to this day. Hotel staff have reportedly spotted her descending the stairs for dinner and have also noticed lights inexplicably turning on and off in one of the towers. Room 314, where her four-poster maple bed still resides, is the best place to see her; guests have reported waking up to find a woman sitting at the end of the bed, slowly brushing her hair.

This stretch of forested area in southern New Jersey is supposedly home to the Jersey Devil, said to be the cursed 13th child of a woman known as Mother Leeds. According to legend, the baby boy transformed dramatically just after he was born, sprouting leathery wings, horns and a forked tail. He killed the midwife before flying into the chimney and disappearing into the pines. There have been many reported sightings of the Jersey Devil in the Pine Barrens over the years and even some in nearby towns.

In 1947, a rancher named Mac Brazel discovered strange debris in his sheep pasture about 75 miles outside of Roswell. While officials said the wreckage came from a crashed weather balloon (and later attributed it to the classified Project Mogul), many still believe that it came from an alien spacecraft, and that a government cover-up has kept the truth hidden. To this day, Roswell is a popular destination for those interested in all things extraterrestrial, home to a UFO museum (pictured), UFO tours and a UFO festival.

Opened in 1827 as a poorhouse, Rolling Hills Asylum in the town of Bethany originally catered to unwed mothers, widows, orphans, the disabled and the mentally challenged. Eventually, the building was expanded to accommodate the criminally insane, making for a strange mix of personalities. Today, it’s said to be one of the most haunted buildings in New York state, with paranormal activity detected throughout the property. One of the most chilling spots is the graveyard, where some 1,700 bodies are believed to be buried, many in unmarked graves. A commonly reported apparition is a 7-foot-tall shadow man, believed to be the spirit of an inmate named Roy who suffered from gigantism.

Though it’s one of North Carolina’s most popular tourist attractions, the Biltmore Estate is also one of the area’s most haunted spots. Built between 1889 and 1895 by George Vanderbilt, the magnificent home contains 250 rooms, including a library where George spent a great deal of time. Today, some visitors of the mansion claim to have spotted him in the library, while others have heard his wife, Edith, whisper his name.

In 1873, Lt. Col. George Custer moved the 7th Calvary to Fort Abraham Lincoln, located in what’s now Bismarck, where he built and lived in a beautiful home with his wife, Libbie. In 1876, Gen. Custer led his troops to the Battle of Little Bighorn where he and about half his troops died, leaving Libbie widowed. The Custer home burned down in 1874, only to be reconstructed in 1989, which some say resurrected the men and women who lived and died there. Interpreters and tourists have reported many instances of paranormal activity: A woman wearing a black dress has been seen looking out a second-floor window of the Custer House, footsteps can be heard pacing the sergeant’s quarters in the Barracks, and a shadowy figure stalks the Commissary at night. Visitors can go on historian-led tours (but likely won’t hear about the hauntings).

With its imposing architecture, it’s no surprise that this Mansfield prison was chosen as the filming location for The Shawshank Redemption and several other films. Opened in 1896, the Ohio State Reformatory is home to the world’s tallest freestanding steel cell block at six stories high. Many of the cells were only meant to hold one prisoner at a time, but overcrowded conditions led to violence and disease, and the prison eventually closed. Today, ghost hunts and a special Escape From Blood Prison Halloween event are available on the property, and visitors have reported seeing shadowy figures, hearing unexplained footsteps and even being grabbed or scratched.

This stately Victorian mansion was built in 1907 as the home of F.E. Houghton, but it also served as a mortuary for eight years when the family fell on hard times. Now a bed and breakfast, the embalming table from that time is still on display — an eerie sight for current guests. The Houghton family is thought to haunt the inn, including a daughter named Augusta, who died of whooping cough, and F.E. himself, who has been spotted smoking a pipe. Mysterious noises have also been reported throughout the house.

At the Heceta Head Lighthouse in Florence, guests can stay at the old lightkeeper’s quarters, now a quaint bed and breakfast with turn-of-the-century rooms. If you stay here, however, you could meet Rue — the wife of lighthouse keeper Frank DeRoy in the 1890s. As the story goes, Rue had a daughter who died tragically during her time there. Guests have reported the scent of flowers or rose perfume out of the blue, or seeing an imprint on their bed as if someone had been sitting there a moment before.

A state-of-the-art facility when it opened in 1829, Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia once held many of America’s most notorious prisoners, including “Slick Willie” Sutton and “Scarface” Al Capone. Though the prison was designed to inspire penance in its inmates, in reality, its harsh conditions and strict punishments drove many of them insane. Residents were kept in solitary confinement, strapped tightly to chairs for days at a time and forced to wear heavy masks that prohibited communication with one another. Today, many are still said to haunt the grounds. Tours of the decaying penitentiary are available daily, but for an extra-chilling experience, visit in the fall during Halloween Nights, a haunted house within the cell blocks.

Providence’s City Hall is believed to be haunted by Thomas Doyle, one of the city’s longest-standing and most-loved mayors. Staff have reported elevators operating on their own, furniture moving by itself and unexplained whispers in empty rooms.

This working performance arts theater has had a tumultuous past, including fires and even an earthquake, since it opened in 1736. It’s considered one of most haunted places in Charleston, with two ghosts roaming the theater. One ghost is the spirit of famous actor Junius Brutus Booth, father of John Wilkes Booth, the man who shot Abraham Lincoln, and the second is a nameless ghost believed to be a prostitute.

The “first and finest” hotel in Deadwood, this historic establishment is said to be haunted by the town’s first sheriff, Seth Bullock. Visitors and guests alike have reportedly seen apparitions of Bullock, smelled his cigar smoke and noticed items that have been moved by unseen hands. Restored to its original grandeur, the hotel now offers luxury accommodations, a restaurant and a casino. Period decor and original details, including a staircase and skylights, provide the perfect backdrop for a spooky stay.

According to this Tennessee legend, a farmer named John Bell and his family were tormented for years by a witch, thought to be the spirit of a neighbor named Kate Batts. The family reportedly saw strange-looking animals on their property and heard eerie noises in the home; Bell’s daughter, Betsy, even felt mysterious pinches and scratches. John Bell became ill and eventually died in 1820, thought to be the work of the witch. Some believe that she never left the area, and today, you can tour a replica of the Bell family’s cabin, plus a cave that’s said to be especially haunted.

Known as “Queen of the Gulf,” Grand Galvez in Galveston opened its doors in 1911 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The hotel’s rich history is laden with mystery, most notably the tale of the “Lovelorn Lady” who haunts the fifth floor. Legend has it bride-to-be Audra took her life in room 501 after she heard her betrothed died at sea, only for him to arrive at the hotel alive and well days later. Guests of Hotel Galvez have reported experiencing cold breezes, doors slamming and flickering lights.

Part abandoned nursing home and part haunted attraction, the Old Tooele Hospital is all terrifying. Former nurses claimed the hospital was inhabited by three ghosts: a nurse in white, a man in black and a little girl. Ghost tours of the property are now available for paranormal enthusiasts. Known as Asylum 49, the “full-contact” haunted attraction is not for the faint of heart either — visitors may be touched, grabbed or even carried off into another room by cast members.

Also known as Gold Brook Bridge, this site in Stowe is said to be haunted by a girl named Emily, who had arranged to meet her lover at the bridge so they could run off and elope. When he didn’t show, she hung herself from the rafters. Visitors to the bridge have reported several strange occurrences, including seeing scratch marks appear on vehicles, hearing footsteps and spotting a white apparition.

Built in 1715 and restored in the 1900s, the Peyton Randolph House is one of the oldest homes in Williamsburg — and one of the most haunted. It’s said that a slave named Eve cursed the house in retribution for cruel treatment. Since then, many people died on the property, including a Civil War soldier with a mysterious illness, a boy who fell from a tree, a girl who fell from a window, and two men who shot and killed each other during a heated argument. These tragic incidents seem to have had a lasting effect on the house; over the years, visitors have reported hearing strange voices, seeing objects move on their own and being touched or pushed.

Port Townsend, one of only three Victorian seaports in the U.S., is known for having several places that are haunted, including Manresa Castle (where a woman is said to be seen in the window at times) and Fort Worden (a former military base with strange sightings and unexplainable sounds). Within the 1892 Historic City Hall, the Municipal Jail is one of the city’s eeriest spots, with its iron bars and rotted wood floors. The solitary confinement cell is equipped with an 8-inch opening where food was passed and through which one detainee is believed to have escaped.

When it opened in 1864, the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in the city of Weston was meant to house a maximum of 250 patients. Yet by the 1950s, it was home to nearly 2,400 residents living in horrible, overcrowded conditions. Many entered the asylum with no signs of mental illness, but the abandonment and abuse (including cruel experimental procedures and solitary confinement) often robbed them of their sanity. Now, many of these souls are believed to haunt the property. Visitors have reported seeing apparitions, as well as hearing screams and other unexplained sounds. Paranormal tours and ghost hunts are offered regularly at the asylum.

The most lavish hotel in Milwaukee when it opened in 1893, the Pfister Hotel is believed to be haunted by its namesake, businessman Charles Pfister. The hotel frequently hosts visiting baseball teams, and several of its high-profile guests have had some interesting things to say about their stays. Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals claimed that his belongings and furniture moved while he was sleeping, while Brandon Phillips of the Boston Red Sox said his radio repeatedly turned on for no reason.

Established as a private fur trading fort in 1834, Fort Laramie evolved into the largest military post on the Northern Plains before its abandonment in 1890. The fort is said to be haunted by several ghosts, most notably the “Lady in Green.” Around 1850, the man running the post brought his headstrong daughter with him, who ran off one day and was never seen alive again. Now, she’s said to appear every seven years on the nearby Oregon Trail, dressed in green and riding a black stallion. Another spirit believed to haunt Fort Laramie is Old Bedlam, a cavalry officer who sometimes tells visitors to “be quiet!”