The most haunted home in every US state

Located on Sweetwater Avenue in Florence, this plantation home was built by Gen. John Brahan and first occupied by Robert Patton, Brahan’s son-in-law and, eventually, the governor of Alabama, according to AL.com.

While many spooky stories are associated with this mansion, one that’s widely quoted is about the home’s caretaker who one day witnessed a casket appear out of thin air. Inside, she found a man dressed in a Confederate uniform, believed to be one of General Brahan’s sons who died in the Civil War.

Other examples of supernatural activities include distant voices of children’s giggles and a woman in old clothes wandering the halls, as reported by Forbes.

Opened in 1926 as a sanctuary for orphaned children, this property was damaged during an earthquake in 1964.

According to one widely reported urban legend, the spirits of several children roamed the hallways of the home after it closed as an orphanage. Visitors reported experiencing “dread and despair” when they walked inside, and they reported hearing giggling children and the sounds of jump ropes and bouncing balls.

By 2021, the home was mostly demolished by Seward city, with plans to build a memorial in its place, KDLL reported.

In 1931, a 26-year-old medical secretary named Winnie Ruth Judd fatally shot two of her friends in this bungalow.

Dubbed the “Trunk Murderess,” Judd was caught trying to dispose of her victims’ corpses in Los Angeles after she had stuffed their bodies into two trunks and other luggage.

After a jury found her legally insane, she was held at a mental health facility, but she escaped in 1962, vanishing for almost seven years before she was found in California, The New York Times reported. Her sentence was commuted in 1971 and she was paroled.

The house remains infamous in the area. It is now owned by an attorney who has plans to convert it to an office, Axios reported in 2023.

Built in 1906 by local businessman Joe Lee Allen, this eye-catching home is said to be haunted by several spirits.

Local legend says Allen’s daughter killed herself by consuming mercury cyanide on Christmas Day in 1948, according to the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage, and Tourism. Since then, her ghost has haunted the two floors of this mansion.

This eerie mansion has an even creepier backstory. The home was built by Sarah Winchester after her husband, the creator of the Winchester rifle, died in 1881.

Since then, many have claimed, including Sarah herself, that the building is haunted by the spirits of those killed with her husband’s invention.

She built the home to escape the angry spirits and it has many quirks, including “a staircase that leads to nowhere, cabinets that open into walls, and a door that opens up to a 12-foot drop,” Business Insider previously reported.

Today, it is open to visitors.

The history behind this quaint 1885 building, which is also known as Pioneer Park, is much darker than you’d think.

According to History Colorado, Henry Webber, a shoe and boot merchant who moved to Aspen in 1880, decided to build this home upon making huge profits from his mining investments.

The spooky story, though, involves Webber’s wife, Harriet Webber, who died of an accidental strychnine overdose in 1881, four years before the home was built. Some say her ghost still haunts the house to this day.

Formerly known as the Seaside Sanatorium, this building first opened in the 1930s to treat children suffering from tuberculosis.

In the 1950s, the property was renamed the Seaside Geriatric Hospital and served as a home for elderly patients for three years. After that, it reopened as the Seaside Regional Center, a home for people with mental illness, until it was closed in 1996.

Today, the abandoned spot is a popular destination for paranormal researchers, who claim to have seen ghostly orbs and other spooky phenomena.

In recent years, a developer has been fighting plans to demolish the property, which has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1996, according to the Connecticut Mirror.

Also known as Poplar Hall, this plantation home was the childhood residence of John Dickinson, one of the founding fathers of the US.

Local lore says the home is haunted by Dickinson himself, and visitors have reported hearing the “sound of a quill pen writing on parchment paper.”

Located in West Palm Beach, this private residence was first used as a funeral parlor in the early 1900s.

Legend has it that one of the homeowner’s employees fell into financial hardship and hanged himself in the attic. His spirit is reportedly just one among many that haunt the home, which is open to ghost tours.

Also known as the Johnston-Felton-Hay House or the “Palace of the South,” this historic residence was built in the late 1850s. Since then, various sightings of spooky figures and swinging chandeliers have been reported.

In 2010, a photographer claimed he captured a ghost on camera — wearing a top hat, no less — while snapping pictures of a wedding at the Hay House.

Located in Honolulu, this residence was home to the island’s last royal family until the monarchy was overthrown in 1893.

Since then, visitors and staff members have reported hearing footsteps and seeing the figure of a woman in the window of the Queen’s former bedroom.

Most recently, it’s become a notable tourist attraction in the capital city.  

Built by a judge named D.W. Standrod in 1902, this mansion has a tragic backstory. Both of the Standrods’ children died at a young age, and the home is said to be haunted by their spirits.

In 2020, the Idaho State Journal reported that a new owner, Barbara Magin, originally from New Jersey, revamped the property and brought it back to life. In the report, Magin shared that when she went to see the home, she felt it was trying to communicate with her, saying: “Help me.”

In the same interview, she also said, “There are ghosts. I’ve had experiences with them. And I just told them that I was here to take care of the mansion … and (they’re) welcome to stay.” 

Built in 1869 for local businessman Henry McPike, this three-story, 16-room brick house is said to be haunted by several spirits.

People have reported hearing children laughing when no one was present, seeing faces appear randomly in the home’s windows, feeling sensations of being touched, and more.

A 2014 feature by Business Insider reported that many locals believe the ghosts of the home’s former owners and their servants still surround it.

The former home of William Culbertson, once the richest man in Indiana, this mansion and its carriage house are said to be haunted.

Legend has it the carriage house burned down in 1888 after a lightning strike, killing everyone inside. Some believe their spirits roam the property to this day.

In 1903, Josiah Moore moved into this residence with his family.

On the night of June 9, 1912, Moore, his five family members, and two guests were brutally murdered in the home. All eight victims, which included six children, were bludgeoned to death with an ax.

The horrific crime was never solved, and the home — per multiple reports — remains haunted by the spirits of the victims.

On the morning of November 15, 1959, wheat farmer Herbert Clutter, his wife, and his two teenage children were found bound and shot to death in this home.

Ex-convicts Perry Smith and Richard Hickock were later arrested, convicted, and executed for the crime. American author Truman Capote eventually immortalized the Clutter tragedy in his non-fiction bestseller, “In Cold Blood.”

The home was previously open to tours but is now private.

A shining example of Gothic Revival architecture, this elegant home was built in 1851 for Francis Key Hunt.

According to local folklore, a mysterious black cat lives inside the building, and some have reported seeing two ghostly women in Victorian-style clothing. Visitors have also claimed to smell perfume and hear the faint sound of music in the home.

According to local legend, an enslaved person at the Myrtles Plantation accidentally poisoned the homeowner’s wife and children and was hanged for her mistake.

Since then, the plantation has been said to be one of the most haunted homes in the US. In the 1800s, yet another tragedy took place here, when a man was murdered on its front steps. 

The 11th oldest lighthouse in the US, Wood Island Light, was built in 1808 under the orders of then-President Thomas Jefferson.

According to one urban legend shared by the lighthouse’s website, it is haunted by the ghost of a fisherman named Howard Hobbs. In 1896, Hobbs shot and killed his landlord, Frederick Milliken, before turning the gun on himself. Visitors have reported hearing moaning sounds in the building.

This stone house, constructed in the mid-1700s, was built by German immigrant Jonathan Hager, the founder of Hagerstown.

The property is reportedly haunted by as many as 13 ghosts of former residents who died in the home. Visitors have reported hearing disembodied voices and footsteps, seeing objects that move by themselves, and other paranormal activity.

Known as The Witch House, this structure is the only building left that has direct ties to the Salem witch trials.

It is the former residence of Jonathan Corwin, who served as a judge during the hearings that led to the executions of 20 innocent people, falsely accused of witchcraft.

Built by Scottish immigrant John G. Bruce in 1876, this creepy building is a popular destination for paranormal investigators.

Legend has it the mansion survived a fire that destroyed the entire town of Brown City in 1881, but things only got weirder from there. Several people died mysteriously in the home over the years, beginning with a man named John Walker in the 1920s.

In the past, visitors who have toured the home — which also served as a funeral parlor for a while — have reported hearing growls and eerie voices, seeing ghostly figures, and more.

These days, the home is privately owned, and no tours are being conducted.

On June 27, 1977, an 83-year-old millionaire heiress named Elisabeth Congdon and her nurse, Velma Pietila, were murdered in this massive mansion. 

Roger Caldwell, the husband of one of Congdon’s adopted daughters, Marjorie, was later arrested and convicted of the crimes. Marjorie herself was charged, but acquitted, of aiding and abetting and conspiracy to commit murder.

In 1982, Caldwell’s conviction was overturned based on new evidence introduced during Marjorie’s trial. Although Caldwell was offered a new trial, he confessed to the murders after prosecutors cut him a deal.

However, Caldwell only served a little over five years before he was released from prison. He later died by suicide in 1988.

Also known as Bellevue, this building was built in 1850 as a private home for slave trader Daniel Smith Graham.

According to local legend, the building is haunted by the ghosts of the men, women, and children who were abused by Graham, who is said to have been particularly sadistic and cruel.

Now part of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, this four-story building is known for its many secret passageways and reported hauntings.

People have reported hearing music coming from the house’s empty living room, seeing the ghost of a former student, and other paranormal activity.

This mansion was bought in 1886 by businessman Marcus Daly, one of the three “Copper Kings” of Montana during the Gilded Age.

Today, the property is often reserved for events, although staff members have claimed to see paranormal activity, such as a gold picture frame repeatedly removed from the wall and placed on the ground.

In 1975, the Lincoln Journal Star published a story titled “A Ghost at Ft. Sidney, Well…” which tried to determine whether the ghost of a young officer’s wife still roamed the home. 

According to local legends, this historic building, which was once a supply station and trailhead for gold-seekers, is haunted by the ghost of a young officer’s wife, who broke her neck in 1885 after falling down a staircase.

Upon her death, the husband boarded the staircase. However, many people have shared that they’ve heard noises of a person walking up or down the staircase and falling even without any staircases. 

Built in 1863 by millionaires Lemuel “Sandy” Bowers and his wife, Eilley, this historic building is said to be haunted by Bowers himself.

According to locals, after Mrs. Bowers’ death, many people saw a green light floating around the grounds alongside shadows and the voices of spirits.  

According to local lore, this home is haunted by a woman named Mary Wallace, a folklore figure more commonly known as “Ocean-Born Mary,” whose spirit is said to protect treasure hidden on the property.

Also known as the Spy House, this property dates back to 1650, when it was a popular drinking spot for both British and Colonial soldiers.

Now, some say the old tavern is home to as many as 22 different ghosts, from a “devil-worshiping sea captain” to a “blood-thirsty pirate” in the basement, according to the Best of NJ.

Now a steakhouse, the Luna Mansion is said to be haunted by as many as four ghosts. The most famous is Josefita, who was once the lady of the opulent home.

Patrons of the restaurant have reportedly claimed to see a seemingly empty rocking chair move back and forth as Josefita appears and watches them eat.

In 1974, this expensive estate became the site of a horrific mass murder when 23-year-old Ronald J. DeFeo Jr. fatally shot his parents and four siblings. 

One year later, George and Kathy Lutz moved into the home with their three children. After only 28 days, however, the Lutz family left, claiming that they had been terrorized by paranormal phenomena such as strange odors, slamming doors, and a voice that screamed “Get out.”

Their claims eventually became the subject of Jay Anson’s best-selling and controversial book, “The Amityville Horror: A True Story.”

Among the largest private homes in the US, the massive 8,000-acre Biltmore Estate is said to be haunted by its original owner, George Washington Vanderbilt II, of the wealthy Vanderbilt family.

Although Vanderbilt died in 1914, his ghost has reportedly been spotted in the mansion’s library, especially when the sky darkens before an oncoming storm.

Originally built in 1883 as a summer home for Antoine de Vallombrosa, the Marquis de Mores, the 26-room, two-story home is nowadays a museum. However, some people believe this historic building is haunted by a female spirit.

Visitors have claimed to have seen and experienced paranormal activity, such as strange lights, uneasy feelings, and cold spots.

According to the Ohio Exploration Society, two separate storylines dominate the narrative around this historic home. Those who believe the first say a man decapitated his wife and his daughter and then hanged himself in the house. The other version states that the man murdered his wife and child and then hanged their bodies off the Calumet Street bridge nearby.

Locals say they’ve spotted blue lights radiating from the house windows, while some others claim to have seen reflections of the wife and daughter in the water under the Calumet Street bridge at night.

While Oklahoma has its fair share of reportedly haunted homes, the Skirvin Hotel is one of its most famous.

Over the years, many of the hotel’s guests, including several NBA players, have claimed to see a ghost named Effie, who is said to have died at the hotel.

Now a museum, this mansion was built by American newspaper publisher Asahel Bush in the 1870s.

Legend has it that Bush’s youngest daughter, Eugenia, still haunts the home, along with several other spirits. Visitors have claimed they’ve heard female voices and described random cold spots and shadows when visiting the mansion.

This bed-and-breakfast is said to be haunted by the ghosts of Confederate soldiers, a nurse named Mary, several other women and children, and even some cats.

These days, the home is popular for its group dining experiences and ghost tours. 

This expansive mansion is the second Vanderbilt property on this list. The estate, which served as a summer home for Cornelius Vanderbilt II in the late 19th century, is said to be haunted by his wife, Alice.

Visitors and staff have reportedly seen Alice’s spirit roam the mansion’s hallways.

Various reports of creepy voices, growls, and the sound of music have shrouded this Charleston plantation in mystery over the years.

Some believe this building is haunted by its original owner, Seth Bullock.

Guests have reported feeling a “ghostly presence” on the second and third floors of the hotel, while others have claimed they’ve smelled a cigar burning, heard boots and ragtime music, or seen floating glasses.

This plantation served as a field hospital on November 30, 1864, during one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The site is said to be haunted by the ghosts of fallen Confederate soldiers.

The Menger Hotel, which opened its doors in 1959, is among the oldest hotels in San Antonio.

Its founder, William Menger, a beer brewer from Germany, started by establishing a tavern only to realize that those who would come to drink there would often require a place to sleep afterward. That’s when he and his wife, Mary Menger, launched a small inn next to the tavern.

Soon after, the place became successful and was revamped into a bar similar to the House of Lords Pub in London, according to local news outlet KSAT. It was frequented by famous figures, most notably Theodore Roosevelt.

Legend has it that this historic hotel is haunted by several spirits, from a murdered maid named Sallie White to famed riverboat captain Richard King.

The construction of this Victorian mansion began in 1898 and was completed in 1901.

In 1999, the McCarthey family bought it and helped restore it to its original architecture. Since then, many people have booked the place for private events such as weddings.

However, according to local reports, this popular wedding venue is said to be haunted by two spirits: a man wearing a black cape who is often seen around Christmas, and a young girl who enjoys dancing and giggling.

James Hartness, a politician, inventor, and astronomer, built the Hartness House in the early 1900s. During that time, several underground tunnels were built on the estate to support the former owner’s work and create private office space for him.

In the 2000s, this small hotel was renovated and reopened as a boutique inn. 

Since then, many locals have reported several paranormal activities, suggesting that the underground tunnels are home to several ghosts.

Built in the 1640s, this plantation is reportedly home to 11 spirits.

Chief among them, according to the house’s website, is a so-called “Lady in White,” who is said to have died in 1826 after falling down a flight of stairs and breaking her neck.

Local legends claim that this estate, located in the town of Lakewood, is haunted by the ghosts of several former residents.

Interestingly, in 2002, the castle was featured as a haunted mansion in Stephen King’s miniseries, “Rose Red.”

This creepy site operated as a prison for the state of West Virginia from 1876 to 1995.

The Gothic-style building is said to be haunted by the ghost of a maintenance worker known as the “Shadow Man.”

This charming bed-and-breakfast is also a popular destination for ghost hunters and paranormal investigators. 

The property is said to be home to as many as seven spirits, and visitors have claimed to see shadowy figures and moving chairs.

Over the years, this historic hotel has been home to gold miners and criminals and even served as a brothel at one point.

Guests reported various sightings of a female ghost on the first floor as early as the 1880s.