America’s dark past lingers in more places than you think. While famous haunted houses get all the attention, there are lesser-known spots scattered across the country with stories just as eerie. These haunted locations have violent histories, ghostly sightings, and tales passed down through generations. Whether it’s a luxury hotel, a historic battlefield, or a charming Southern pub, the dead haven’t finished their business in these spots.
Here are ten spine-tingling haunted places in the United States you probably haven’t heard of—until now.
French Lick Springs Hotel, Indiana
Originally built in the mid-1800s by Dr. William Bowels, this resort was designed to promote the healing powers of sulfur springs. But when Mayor Thomas Taggart took over in 1888, it became a grand hotel. With more than 400 rooms and luxurious amenities, the place became a hotspot for travelers.
Today, the spirit of Taggart reportedly roams the hotel. Guests and employees claim to smell his cigarette smoke or see him riding a horse through the hallways. Another ghost, believed to be a former bellhop, is frequently mistaken for a real employee until people recognize him from old photos.
Hotel Alex Johnson, South Dakota
Built just before the Great Depression, the Hotel Alex Johnson in Rapid City has long attracted tourists visiting the Black Hills and Mount Rushmore. It also caught the eye of Alfred Hitchcock, who filmed part of North by Northwest there in 1959.
But guests report more than cinematic charm. The “Lady in White,” a ghost said to be a bride who died under mysterious circumstances, haunts Room 812. Others have seen a little girl running and knocking on doors before vanishing into thin air.
Myrtles Plantation, Louisiana
Located in St. Francisville, Louisiana, this plantation dates back to the antebellum South and is rumored to be one of the most haunted places in the country. The home reportedly saw at least ten murders in its early days.
One ghost in particular, Chloe, has become infamous. Said to be a young enslaved girl who wore a green turban to cover her severed ear, she allegedly poisoned her enslaver’s family in retaliation for his abuse. Visitors still claim to see her spirit around the house and grounds.
Totten Trail Historic Inn, North Dakota
Sitting on the edge of Devil’s Lake, this inn has a painful past. Built just after the Civil War, it once operated as a boarding school where Native American children were forced into cultural assimilation. Conditions were brutal, and many children didn’t survive.
Today, guests report shadowy figures, cold spots, and unexplained noises. Some even say they feel watched. Other spirits may include a man and woman who died before the building’s last renovation, still wandering the halls as if nothing has changed.
Stone Lion Inn, Oklahoma
Once a luxurious private home, this Guthrie, Oklahoma mansion became a funeral home in the 1920s. After decades housing the dead, it was converted into a bed and breakfast in the 1980s.
Ghost sightings include Augusta Houghton, a child who died of whooping cough, and her father. Guests often report hearing children’s laughter or the sound of toys moving on their own. One ghost is even said to tuck people into bed at night.
The Driskill Hotel, Texas
This Austin landmark was built in 1886 by Jesse Driskill, a cattle baron who lost the hotel in a poker game shortly after opening it. He reportedly never left. Guests say they see him smoking cigars in hallways and rooms.
Room 329 has a darker tale. A bride allegedly took her own life there after a canceled wedding, and her spirit still lingers. Another young ghost, said to be the daughter of a politician, is often seen playing with a toy ball near the stairwell where she died.
Battery Park and White Point Garden, South Carolina
In Charleston’s historic district, this peaceful park hides a brutal past. In 1718, pirate Stede Bonnet and his crew were captured and hanged there. Their bodies were left on display before being dumped in nearby marshes.
Locals claim the ghosts of the pirates still haunt the garden. People have reported seeing shadowy figures in the trees, hearing screams in the night, and spotting eerie reflections in the water. Some even say you can see phantom bodies hanging at dusk.
St. Albans Sanatorium, Virginia
Originally a boys’ school, this building was transformed into a psychiatric hospital in 1916. Though intended as a humane place, it became a site of horrific medical experiments, including forced lobotomies and electroshock therapy.
Since its closure in the 1990s, visitors report all types of ghostly encounters. Floating objects, shadowy apparitions, voices in the walls, and touches from unseen hands are common. The building remains a hotspot for paranormal investigators.
Bonaventure Cemetery, Georgia
Savannah is no stranger to ghosts, and Bonaventure Cemetery is one of its eeriest sites. Known for its gothic statues and moss-draped oaks, it inspired the book and film Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
The cemetery’s most famous spirit is Little Gracie Watson, a child who died in 1889. Tourists claim to see her sitting at her grave, while others say the statue above her marker sheds tears. Visitors also report hearing strange sounds, like babies crying or dogs barking with no one nearby.
Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub, Washington
Located in Seattle’s historic Butterworth Building, this pub was once the city’s first mortuary. Today, it’s a lively restaurant with a side of paranormal activity. Glasses fly off tables, mirrors break without cause, and cold spots are common.
But the ghosts here seem friendly. One known spirit is a red-haired girl from the 1918 flu pandemic. She likes to play tricks and reportedly interacts with children. Another ghost named Charlie often appears in mirrors to greet patrons.
