18 of the Most Famous Real-Life Hauntings

We all know ghosts don’t exist, and even then, we’re still spooked by stories of hauntings, possessions, and all other manner of supernatural occurrences that shape the occult. It’s not that we want them to exist, it’s more about letting our imaginations run wild with the possibility.

This is why stories of ‘real’ hauntings are so popular. Many attempts have been done to debunk their claims, and honestly, they don’t matter. It’s about the possibility that they’re real, not the certainty of it, that makes them interesting. These are the ones that interested us the most.

The Amityville Horror House

After the DeFeo family was murdered here in 1974, the next family, the Lutzes, fled after just 28 days. They claimed they were terrorized by swarms of flies, cold spots, and even a demonic pig-like creature.

The Enfield Poltergeist

This council house in London became famous between 1977 and 1979. A single mother called the police after furniture started moving on its own, and a constable even reported seeing a chair slide across the floor.

The Bell Witch of Tennessee

One of America’s oldest ghost stories, this haunting tormented the Bell family from 1817 to 1821. The entity was known for physical attacks and disembodied voices, and even future president Andrew Jackson reportedly came to investigate.

The Myrtles Plantation

This Louisiana plantation, built in 1796, is rumored to sit on an ancient Native American burial ground. It’s said to be home to at least 12 different ghosts, including the spirit of a former slave named Chloe.

Borley Rectory

Once called “the most haunted house in England,” this rectory saw its first paranormal reports in 1863. Before it burned down in 1939, residents reported ghost nuns, ringing bells, and even found a woman’s skull in a cupboard.

The Winchester Mystery House

For 38 years, rifle heiress Sarah Winchester kept construction going on this bizarre mansion. She believed the oddities, like stairs leading to ceilings and doors opening to walls, would confuse the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles.

The Whaley House Museum

Built in 1857 on the site of a public hanging, this San Diego home has seen a lot. The U.S. Commerce Department even officially designated it a haunted house in 1960, thanks to its many ghostly residents.

The Tower of London

Founded in 1066, this fortress has a long and grim history as a prison and execution site. The ghosts of historical figures like Anne Boleyn and the two “Princes in the Tower” are said to still walk its halls.

The Stanley Hotel

If you’ve seen The Shining, you know this place. Guests on the fourth floor still report hearing children running and laughing in the empty hallways. Female guests in room 401 have also reported feeling an unwelcome ghostly touch.

The Queen Mary in Long Beach

This retired ocean liner sailed the seas from 1936 to 1967. Now permanently docked in Long Beach, it serves as a floating hotel where you can book a room and maybe share it with one of its many reported ghosts.

Waverly Hills Sanatorium

A former hospital for tuberculosis patients, this spot has a reputation as one of the world’s most haunted places. Volunteers restoring the building after 2001 reported slamming doors and sightings of a mysterious man in a white coat.

The Sallie House

This unassuming Kansas house gained fame in the 1990s when the Pickman family lived there. They reported intense paranormal activity, from moving objects and apparitions to unexplained scratches and burns, all attributed to a ghost girl named Sallie.

The Villisca Ax Murder House

In 1912, eight people, including six children, were murdered in their beds here. The unsolved crime left a dark stain on the house, where visitors now report hearing children’s voices and seeing toys move on their own.

The Ghosts of Gettysburg Battlefield

With so much tragedy in one place, it’s no surprise this Civil War battlefield is considered haunted. Visitors and investigators report seeing apparitions of soldiers on the field, especially in areas like Devil’s Den and Little Round Top.

Eastern State Penitentiary

Opened in 1829, this was the world’s first true penitentiary, known for its harsh system of solitary confinement. The prison closed in 1971, but the spirits of its inmates are said to remain in the crumbling cellblocks.

Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum

This former psychiatric hospital in West Virginia was in operation from 1864 until 1994. Given its long and difficult history as a place of immense suffering, it’s become a hot spot for paranormal investigators and ghost tours.

The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall

The ghost of Lady Dorothy Walpole, who died in 1726, is said to haunt this English hall. The spirit became world-famous in 1936 when photographers from Country Life magazine claimed to have captured her ghostly image on film.

St. Augustine Lighthouse

Completed in 1874, this Florida lighthouse is haunted by a tragic past. The spirits of two young girls who drowned during its construction in 1873 are said to remain, with visitors reporting the sounds of children’s laughter.