Rose Hall was originally built by George Ash for his wife, Rosa, for whom the house was named. Rosa outlived George and another husband before she married John Palmer, a British planter, who owned the estate adjoining hers.
At the height of its prosperity, more than 2,000 slaves worked on the 6,000+ acres of land the great house stood on.
The majority of the ghost stories at Rose Hall center around John Palmer's nephew John and his wife, Annie Palmer. Like many large houses,
Rose Hall is now shrouded in legend, which was helped by H.G. de Lisser's novel The White Witch of Rose Hall.
This novel helped to create the fictitious mystique of a woman who basically didn't exist; however, that did not stop the stories from evolving. Annie, the White Witch, killed her husbands with voodoo learned from her Haitian nanny and took slaves as lovers
and then tossed them aside when she was bored. The stories say Annie was killed by her own abused slaves and sealed, apparently unsuccessfully, in a casket by voodoo.
Guests have reported seeing Annie riding her horse across the lawn, as well as on the balcony and peeking through the windows. Whether there is recorded evidence of the cruel White Witch of Rose Hall or not, she is still blamed
for any and all tragedies that occur there.
University Women's Club of Vancouver
Photo Credit: Wedding Wire
Hycroft Manor, now home to the University Women's Club of Vancouver, was built from 1907 to 1911 for General Alexander Duncan McRae and his family and cost $110,000 (almost $3 million in 2019) to build. In addition to being a general in World War I, McCrae had also been a successful banking businessman, farmer, member of Parliament and Canadian Senator.
The four-story manor has 30 rooms and included "a coach house, stables, a swimming pool, an Italian garden, a tea house, and a children’s playhouse" (Montecristo Magazine, 2014).
If you get a feeling that you're in The Shining while visiting, it may be because the parties, particularly the New Year's Eve parties, at Hycroft Manor were lavish and legendary with a guest list to match; politicians, fellow businessmen, socialites and even royalty attended the McRaes' parties. In 1942, McRae sold Hycroft Manor for $1 to the Canadian Government,
which would then use it as a veterans' hospital during World War II. McCrae's wife Blanche died shortly after the mansion was sold and McCrae followed her four years later. It was used as a convalescent home/hospital until 1960 and then in 1962 it was bought by the University Women's Club of Vancouver who spent five years restoring the mansion. It actually took the women's club a year to purchase the parceled out property because even then women could not take out a mortgage in Canada.
It's believed that most of the spirits who still haunt the mansion are veterans from its days as a hospital, although there is a theory that one of them is General McCrae himself as this spirit is in a World War I uniform. There are a reported seven ghosts in total at the University Women's Club of Vancouver and three of them are known as "the pranksters," as it's believed they are behind doors opening and closing on their own throughout the house, as well as the random flickering lights.
On a sadder note, a man has been heard sobbing on one of the lower levels, though it does not appear he has been witnessed by the staff or guests. A well-dressed female apparition has been seen throughout the manor and is believed to be Blanche McCrae. The seventh spirit is that of a nurse who is believed to have worked there when it was a veterans' hospital. Most of the ghosts don't interfere with functions or events at the mansion, although they apparently get more active when there is filming.
Harlaxton Manor
Photo Credit: Harlaxton Manor
Construction began on Harlaxton Manor in the 1830's, serving as the next home to Gregory Gregory. Gregory was formerly Gregory Williams, but changed his name to Gregory Gregory after he inherited wealth from his father and uncle. He came from humble beginnings,
so building a relative castle was a way to kill two birds with one Ancaster stone (the manor's building material). It's a mix of Jacobean and Elizabethan architecture, but Gregory was heavily involved in the creative process. It was actually not the first mansion to sit on this land, and the ruins
of the 14th century original manor can still be seen in the gates and sculptures throughout the gardens. Gregory first employed Anthony Alvin, who also led the restoration of Windsor Castle and the Tower of London, to design the new manor. He was eventually replaced by William Burn, who is credited
mainly with the interior decor and architecture. The new Harlaxton Manor stayed in the Gregory Family for generations while also being used during World War I as training grounds and prepared for a possible German invasion during World War II after it was sold out of the family in 1937. From 1948 to 1965, the brothers
of the Society of Jesus bought and used Harlaxton Manor as a training center for emerging Jesuits and home for retired Jesuit priests. It now serves as the British campus for University of Evansville students.
The students regularly see strange shadows and orbs throughout the manor, as well as hearing inexplicable noises. One of these noises is that of a baby crying, which is believed to be the young daughter of the first owner of Old Harlaxton Manor, Daniel De Ligne. De Ligne and his wife allegedly
received a premonition that their child would die in its first month. They charged their nurse with being on constant watch of their young daughter, which eventually led to acute exhaustion and stress. The nurse fell asleep with the baby in her arms and later woke to see the child had fallen out of her arms
and into the nearby fire. Other such inexplicable sounds are doors opening and closing on their own and disembodied footsteps, even during breaks when students and faculty aren't there. There is also the random scent of cigar smoke, though smoking is no longer allowed and would have triggered the numerous smoke detectors.
There has even been reports of a woman in black on the property and objects moving on their own.
Decatur House
Photo Credit: Greater Greater Washington
The Decatur House was built in 1819 and was the first private residence on Lafayette Square. It was designed by Benjamin Latrobe, who also designed the Capitol, the White House and St. John's Church, for Commodore Stephen Decatur and his wife Susan.
Unfortunately, he wasn't able to enjoy his posh home for long as he was killed in a gentlemen's duel with Commodore James Barron in 1820. They were actually friends before Stephen was part of the board whom decided to court martial James in 1807,
so you could say James held a grudge. It appears Stephen relives the day of the duel as D.C. residents have often seen his spirit coming out of the back door of the house with a small black box under his arm. Eventually, the second floor window
was walled up because so many witnessed him looking out of it since the one year anniversary of his death. Susan has also been heard, weeping, in the house.
Susan rented the house to quite a few notable people, such as Martin Van Buren, Henry Clay and various secretaries of state. There were also many slaves in the household, one of whom, Charlotte Dupuy, sued Henry Clay for her right to freedom in 1829. Her suit was eventually denied and when she refused to return to Clay, she was imprisioned, but eventually set free, along with her daughter.
Due to overwhelming debt, Susan eventually had to sell the house and it traded hands between many affluent and successful families. The last generation of permanent residents were General Edward Beale and his wife, Mary, would most likely have had to deal with the ghostly disturbances of the first owners.
After the house was in their family for nearly a century, Mary bequeathed the Decatur House to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, which created a domino effect of preserving nearby buildings on Lafayette Square that could very well be haunted, as well.
Winery at Marjim Manor
Photo Credit: The Buffalo News
This property first began as a farm and log cabin owned by Shubal Scudder Merritt in 1834. To match their increasing wealth, Shubal built a brick house in 1854, which has stood there since. Unfortunately, in 1864, Shubal's wife Sophia died in the house, followed by his son Lewis, who was shot in the house
a year later. There is a legend that started at the end of the 19th century that asserts Shubal, while he was cleaning his guns, shot Lewis as he ran down the stairs and through the parlor double doors. Since that day until Shubal died in 1881, the doors were locked except for when they flew open on their own every Thursday at 3 PM, which was allegedly the day and time Lewis died.
The property exchanged hands throughout the years, turning from a peach farm to a vocational school for deaf boys and camp for girls owned by the Sisters of St. Joseph until 1993.
The legend of Lewis's death has been further bolstered by visitors and staff regularly seeing a boy in Victorian clothing outside the parlor; he has been heard in real time asking, "Who's in my house?" Another former owner of the house has also been seen greeting people at the front door and has been accused of being not the most genteel of ladies.
Estelle Morse, the half-sister of the then current owner's step mother-in-law, was granted the house shortly after the owner died under questionable circumstances (and also shortly after he willed the house to Estelle) and just hasn't been able to let go of her prize, even in death. Shadow people have regularly been reported at the Winery and visitors will frequently feel as if someone is standing near them, particularly by the fireplaces.
When this was a school and camp run by the Sisters of St. Joseph, they had a Saint Bernhard named Duke, who eventually died in the house...supposedly at 3 PM; however, he can still be seen roaming around the house and farm. There is also unexplained activity in the basement, which was apparently part of the Underground Railroad, where people have reported being poked, pushed, hair pulled and generally feeling uncomfortable.
During weddings that take place here, life from electronics will repeatedly drain or will not turn on at all, so if you don't mind gaps in photography or music, or even paranormal wedding crashers, it will be one of the most spirited ceremonies in New York State.
Bannerman Castle
Photo Credit: Hudson River Towns
Here there will be a history and reports of paranormal activity at Bannerman Castle.
We're eternally grateful for your patience.
Oakland Cemetery
Photo Credit: Atlanta.net
The six acres of land that would be Oakland Cemetery was bought in 1850 for the fairly new town of Atlanta and was planned to be a "rural garden cemetery," (Oakland Cemetery History) in contrast with traditional graveyards of the day. It was originally called Atlanta Graveyard or City Burial Place,
but was renamed to Oakland Cemetery, an homage to the oaks covering the grounds, in 1872. By this time, the cemetery had increased to 48 acres due to needing more burial space for the 7,000 Civil War confederate soldiers who are now guarded by The Lion of Atlanta. In the late 19th century, the cemetery became a place for people to stroll, have picnics and garden their loved ones' graves. The first
greenhouse in Atlanta was built here in 1870. There are segregated sections in Oakland Cemetery, from Caucasian to African American to Jewish; there are also former Mayors and Governors of Atlanta, as well as some famous people, such as Margaret Mitchell, Robert T. "Bobby" Jones, Carrie Logan Steele, and Bishop Wesley John Gaines.
If you wanted to be buried here, you're 134 years too late as the last burial sites were sold in 1884.
Since the Oakland Cemetery reached the size it is today shortly after the Civil War, it's no surprise that the section where confederate soldiers were laid to rest has strong paranormal activity. One visitor heard what sounded like a roll call, as he heard disembodied voices say "heah" and "present," as well as his own name!
Another visitor saw a soldier in a blue uniform hanging from a tree whom could have been one of the saboteurs who stole a train and used it to travel North and cut telegraph lines. Seven of these men were hanged in the southeast corner of the cemetery and briefly buried there. Another visitor reports seeing a bleeding Confederate soldier lying on a grave.
The Warren House
Photo Credit: Clayton County Convention and Visitors Bureau
You may be thinking this is the residence of occultists/paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, and you'd be incorrect. The Warren House was contructed in 1840 by one of Jonesborough and Leaksville's first town commissioners, Guy L. Warren.
Before Sherman blazed his way through the South during his March to the Sea, the Warrens had already retreated to South Carolina; therefore, they missed the Battle of Jonesborough, which was partly fought in their own front yard. The Warren House was briefly just behind
the Confederate line and served as a Confederate hospital, but eventually the Union Army broke through and an estimated 600 soldiers surrendered on the front lawn of the Warren House. Afterward, the house served as a hospital for both sides and their mark literally still
remains on the foundations of the house.
Soldiers would look through the windows facing the railroad for incoming soldiers and it could be this is what the resident soldier spirit is still doing in the Warren House. Numerous visitors have reported seeing a soldier looking through the windows at night, but there are also reports
of seeing a face through the window during the day when there is no one at home. While the house was being renovated, signatures, messages and poems from the previously injured and maimed soldiers were uncovered, and with it odd disturbances, such as disembodied footsteps and voices. There aren't many
reports of paranormal activity in the Warren House; however, for a house to once function as a Civil War hospital where there were two operating rooms, one of which had a window in which amputated limbs would be tossed, and corpses were reportedly stacked three high in the back of the property, it's difficult to deny the air of creepiness in the air.
Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark
Photo Credit: Roadtrippers
Sloss Furnaces is the ideal venue for the couple planning a haunted steampunk wedding, or just simply an unconventional wedding site. It's also a venue where the spirits may outnumber the guests. Sloss Furnaces operated for nearly a century, from 1882-1970, manufacturing pig iron, which is the crude iron
that first comes out of a smelting furnace. Although it was one of the largest employers in the area, it was still a segregated, hierarchical company that had African Americans as "helpers" at the bottom of the food chain, white laborers with comparatively more professional titles,
and an all-Causcasian staff of managers, accountants and engineers. It should also be noted the convict leasing system was also utilized mainly in Sloss's coal mines; however, the convict population consisted mostly of African Americans, as well.
If that wasn't enough to convince you work conditions were horrible, then meet James "Slag" Wormwood, the notorious Graveyard Shift foreman who drove his workers to labor long hours with unrealistic production expectations. Under his management, 47 men lost their lives and an unknown number
suffered from accidents that made it impossible to work there again. There was even an accidental explosion that blinded six workers. Legend says, as an act of revenge in 1906, Slag was pushed by his workers from the top of "Big Alice," the largest furnace at Sloss, and fell into a pool of melting ore.
Former employees believed Slag stayed to torment them even after his death by shoving them or hearing a disembodied voice yell, "get back to work!" at them. There have also been reports of steam whistles sounding by themselves and the random act of assault. In 1947, three supervisors were found unconscious
and locked in a boiler room. However, they could not explain how they got there, but they recalled seeing a badly burned man who told them "to push some steel." Right before the furnaces were closed for good, the night watchman made a final patrol and came face to face with a "half man/half demon" who
attempted to push him up a set of stairs. When the watchman refused, this entity beat him up; he was later found to be covered in serious burns of which he later died from.
The Historic Drish House
Photo Credit: Only In Your State
Here there will be a history and reports of paranormal activity at the Historic Drish House.
We're eternally grateful for your patience.
St. Louis Cathedral
Photo Credit: A View On Cities
The legendary origins of the St. Louis Cathedral paint a noble picture of the then-Governor Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, who allegedly used his sword to draw in the dirt the location of a permanent church in the newly formed settlement. However, it was Adrien De Pauger who
created the plans for not only the St. Louis Cathedral, but the entire French Quarter. The cathedral was dedicated to King Louis IX and would be one of the first brick buildings surrounded by neatly aligned French blocks. The cathedral that you see now, though the oldest Roman Catholic cathedral
still operating in the United States, is not the one De Pauger built. Roughly 60 years after the St. Louis Cathedral was completed, the Great Fire of 1788 claimed the cathedral and construction did not begin on the second version until nearly a year later; another fire swept through New Orleans in 1794, but
the St. Louis Cathedral survived that disaster.
One of most revered clerics of St. Louis Cathedral's history served his congregation even before the cathedral was destroyed in 1788 and he is often seen, still attending to his duties. Pere Antonio de Sedella, or Pere Antoine, wasn't immediately liked in the very French city since he was a) Spanish, b) replacing their
adored Pere Dagobert, who stood up to the Spanish Governor O'Reily, and c) took his Catholic convictions way too seriously upon his congregation. Fortunately, and with very little explanation, he had a change of heart, and helped anyone in need, regardless of their creed. Like Pere Dagobert, his death was mourned by the
entire city, which may be why both priests are still seen on site. Parishioners have heard Pere Dagobert singing a funeral mass late at night, presumably for the six rebels killed in front of the cathedral for whom he had been forbidden to bury. Pere Antoine has also been seen going about his unfinished business, but
also walking through the garden and Quarter, sometimes in a hurry or just deep in thought. He's also seen in the pews, listening to the children's choir, or walking down the aisles with a candle during the Christmas season. Madame LaLaurie has allegedly also been seen in St. Louis Cathedral; it is believed she is praying
for forgiveness for her past sins. Though there aren't many reports of this spirit, but Marie Laveau has also been seen walking by the St. Louis Cathedral; it's not completely out of the realm of possibility since she did practice Catholocism and
lived in the French Quarter. One other lost soul is believed to be that of Aimee Brusle, a former organist who spent most of her time in the cathedral to escape her unfaithful husband and depressing life. Even in death, she apparently hasn't been able to gain any peace since she has been heard sobbing in the cathedral vaults
and seen from the organ loft with an angry or sad expression on her face.
Grant-Humphreys Mansion
Photo Credit: Lonny
The Grant-Humphreys Mansion was built in 1902 for James Grant, a self-made smelting and mining entrepreneur. Grant was originally from Alabama and after serving in the Civil War, he studied civil engineering, mineralogy & metallurgy
at numerous institutions; he even went to the Freiberg School of Mines in Germany. When he returned to the United States, he was thoroughly set to start his smelting empire and eventually settled in Denver, Colorado. He even served
as Colorado's first Democratic Governor. In 1911, Grant died and his wife, Mary, sold the mansion to Albert Humphreys, a Southern-born businessman and gun enthusiast. Scandal seemed to surround Humphreys and it took a bad turn when he sold barrels of oil
to a fake company, owned by himself, and then sold those barrels at a higher amount. It was later discovered that part of the profits were used to get President Harding elected in 1920 and Humphreys was summoned to testify.
Humphreys was in a bit of a bind, so before he could testify, he had what the newspapers later called, "an accident." It's a strange occurrence when a man who converted a bowling alley in his home into a shooting range, shoots himself in the head with
his hunting rifle. He later died in the hospital where it's rumored there was a note in his pocket that said, "Please Doctor, let me cash in." Today, a man with half of his head blown off is seen on the grounds of the mansion, so maybe Humphreys found
sanctuary afterall. Apparently, he has some company in the afterlife with at least four other ghosts who are presumed to come from nearby Cheesman Park. Don't let the name fool you. This park used to be the site of City Cemetery where you would find the
graves of epidemic victims and criminals. In 1893, the local government decided they didn't want it to be a cemetery anymore and allowed 90 days for the bodies to be relocated. Unfortunately, this operation was bungled from the start and many
graves were looted or not moved at all, which later gave inspiration to the film Poltergeist.
McCune Mansion
Photo Credit: McCune Mansion
Construction on the McCune Mansion began in 1898 and finished in 1901, costing a grand total of $1 million; this would be $29,751,176 in 2018. As a wealthy mining and railroad businessman who profited greatly from his work on the Peruvian Cerro de Pasco mines, which is heavy in silver and zinc, Alfred McCune basically gave his wife, Elizabeth, a blank check when designing their future home.
The McCune Mansion was within sight of the Capitol Building and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints; this was a strategic move since Alfred ran for public office multiple times (but never winning, despite his connections) and Elizabeth, was a devout Mormon. After their children were out of the mansion, Alfred and Elizabeth moved to Los Angeles in 1920 and donated their "bungalow-style mansion" to
the Mormon Temple, which then converted it into the McCune School of Music. Its history as a music school may explain the organ music that is regularly heard in the mansion, though there is no organ on site.
In 1999, the McCarthy Family purchased the mansion and restored it to its original opulence. Since they have acquired the mansion, the family has reported doors opening and closing on their own, cold spots and disembodied voices.
In addition to the McCarthy's, visitors have seem a tall man in a black cape and he most often appears to people who are alone, acknowledges their presence with a glance and then disappears. An entity of a young girl has also been regularly witnessed dancing and giggling, especially at weddings, and sometimes enjoys rearranging items that have already been set up.
Some report seeing another young girl in a white gown near a mirror on the first floor of the mansion, though this could very well be the same girl who enjoys crashing weddings. Either way, this little girl has a habit of walking in and out of the mirror, which has startled more than a few visitors, including an electrician who reported seeing her come out of the mirror, "looked to her left, looked to her right,
decided everything was OK, and went back in the mirror" (KSL.com, 2010).
Mackay Mansion Museum
Photo Credit: Travel Channel
The mansion was originally built in 1859 by George Hearst and served as his own residence, as well as his mining office. After earning millions of dollars from his original $400 investment in the Comstock mines, he decided to cash out and leave Virginia City.
The next owner would be John Mackay who worked his way up from a grunt to silver magnate. Like Hearst, John Mackay would live and run his mining business in the Mackay Mansion, along with his partners James Fair, James Flood and William O'Brien.
James Fair would also have a room in the Mackay Mansion and later become a Congressman; you can learn more about James Fair in the history behind the Queen Anne Hotel.
Oddly enough, none of the original owners seem to have made the Mackay Mansion their final resting place. Since the mansion has never been abandoned, there have been families living in it for more than 150 years. A little girl in a white dress has been seen
throughout the house, especially in the room with the rocking horse. While filming Dead Man, Johnny Depp even got a visit from the little girl in the room he was staying in and also heard her playing across the hall. Other visitors have come across the spirits of two men who are believed to be
thieves who tried to break into the vault with the gold, silver and payroll. They were both shot before they had a chance to make their getaway. There are also entities of a lady roaming the second floor and an older gentleman who likes to lounge in the kitchen.
Iolani Palace
Photo Credit: National Park Service
Construction on the Iolani Palace began in 1879 and was completed in 1882 for the Hawaiian monarchs, King Kalakaua and his sister and successor, Queen Liliuokalani. It was the first building to have electric lights, indoor plumbing and a telephone in Hawaii.
Queen Liliuokalani assumed the thrown in 1891 after her brother died and she immediately began working to restore the Hawaiin government to a monarchy, which gained her numerous enemies and eventually led to a coup by the self-designated Committee of Safety and the American Minister to Hawaii. This was because the Hawaiin government
had become more of a plutocracy before she sat on the thrown, courtesy of a new constitution that favored wealthy American businessmen, so the Committee of Safety was relunctant to lose control of this independent nation. The Queen was later tried in 1895 and imprisioned in the palace for eight months, which was reduced from five years of hard labor, after an unsuccessful attempt to reinstate her on the throne.
After Hawaii was illegally annexed, the Iolani Palace functioned as the new capitol building and later was converted into a Red Cross dressing station during World War II. By the 1970's, a new capitol building was built and the palace was restored and opened to the public, and possibly back in the hands of the monarchy. Queen Liliuokalani has been regularly seen by security staff on the grounds, as well as heard
playing the piano in the Blue Room, which she often did for her guests when she was alive. She has also been reported peering from a window in an upstairs bedroom that was her prison for eight months. The banyan trees on the palace grounds are locally believed to hold the spirits of the dead who had no family to care for them. The royal burial grounds at the palace are specifically marked, advising visitors to stay away
from this sacred ground where King Kamehameha II and Queen Kamamalu were originally buried, as well as 18 other royal familiy members (all of whom were reinterred in a new Royal Mausoleum), after dying from measles.
