The Southern United States is a treasure trove of fascinating stories and striking architecture dating back to before the Revolution. For those who like to walk the line between light and dark, the South also oozes with tales of the otherworldly and spectral encounters. Sprawling plantations, eerie college campuses, historic government buildings, and so much more make up some of the most haunted buildings in the United States.
From the claustrophobic quarters of the USS Constellation to the Voodoo magic of New Orleans, Southern cities, and those who share similar cultures and historical ties, offer a unique opportunity to peer behind the veil. Eerie stories of wandering souls and watchful apparitions await the brave-hearted travellers looking to check out these 5 spookiest cities in the Southern United States.
Baltimore, Maryland
Though technically a Northern city, Baltimore was a hub for the Southern slave trade and shared many of the same values as Southern states. In fact, one of its most haunted locations, the 63-acre Hampton National Historic Site, was once a 25,000-acre plantation worked by hundreds of slaves. Echoes of its darker past still linger on the grounds of the old mansion, from the mysterious death of the governor’s daughter to a mentally unwell woman who lived and died miserably.
Baltimore’s most famous haunt actually has no ties to its Southern culture. The Horse You Came In On Saloon is recognised as the last place Edgar Allan Poe was seen before he slipped into delirium and was found in a gutter. The tortured spirit of Poe revisits his old haunt and the Westminster Presbyterian Church Cemetery, where he’s buried. Curiously, it’s his aunt and grandmother that haunt the home Poe lived in with his wife, Victoria.
At the Middleton Tavern, a pesky poltergeist keeps employees on edge, while the apparition of a murder victim watches over guests in room 413 of The Admiral Fell Inn.
Annapolis, Maryland
Like Baltimore, Annapolis was a hub for the 18th-century slave trade. As one of the first slave ports of the Chesapeake region, much of its population consisted of enslaved African Americans. The city’s controversial past can still be traced to locations like the James Brice House, former home of the mayor and Revolutionary War colonel it’s named for. Tales of murder, slavery, and Hoodoo rituals circulate through the old home as a number of spirits remain bound to the property.
Another piece of Brice’s legacy is the Little Brice House, which belonged to his father, Judge John Brice. The small brick building may have always been a hotspot for ghostly activity, as even Judge Brice spoke of a mysterious visit from his mother-in-law, who had died in London from smallpox at the exact moment she was seen in Annapolis. Later hauntings were confirmed by the Halligan Family, who owned the home until 2023.
For a truly gruesome sight, Cornhill Street boasts a grisly tale of a headless phantom. Legend has it that the spirit is one of two orphaned brothers, murdered by his younger sibling over their inheritance. He still wanders the street, hoping to find his missing skull.
Make sure to hop on an Annapolis ghost tour to truly experience Annapolis’ haunted side!
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia’s oldest city, is a gold mine for spirits, wraiths, and phantoms. Not only does the city have a spooky aesthetic, with moss-covered trees shadowing cobblestone paths, emulating the general feel of a horror movie, but many of its historic buildings are haunted.
As the site of the Siege of Savannah during the Revolutionary War, the city is plagued by a strong energy that fuels the soldiers still patrolling Monterey Square and Johnson Square. In Forsyth Park, a 48-foot-tall monument erected to honour the heroes of the Civil War attracts ghostly memories of the deadly conflict. Locations like the Olde Pink House and 17Hundred90 restaurant have a spiritual presence tied to Savannah’s long and storied past.
Bonaventure Cemetery is the city’s infamous haunting ground, where statues move on their own and cry tears of blood. The ghost of Little Gracie Watson, who died of pneumonia at 6 years old, is said to possess the statue carved in her likeness. Across the city, Colonial Park Cemetery has its own collection of spirits, like the residual haunting of child killer Rene Rondolier, while down the road, a tragic bride haunts Laurel Grove Cemetery.
New Orleans, Louisiana
There’s a certain magic to New Orleans you won’t find elsewhere in the United States. Its blend of cultures, primarily Caribbean and French, creates a lively atmosphere, where music and the aromas of authentic cuisine are carried in the wind. That magic (and a controversial history of hurricanes, slavery, and Voodoo practices) is also responsible for New Orleans being one of the nation’s most haunted cities.
One of the scariest local stories is that of Madame Delphine LaLaurie, the butcher responsible for the vicious torture and murder of her slaves. Her attic of horrors was only exposed during rescue attempts after a fire broke out in 1834. Madame LaLaurie’s brutality plagued her mansion with a negative energy that her murdered servants remain bound to today. LaLaurie is not to be confused with the benevolent healer and Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, who haunts her tomb at St. Louis Cemetery No. 1.
Just as dramatic as New Orleans’ architecture are its ghost stories, like the Witch of the Opera House, where a jilted lover hanged herself after murdering her beau and his mistress. The Opera House may be long gone, but her spirit remains, lurking in the bars and restaurants that were built in its place.
Williamsburg, Virginia
There is so much history to explore in Williamsburg, haunted or otherwise. The city has been witness to the Revolutionary War, Civil War, Prohibition, and the fluctuating highs and lows of a budding nation. Despite its strong ties to the nation’s history, one of its most haunted locations is a simple 18th-century red brick Colonial home. The Peyton Randolph House is infamously known for its tragic past, particularly the many deaths that plagued the Peachy family.
While members of the Peachy family and Civil War soldiers haunt the Peyton Randolph House, the Ludwell House has its own spectral residents. After the death of her husband, Lucy Ludwell quickly slipped into erratic behaviour that landed her in Williamsburg’s Public Hospital. After two years confined to the asylum, she killed herself. The hospital may be gone, but Lucy returned to her former home, where she remains bound.
From the oldest surviving building in the city, Bruton Parish Church, to the Public Gaol prison, Williamsburg is overflowing with spectral activity. Many who have visited Jones Cemetery claim to hear an organ playing after hours from the nearby church. At the Kimball Theatre, a widow tried to care for wounded Confederates, who have been seen patrolling the grounds.