The United States has a profound and complex history. We have fought wars, battled sickness, and suffered social turmoil right on our very own soil. Many people believe that traces of these tragedies can still be witnessed today. If you have a craving for the supernatural, there are several sites to visit throughout this country. Here is a list of the ten creepiest cities in America.
10. Estes Park, Colorado
This city is known for the Stanley Hotel. Horror movie fans may recognize this site as the inspiration for Stephen King’s The Shining. For years, guests of this hotel have reported moving objects and various spirits lurking in the shadows.
9. Washington D.C.
The White House appears to be at the core of our nation’s ghostly encounters. Over the years, White House staffers have claimed to feel the presence of President Lincoln. Others have reported hearing Abigail Adams doing the laundry. There have also been sighting of the Demon Cat, which acts as an omen of death.
8. Fall River, Massachusetts
“Lizzie Borden took an ax/ gave her mother 40 whacks/ when she saw what she had done/ she gave her father 41”
This popular poem has been a part of American culture for more than 120 years. It is believed that Lizzie Borden killed her parents one fateful afternoon in 1892. In the city of Fall River, guests can stay in the home, and bedrooms, of the murders of Lizzie’s parents, Andrew and Abby Borden.
7. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
During the Civil War, thousands of soldiers were wounded or killed on the Gettysburg Battlefield. There was so much spilled blood that medical personnel created holes in the floors in order to drain it. Several streets and homes near this historic battlefield have reports of ghostly sights from this historic and fatal event.
6. Athens, Ohio
The college town is the home of the former Athens Lunatic Asylum. At this site, people have reported ghosts walking the halls and mysterious bloodstains on the floors. The Ohio University campus has also had sightings of a young woman who was killed in her dorm room.
5. San Francisco, California
Alcatraz Island remains the site of our country’s most famous prison. It is also popular for its paranormal activity. There have been reports of ghostly disturbances throughout the old cell blocks. The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge is known to host a headless jogger that suddenly appears in the dense fog.
4. San Diego, California
The Whaley House in San Diego is the site of one of most gruesome executions in our history. “Yankee Jim” was arrested and hanged for grand larceny. Because he was too tall for the noose, he suffered a slow and painful death. Several people have claimed to feel a sudden tightening around their necks while visiting this house.
3. Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia is a virtual hotbed of paranormal activity. The Tuckahoe Plantation, childhood home of Thomas Jefferson, has been known for ghostly sightings for over 100 years. There is also the Edgar Allan Poe Museum, which has reported unexplained footsteps and the voices of children.
2. Chicago, Illinois
In 1929, Chicago was the site of the infamous Valentine’s Day Massacre. Al Capone and his goons executed seven men with machine guns. At night, people have witnessed blood-curdling screams and the sound of gunfire on the haunted North Clark Street. Chicago is also home to Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, one of the most haunted cemeteries in America.
1. New Orleans, Louisiana
The oldest cemetery in New Orleans is said to be protected by a Voodoo priestess. People have reported seeing and hearing her presence on the grounds. New Orleans was also the home to many slave owners. The LaLalaurie House was owned by a disturbed and vengeful madam. The ghosts of the slaves she abused have been known to chase children and scream into the night.
