New York is one of the most touristy cities in the US, visited by both domestic and international tourists. It’s iconic in media and popular culture, but what many people don’t realize is that just like many other Northeastern cities (think Salem), New York City and its suburbs are horrifyingly haunted.
One way to experience New York’s haunted underside is by joining one of the popular local New York ghost tours, such as the one led by US Ghost Adventures. Here is a brief look at the Big Apple’s five most haunted spots.
Firstly, Washington Square Park is one of New York City’s most famous landmarks. If you’re a New Yorker, you’ve probably passed by or through numerous times without thinking twice about what you’re walking on.
The square predates New York as we know it today. In its early stages, it served as a potter’s ground. No, a potter’s ground isn’t where potters make their crafts. Rather, it refers to a burial ground for the unknown dead or those without known relatives.
Nowadays, such places still exist, of course. However, they are typically well-kept and maintained. In those days, however, such fields were abandoned and not maintained. There just wasn’t as much regard for the poor and indigent, the downtrodden from low social class, and those suffering from mental illnesses.
In any case, the area served as a dumping ground for the lowly, their remains callously buried and left to be forgotten. Legend has it that it was also used for executions. Indeed, at least one hanging was documented to have taken place here, that of Rose Butler, an enslaved 19-year-old who set fire to her owner’s home.
With over 20,000 people buried underneath Washington Square Park and countless others who may have been executed here, in addition to Rose Butler (although only her execution was officially documented), it’s no wonder that this park is awash with spirits. It’s not uncommon to feel random cold spots or feel something brushing up beside you when you walk here at night.
Next, you can go to the house at 14 West 10th Street in Greenwich Village, which was once the abode of Mark Twain, who lived there briefly – or perhaps not so briefly, as his spirit is still rumored to visit from time to time.
However, the story of the House of Death is a lot more sinister than that. In 1987, Lisa Nussbaum, an illegally-adopted child, was murdered by her adoptive father, Joel Steinberg, a disbarred lawyer who was under the influence of crack cocaine on the day of her murder, when he beat her to death. However, neighbors had repeatedly filed complaints of abuse against him, alleging that he often attacked and beat his adopted daughter. Another illegally adopted child, a 16-month-old, was discovered in the home as well.
The House of Death isn’t far from the haunted Washington Square Park, either. It’s said that 22 spirits haunt the house, and they sometimes move around the street, causing street lights to flicker and shadows to mysteriously appear.
Although the House of Death is privately owned, and you can’t enter the interior of the building, you can view the brownstone house from the outside. And, as mentioned, you can sometimes encounter the resident spirits on the street in front of the house as well, if you’re lucky (or unlucky – it’s just a matter of perspective!).
Meanwhile, the Morris Jumel Mansion is so named because it was built in 1765 by British military officer Roger Morris and was also inhabited by New York socialite Eliza Jumel and her family, including her husband, former Vice President Aaron Burr, in the 19th century. As you can imagine, as such an old structure – one that has been government-owned since 1903 – it contains a lot of hidden history and haunts.
The house served as George Washington’s HQ when he was in New York. That’s an interesting fact: the Morrises were loyalists to the crown, and the house thus served as the British military headquarters during the Revolutionary War. After the British lost, the Morrises sold the property, and it briefly served as a tavern.
It was investigated by Zak Bagan and other famous paranormal investigators due to its fame as Manhattan’s oldest haunted house.
There are all kinds of haunted stuff going on in this strange house. Of course, there are the expected hauntings. Aaron Burr, who died shortly after his divorce from Eliza Jumel, is still thought to roam the house, trying to rekindle his love. Cries of “but I love you” are sometimes heard by those with keen hearing.
One of the creepiest tales about this house involves a clock. Inside the dining room, hangs a clock with a moon decoration featuring a creepy face. When a handsome man passes by, the moon’s face is known to wink.
The bad news is that the Morris Jumel Mansion is currently inaccessible due to ongoing reservations. The good news is that this is just temporary, and unlike the “House of Death,” the Morris Jumel Mansion is not privately owned and is usually open to the public. You can take a self-guided tour of the interior area during select times at just $10 per adult, and guided tours of the exterior are also available.
If you’re brave, you can also book a guided paranormal investigation inside the house after dark. The investigation includes the use of paranormal-hunting equipment, such as EMF meters, which detect the presence of ghosts by measuring electromagnetic field interference. This tour typically costs $60–$70 and is available only to those over 18.
A candlelight ghost tour of the property is also available.
Wherever you go, you’ll likely find a haunted cemetery nearby. There’s no surprise that cemeteries tend to be haunted. They are the epitome of the very thin line that separates the living from the dead. While this line always exists, there’s nowhere it’s felt more than in cemeteries.
Why do we get scared at cemeteries? It’s a psychological cocktail of the fear of the unknown, ingrained stories of the supernatural, the depiction of cemeteries in popular culture, the darkness and headstones that lead the way for shadows and unfamiliar shapes, and the in-the-face reminder of our own fragility.
The Evergreens Cemetery is located in Brooklyn and was established as a non-denominational cemetery in 1849. Now, over 526,000 people call it their final resting home.
One of the most haunting and chilling spots in this cemetery is a hill aptly named Solitude. Here, heartbroken women used to come in the 1880s and 1890s to drink themselves to death with carbolic acid, a highly toxic substance. The hill is haunted by a lady in white, probably the ghost of one of the love-lost women who committed suicide on this hill.
The cemetery’s first superintendent, Charles Pfeiffer, is also known to haunt the administration building, sitting forlorn on the steps or staring into the endless distance while perched on the radiator. Taking care of a cemetery certainly takes a toll on your mental well-being, and it also seems as if Charles is either wary of joining the dead he used to care for or feels a need to continue taking care of them, even in the afterlife.
Less than an hour north of Manhattan is the small town of Sleepy Hollow, located on the banks of the Hudson River. Despite its humble appearance, Sleepy Hollow is one of the most haunted places in America, which is precisely why it gets super crowded every Halloween.
It was made famous by Washington Irvine’s short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which told of a mysterious headless horseman who rode through Sleepy Hollow in search of his severed head.
Some people still claim to see this headless horseman, but there are many other specters that haunt this otherwise tranquil town. One of the most well-known is that of Major John André, a British officer who was hanged for conspiring with the Americans against the British. His ghost mostly hangs out at Patriot Park, where he was executed.
There’s no better way to explore NYC than on a New York ghost tour. Ghost tours give you a raw, unfiltered experience, one that most tourists never get a chance to see.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only. While the locations mentioned have historical significance and are associated with local legends, the existence of paranormal activity has not been scientifically proven. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion when participating in ghost tours or visiting haunted sites.
