The Southeastern part of the United States is home to some of the most petrifying ghost tales you will ever hear. It is home to many historic locations, including bloody Civil War battlefields, nightmarish haunted hotels, unsettling 19th-century graveyards, and even a few shady nightclubs on Music Row. If you are curious about which Southeastern states have the most ghoulish residents, here are a few of our favorite kooky and mysterious towns we think you should visit.
1. New Orleans, LA
The Haunted LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
New Orleans, Louisiana, is a town full of culture, magic, and mystery. Even if you are a skeptic when it comes to believing in ghosts and spirits, you may have already heard about NOLA’s strong connection to all things macabre. From tales of real witches and vampire covens to psychics and voodoo queens, you are sure to feel the presence of multiple spirits as soon as you enter The Big Easy – and even more so if you hop on a local ghost tour.
Why Is New Orleans Haunted?
There are several reasons why experts in the paranormal believe New Orleans is haunted. The city has seen more than its fair share of tragedies over the years, including the devastating outbreak of Yellow Fever during the 19th and early 20th centuries, major fires, hurricanes, and other deadly natural disasters. And any location that has endured multiple tragic deaths is a magnet for tortured and vengeful spirits.
Here are a couple of the most haunted locations in New Orleans.
Bourbon Orleans Hotel
Today, the Bourbon Orleans Hotel is an immaculate historic location that hosts guests with only the finest taste in luxury accommodations. But throughout its two hundred years of operations, the hotel has seen many tragic deaths, which is why it is now home to several dark entities.
The Ghosts of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel
It is believed that there are more than twenty different entities that haunt this historic hotel. Some of the most disturbing are the ghosts of those who died from Yellow Fever. Guests have reported hearing the sound of young girls laughing and childlike footsteps dashing up and down the stairs. It is believed the ghosts of young girls who contracted the fever are behind these antics. Not only did the girls pass away because of the disease, but the nuns who cared for them also caught the disease and died alongside them.
Guests and staff members have reported seeing the apparitions of young girls in the beds of the hotel, with disturbing black mists hovering over them that appear to be praying.
Sultan’s Palace (The Gardette Le Prete House)
This enchanting 183-year-old building is one of the most photographed buildings in the French Quarter. The three-and-a-half-story building has a striking appearance that honors the history of architectural design. But it also has a haunting backstory, which gives the Palace an eerie and unsettling ambience that can be hard to ignore.
The Sultan’s Palace had several different owners over the years, but its past didn’t become dark and scary until 1850 when it was purchased by a planter and merchant named Jean Baptiste LePretre.
According to the story, LaPretre was approached by a Turkish merchant who asked if he would rent his home to the brother of a sultan. LaPretre spent the majority of his time on his Plaquemines Parish Plantation, which meant his home in New Orleans was empty for many months throughout the year. He agreed to allow the sultan’s brother to rent his home, and he soon moved in, bringing along his exotic furnishings, a collection of jewels, and a harem of five mysterious women.
The Secrets of the Sultan’s Brother
The Turkish merchant failed to mention to LaPretre that his new tenant was a fugitive on the run. He stole the jewels and the harem from his brother, the sultan, and needed a place to hide out.
One night, a group of assassins broke into the house and cut down the brother as well as the harem using swords. One story says that the bloody bodies of the victims were found lying together, with a note that read, “This is what happens to traitors.”
It’s been said that the ghost of the sultan’s brother wanders around the hallways of the palace, searching for his jewels and the harem he stole from his brother. If you listen closely in the middle of any dark and stormy night, you can hear the chilling sound of the victims screaming.
2. Nashville, TN
The Ryman Auditorium – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
Nashville, TN, is a city that brings together the excitement of fame and fortune with the serenity of peak Southern culture. But amid the neon lights, terrors form in the shadows as ghosts haunt some of the most popular places in music history.
Why Is Nashville Haunted?
While Nashville may not be the first choice that comes to mind when someone suggests the most haunted places, it does have a rich history filled with tragedy, disputes, and scandals that didn’t end well. These tales of loss, love, and conflict have contributed to the fact that Nashville is a hotspot for ghostly encounters.
The Ryman Auditorium
The legendary Ryman Auditorium started out as the Union Gospel Tabernacle and was also once home to the Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast, which is known for introducing several up-and-coming artists to the country music scene.
Captain Thomas Ryman was the original owner of the auditorium and intended for it to remain a place where Christians could come together in fellowship and prayer. When he passed away, the space was renamed the Ryman Auditorium in his honor. The auditorium began hosting a variety of events, including live music and theatrical plays.
It is believed that this major change in how the tabernacle was being used stirred up the ghost of Captain Ryman, and his spirit began haunting the auditorium as well as everyone responsible for the new risqué performances. It’s been said that he would try to disrupt the shows by stomping around the room. The noise would be so loud that audience members would get up and leave out of frustration.
Skull’s Rainbow Room
This popular bar that was once frequented by music legends such as Elvis, Etta James, Bob Dylan, and Johnny Cash is now the hotspot for many urban legends. The space was used for multiple forms of entertainment. It was a jazz hall, a speakeasy, a strip club, a honky-tonk, and everything in between. The original owner, David “Skull” Schulman, opened Skull’s Rainbow Room in 1948. Schulman was celebrated by locals and celebrities. He was a flamboyant individual who was known for wearing elaborate, dazzling outfits and always being accompanied by white poodles with colorful dyed fur and rhinestone leashes. According to the legend, one of his beloved pups was there to witness his gruesome murder.
Schulman was murdered inside the establishment in 1998. His body was discovered by a cigarette vendor who saw him lying on the floor, his throat slashed, and his skull fractured. His poodle, Sweetie, the only witness to the crime, was there wandering frantically around the bar. While he was still alive when the vendor found him, Schulman died the following day in the hospital at the age of 80.
The ghost of David Schulman wanders around his former establishment these days. Many customers have witnessed his spirit within the walls and even in the vicinity of the bar. But he isn’t haunting the bar all alone. Those who frequent the Rainbow Room have also reported seeing the dyed poodle Sweetie walking by his side.
3. Baltimore, MD
The Haunted Horse You Came In On Saloon in Baltimore – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
The city of Baltimore, with its connections to these, has a rich yet turbulent history associated with maritime life and the many tragic events that happened on both land and the nearby waters. The stories and legends that stem from this Maryland town have helped it build a reputation for being one of the most haunted places in the Southeast.
Why Is Baltimore Haunted?
This port city is filled with stories about shipwrecks, accidents, and many other tragedies that contribute to the belief that there are many restless spirits in multiple areas. During the Great Depression, the Lord Baltimore Hotel was the site of many suicides, which contributed to the number of hauntings at this luxury establishment. There’s also the Admiral Fell Inn, located in Fells Point, that is believed to be haunted by a multitude of sailors and sea captains.
The Lord Baltimore Hotel
The Lord Baltimore Hotel opened on December 30th, 1928. This impressive 22-story-high location was built by architect William Lee Stoddart, who is credited with being the mastermind behind several urban hotel designs throughout the United States.
On the day the stock market crashed, known as Black Thursday, more than 16 million shares of stock were traded by investors on a single day. It was the most devastating stock market crash in U.S. history and was the onset of the Great Depression. Throughout the country, investors were losing their jobs, financial means, and economic security. They were unable to pay their bills and care for their families.
This led to a significant jump in the suicide rate all over America, with many people taking to tall buildings and jumping to their deaths. Several of these suicides occurred at the Lord Baltimore, and many believe the spirits of those tortured souls remain at the hotel, even to this day. It’s been said that they will mingle with the hotel’s staff and guests when they’re not haunting the halls.
The front desk will receive multiple calls throughout the night of children playing in the hallway, strange people being in the guest rooms and standing at the foot of the bed, and even prankster ghosts turning the television on and off.
The Admiral Fell Inn
The Admiral Fell Inn, located in the Fells Point community, was once home to some of the city’s most disturbing crimes. The upper-class waterfront Inn has eight buildings that date back to the late 1700s, and they were once home to a variety of businesses, including a boardinghouse for actors, an old YMCA, a sailor’s lodging house, and several mobster hangouts where illegal gambling would take place.
During the 1900s, Nuns would care for ill sailors in the main section of the building. They would try to heal the sick, but there was not much they were capable of doing, and many of the sailors under their care died as a result.
With so many guests suffering from tragic deaths within the walls of the inn over the years, it is no surprise that this location is haunted by several ghosts. Guests have mentioned seeing sailors float through the air at the old fire escape stairway. Some butlers will knock on the guest room doors at all hours of the night, and shadowy figures have been seen wandering through the halls. There have even been a few legends about a ghost dog spotted running and playing in the hotel’s hallways.
4. St. Augustine, FL
For many years, St. Augustine, FL has attracted many ghost hunting enthusiasts to its coastal town. St. Augustine is home to several historic sites, including the Huguenot Cemetery, where many victims who died from complications with Yellow Fever are buried, and the St. Augustine Lighthouse, which is believed to be haunted by its former keeper.
Why Is St. Augustine Haunted?
St. Augustine is known for having a rich history of paranormal experiences. Many believe the town is haunted because of its extremely violent history. Many conflicts and diseases took the lives of hundreds of residents far too soon. The city has also been home to several battles and other tragedies that have been known to leave behind dark, negative energy.
St. Augustine Lighthouse
The St. Augustine lighthouse sits on the coast of Florida where the Tolomato and Matanzas Rivers meet the Atlantic Ocean. This 164-foot-tall structure can be found on the northern side of Anastasia Island since the mid-1500s. Standing tall as a beacon to ships for centuries, the lighthouse holds many memories, some of which may not be very pleasant.
There have been many caretakers of the lighthouse come and go over the years. On the ground floor is the living quarters, where staff members and visitors claim to smell the smoke from a freshly lit cigar, even when there’s no one around smoking. The scent is believed to come from a ghostly figure locals refer to as “The Man.” His ghost is often seen wearing an old-fashioned mariner’s cap and blue jacket as he walks up and down the spiral staircase.
If you choose to climb the staircase, you’ll hear the natural sound of waves crashing outside. But you may also hear some not-so-natural sounds, such as the disembodied laughter from a little girl, which sounds like it’s coming from the highest point of the lighthouse. But when you reach the top, you’ll discover, like so many others have, that it is empty with no children in sight.
Huguenot Cemetery
The Huguenot Cemetery is one of the oldest in the state of Florida. It was established in 1821 and is located just outside the City Gates. There was a great need to have more graveyards in the city after the outbreak of Yellow Fever took the lives of so many St. Augustine residents.
It was typical at that time to ring the local church bells whenever there was a death in town. But during the Yellow Fever epidemic, this tradition had to be stopped, or else the bells would have to continue ringing all day and night. The cemetery closed in 1884 and now holds more than 436 bodies.
As with most historic graveyards, the Huguenot Cemetery is haunted by several ghosts. There is one story about the ghost of a little girl named Elizabeth. It’s been said that she will walk around the graves, crying mournfully throughout the night. Visitors to the cemetery have claimed to see her as a translucent apparition, dressed in a flowing white gown.
Another ghost who is often seen at the cemetery is Judge Stickney. He was buried there in 1882 and was later exhumed and relocated to a graveyard in Massachusetts. As the gravediggers were taking a break from their duties after exhuming the judge’s body, they returned to find that robbers had stolen Judge Stickney’s gold teeth. According to the legend, Stickney’s ghost lingers in the cemetery, appearing in front of visitors as a very tall figure wearing a black hat.
5. Natchez, MS
Natchez, MS, is widely considered by locals to be a haunted city. It has a strong reputation among paranormal investigators as being a hotspot for ghostly activity. Several locations in the city are specifically known for sending visitors running out the door in fear. Some of the most haunted places in Natchez include the Longwood Mansion and Natchez City Cemetery.
Why is Natchez Haunted?
There are several factors that could be responsible for Natchez being haunted. It has a very chaotic past filled with tragedy and violence. With a good mixture of wealthy families and residents who remained on the frontier, there is an eclectic collection of ghost stories and urban legends linked to this Mississippi town.
Longwood Mansion
The Longwood Mansion museum in Natchez is a beautifully designed architectural masterpiece that has a one-of-a-kind octagonal exterior. It is the largest eight-sided home in all of America and was built out of one million bricks, all of which were made on-site.
During the mid-19th century, the City of Natchez, MS, was home to more than half of the country’s millionaires, more than in any other city in the United States. Haller Nutt was one of the wealthiest of all Natchez citizens. His net worth was around $3,000,000 in 1860. Today, that amount is equivalent to a staggering $116,764,337.35. He owned plantations that sat on more than 40,000 acres and were worked by eight hundred slaves.
Haller’s wife, Julia, wanted a home that would showcase their wealth, a residence that was worthy of all their good fortune. He created the Longwood Mansion, which was the largest mansion to date with six stories, thirty-two rooms, thirteen stairways, and multiple banquet halls.
Haller was a Northern Sympathizer living in the South, which made him and all of his properties a major target. While the Longwood property was left untouched, his other plantations, fields, and businesses were burned down and plundered. He lost more than a third of his assets during the war, which took a huge toll on his wealth.
Haller soon realized that there would be no funds left to complete his dream mansion. A year or so after losing his wealth, Haller Nutt died at the Longwood Mansion from complications with pneumonia. His wife, Julia, continued to live in the mansion until she died in 1897. It has been said that the ghost of Haller Nutt remains inside the mansion, hoping to one day reestablish his wealth and continue building his home.
Natchez City Cemetery
The Natchez City Cemetery is one of the oldest in all of Mississippi and is known to be haunted. The graveyard has a beautiful setting that overlooks the Mississippi River and is filled with intricate monuments and statues. It is the final resting place for some of the very first residents of Natchez, many of whom are believed to remain there, above the ground.
One spirit is believed to be the ghost of a young girl named Irene. She was only 10 years old when she died from Yellow Fever. At the time of her death, Irene was very scared of thunderstorms.
In a final attempt to provide her with assurance and comfort, her mother had a custom casket made that included a window so that she could view her daughter at any time. Irene’s mother also added another special feature to her grave, a set of stairs and storm doors. This allowed her to sit with her daughter during thunderstorms any time she wanted to.
It’s been said that Irene’s ghost now wanders around the cemetery during the heaviest thunderstorms, no longer afraid of the loud noise and lightning. The eerie glass window that allowed you to see inside the grave was covered in brick after Irene’s mother died in 1892.