21 Most Haunted Places in New York: Eerie in the Empire State

Searching for the most haunted places in New York state?

NY is known for its big city hustle, thick upstate forests, and, of course, its history as one of the oldest states in the U.S.! 

From the infamous Amityville horror house to the iconic Sleepy Hollow Cemetery that inspired the literary masterpiece to the ghosts of rock stars at The Chelsea, New York is packed with legendary history.

Here are the 21 most haunted places in New York state:

The Amityville Horror House

Amityville

In the quiet town of Amityville, Long Island, stands a house that is both terrifying and intriguing, undoubtedly one of the most haunted places in New York.

In 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. shocked the nation by murdering his parents and 4 siblings while they slept. Initially, DeFeo claimed the killings were a mob hit, but later confessed, “Once I started, I just couldn’t stop,” alleging that “voices from the house” made him do it.

Nearly 13 months after this tragedy, the Lutz family bought the home at a drastically reduced price of $80,000! Their stay lasted only 28 days, during which they reported a series of weird events:

• Swarms of Flies: Despite the cold season, the family encountered massive, ungodly numbers of flies inside the house.
• Hidden Room: A concealed room, later discovered in the basement, caused significant distress to their dog, Harry.
• Imaginary Friend: Their daughter, Missy, spoke of an entity named Jodie, described as a demonic, pig-like creature with glowing red eyes.
• Apparitions: George Lutz claimed to have seen Jodie staring at him from Missy’s window.
• Moving Objects: A rocking chair was seen moving on its own many times.
• Physical Attacks: Kathy Lutz reported being levitated and discovered unexplained red welts on her body.
• Demonic Image: Both George and Kathy claimed to see a demonic face burned into the fireplace.
• Independent object movement: Items in the house moved without explanation, sometimes causing harm.
• Odors: Strange smells continued to manifest throughout their stay.
• Green slime: The family observed green slime oozing from walls and keyholes.
• 3:15 a.m.: George frequently woke at this time, coinciding with the estimated time of the DeFeo family murders that occurred in the house. 

However, the truth has been widely disputed. William Weber, DeFeo’s defense attorney, admitted that he and the Lutzes “created this horror story over many bottles of wine,” aiming to secure a new defense for DeFeo. Skeptics argue that the Lutzes created the story for financial gain, especially given their interest in the occult.

New York State Capitol

Albany

The New York State Capitol in Albany is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture produced in the 19th century, and it is also one of the most haunted places in New York. 

Hauntings:

• Samuel Abbott: The building’s history took a dark turn in 1911 when a devastating fire broke out in the library. Flames engulfed the fourth floor, destroying countless irreplaceable documents. Samuel Abbott, a dedicated night watchman, made sure everyone else evacuated before attempting to escape, dying of smoke inhalation. His charred body was discovered near the ruins of the southwest cupola, identifiable only by his watch. Abbott’s sacrifice is still remembered—and some say his spirit still patrols the halls he once safeguarded. Visitors and staff have reported hearing the jingling of keys, doors mysteriously locking, lights turning off unexpectedly, and encountering cold spots in Abbott’s old patrol areas.
• William Morris Hunt: William committed suicide in 1879 after his murals were rejected for the building and is said to haunt the space, seeking justice for his lost masterpiece.
• The Suicide Jumper: As a tour guide who locked up the building, she saw a dark shape fall into the courtyard from the 4th floor. Though nothing was visible when she peered over the edge, later research revealed that a fruit vendor had jumped from the same spot years earlier.

The Capitol building offers ghost tours for curious visitors during the Halloween season.

The Chelsea

New York City

Hotel Chelsea, a bohemian haven in downtown New York City, has long been a hub for counterculture, inspiring countless musicians, writers, and artists. Beyond its cultural impact, the Chelsea is also renowned as one of the most haunted places in New York, with stories of hauntings that stretch decades.

Nancy Spungen’s Death

Nancy Spungen, the girlfriend of Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, met a tragic end in Room 100. On October 11, 1978, after a night of heavy partying and drug use, Spungen was found dead from a single stab wound to the abdomen.

Vicious, heavily sedated on Tuinal, initially confessed, saying, “I stabbed her, but I never meant to kill her,” but later said he remembered nothing. Theories swirl about who killed Spungen: some blame Vicious, while others suspect a party guest seeking to rob them. Actor Rockets Redglare and punk rocker Neon Leon have both been implicated by some accounts. 

Nancy’s death remains shrouded in mystery and has never been solved.

Mary: Miss Mary, a Titanic survivor who tragically lost her husband, stayed at the Chelsea while grappling with her grief. Overwhelmed by despair, she hung herself on the fifth floor. Today, Mary is seen near the western end of the building, gazing at herself in a hallway mirror, earning her the nickname the Vain Ghost.

Nadia: In 1922, after cutting off her right hand with industrial scissors, Naidia leaped from a window onto 23rd Street. The pain from her self-inflicted injury had been too much to bear; she is sometimes seen in the window.

Larry the Hipster: Larry the Hipster Ghost, one of the Chelsea’s newer hauntings, is infamous for his post-death interview. An anonymous blogger, who claims to have literally spoken with Larry’s spirit, believes that the Chelsea’s true power lies in its creative energy, which existed way before the building was built. According to Larry, “It’s not about the art created—it’s about the life lived here.” 

The Sagamore Resort

Bolton Landing

Founded in 1883, The Sagamore Resort in Bolton Landing has been a luxurious retreat for over a century. Yet, with a history marked by fires and literal battles, it’s no surprise that the resort is considered one of the most haunted places in New York.

The hotel faced devastation twice, first by a fire in 1893 and again in 1914, only to be fully reconstructed in 1930. The land was a battleground during the French and Indian War and saw a lot of blood.

Hauntings

• Lillian: Seen on the main hotel porch, Lillian is a woman in her early 20s, dressed in a pinkish-brown gown with delicate lace. She gazes longingly at the lake, watching the boats drift in and out. A guest from the resort’s earliest days, she often visited from Philadelphia to enjoy boating on Lake George.
• The Couple: At The Trillium, one of the resort’s restaurants, guests and staff have reported seeing a couple descending the grand staircase. They are believed to have been the first visitors to the resort in the late 1800s.
• The Tall Woman: In Mr. Brown’s restaurant, a prep cook once encountered a tall woman in white. She spoke briefly to him before walking directly through him and vanishing. The cook quit on the spot.
• Walter: Walter, a slender man in a brown three-piece suit with a thick mustache, is often spotted near the elevator by the Concierge’s desk. He is seen in the card room on the first floor.
• The Shiny Leather Shoe Man: On the second and third floors, this man is easily recognized by his polished black overcoat and immaculately shiny leather shoes. He’s known for pacing the hallways frantically.
• The Golf Course Kid: The spirit of a young boy is said to haunt the resort’s golf course. In life, he retrieved stray golf balls to sell back to the pro shop. Tragically, he was struck and killed by a car. His ghost is seen chasing golf balls.
• The Lady in the Elevator: Staff and guests report seeing a shadowy woman in the elevator, often when it’s empty. She’s thought to be connected to the hotel’s history of fires, which devastated the original building in 1893 and again in 1914.

Rolling Hills Asylum

East Bethany

Before it became Rolling Hills Asylum, this infamous location was the Genesee County Poor Farm, known locally as The Old County Home.

Poor farms were government-run institutions that provided shelter for orphans, widows, minor criminals, and the disabled. The residents, called “inmates,” worked on the farm, tending animals, growing crops, and building coffins. Having closed its doors as an asylum in 1974, it now continues as a historical preserve, offering tours and carefully documenting evidence of paranormal activity.

A potter’s field (a burial site for the poor) sits on the property. It holds countless bodies, their resting places lost to time after the asylum’s closure, contributing to one of the most haunted places in New York.

Hauntings:

• Roy: The Gentle Giant: Suffering from extreme gigantism, Roy stood over 7 feet tall and lived in the asylum from age 12 until his death at 62. Known for his love of opera and gentle nature, his spirit is said to linger, with visitors seeing his hulking shadow in the halls. Sharon, the building’s owner, believes Roy’s ghost protected her by killing a rat, leaving a giant bloody handprint on the wall.
• Nurse Emmie: The Cruel Caretaker: Known for her cruelty and rumored Satanic rituals, Emmie’s presence is marked by reports of her cackling laugh echoing from the infirmary.
• Hattie’s Room: Located on the first floor of the East Wing, this room is known for EVP recordings of an elderly woman calling, “Hello!” Hattie, a blind resident, reportedly spent her days calling out to staff, and her voice still echoes in the room.
• Shadow Hallway: The second-floor men’s dormitory is infamous for shadow figures that dart in and out of doorways, cross the halls, or crawl along the floor, leaving visitors unnerved.
• The Morgue: A hotspot for paranormal activity, visitors report disembodied voices, moving objects, and sensations of being shoved onto the cold tiles near the embalming table and refrigerators.

Letchworth Village

Thiells

Letchworth Village, a psychiatric facility that opened in 1911, treated patients in over 131 buildings and made major scientific advancements, including the first human trial of the polio vaccine in 1950. Yet, despite its promising start, Letchworth became synonymous with overcrowding and abuse.

A History of Suffering

By the 1940s, the facility was overwhelmed, housing more than double its intended capacity. Photojournalist Irving Haberman’s harrowing images of unclothed patients sleeping on floor mattresses shocked the public. In 1972, Geraldo Rivera’s exposé brought further attention to Letchworth’s appalling conditions, and the institution closed in 1996.

Paranormal Activity

Visitors feel suddenly cold, hear children’s laughter, see shadowy figures in the decaying hallways, and even the sensation of being pinned to the ground. Paranormal investigators frequently capture orbs on camera and hear unexplained furniture scraping across floors. The infamous Reville Building, where jars of human brains once lined the walls for research, is extra creepy.

A drone pilot exploring the site reported that his drone would not enter the building, and he experienced unexplained sensations of being grabbed or nudged.

While the land is now public, and you can drive through, there are no official ghost tours or museum operations. 

The Morris-Jumel Mansion

New York City

Constructed in 1765, the Morris-Jumel Mansion holds the title of the oldest house in Manhattan. Originally named Mount Morris, it was built on one of the highest points of the island and has amazing views of the Harlem River.

Today, the mansion serves as a museum and one of the most haunted places in New York.

Eliza Jumel: The Lady in the Purple Dress

Eliza Jumel, who lived in the mansion during the 19th century, is its most famous haunting. Known for her crappy marriage to Aaron Burr, whom she married suspiciously soon after her husband Stephen’s mysterious death in the cellar, Eliza has been seen in the house wearing a striking purple dress. Legend says a psychic went to the mansion to summon the spirit of her ex-husband, who revealed that he was buried alive and murdered. 

Her presence is thought to stem from her wild lifestyle, filled with accusations of infidelity, financial scams, and mental decline. In earlier hauntings, she was often spotted in a white gown, crying violently, possibly mourning the shitty way she lived.

One story recounts a group of kids who claimed an elderly woman appeared on the balcony to shush them before they entered the museum. However, the museum staff insisted the balcony couldn’t support any weight and that people were not permitted to stand on it. After describing what they saw, the kids identified her as the woman in a portrait, Eliza Jumel, who died in 1865.

The Hessian Soldier: Another frequent apparition is that of a Hessian soldier—a German mercenary who fought for the British during the Revolutionary War. Legend has it that he died on the mansion’s staircase, and his ghost has been spotted wandering the halls.

Fort William Henry

Lake George

Fort William Henry, situated at the southern tip of Lake George, constructed during the French and Indian War, was the site of the infamous 1757 siege and massacre, which inspired James Fenimore Cooper’s The Last of the Mohicans. 

In August 1757, the fort, under British control and commanded by Lieutenant Colonel George Monro, endured a 6-day siege by French forces led by General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. 

After surrendering, the British troops and civilians were ambushed during their retreat by the French’s Native American allies. Between the siege and the massacre, approximately 130 people were killed or wounded, 2,308 were captured, and 184 British prisoners were murdered or went missing.

Hauntings:

• The Limper: A spirit identified by the sound of uneven footsteps echoing through the halls, attributed to a skeleton missing a leg uncovered during a 1950s excavation.
• The Slammer: Known for slamming doors in visitors’ faces, creating a startling and aggressive presence.
• Orbs and lights: Orbs, flashing lights, and colorful streaks show up in photos taken here.
• Undead soldiers: Tour guides have reported being scolded by the spirits of soldiers who resent intrusions on their fort.

Today, Fort William Henry operates as a museum and remains one of the most haunted places in New York with guided ghost tours.

The Kreischer Mansion

Staten Island

Off of Staten Island’s Arthur Kill Road, the Kreischer Mansion is the last surviving testament to the grandeur of Kreischerville, a neighborhood built on the success of German brickmaker Balthasar Kreischer’s business empire. Kreischerville, named after its founder, was an industrial boomtown in the mid-1800s. At the top of Kreischer Hill, Balthasar built twin mansions for his 2 sons, completing them before he died in 1886.

In 1890, Edward Kreischer, one of Balthasar’s sons, was found dead under mysterious circumstances near his business. Officially ruled a suicide by gunshot to the temple, his body did have a bullet wound, but the weapon was never found. Rumors suggest Edward had discovered that his wife, allegedly conspiring with a doctor she was having an affair with, was poisoning him. However, the poison wasn’t working fast enough, so she used the gun. Sadly, his body was discovered in the woods by a young boy.

Decades later, caretaker Joseph “Joe Black” Young, a hitman for the Bonanno crime family, used the property for a brutal murder. In 2005, Young lured rival mob associate Robert McKelvey to the house and tried to strangle him. McKelvey escaped but was tackled, stabbed, drowned in a pond, and dismembered in the mansion’s basement furnace; Young was convicted in 2008.

The Kreischer Mansion’s reputation as one of the most haunted places in New York stems from reports of feeling an unseen presence, being touched, and seeing apparitions of an unknown many, accompanied by intense feelings of anger. Some speculate it could be Edward Kreischer, restless in death, or perhaps the victims of the house’s more recent violence.

The Hinsdale House 

Hinsdale

The Hinsdale House was built In the early 1970s by Clara and Phil Dandy. During their stay, they reported numerous paranormal occurrences, including mysterious lights, disembodied voices, and objects moving on their own. 

They witnessed apparitions, including a woman in white, half-human animal hybrids, and even demonic-like entities. One night, the family saw strange faces glaring at them through the windows. When Mr. Dandy went outside to confront the trespassers, the faces inexplicably reversed and appeared to be inside the house, staring back at him.

The hauntings soon became violent. Once, a lamp was thrown at one of the Dandy daughters, and other objects frequently flew across rooms, seemingly targeting family members. 

Father Alphonsus, a priest from St. Bonaventure University, was called to perform an exorcism accompanied by paranormal investigators. At first, the exorcism brought peace, but then the weird stuff resumed with renewed intensity, ultimately forcing the Dandys to move. They only lived there from July 1973 to October 1974.

Subsequent owners and visitors have reported similar paranormal phenomena, including shadow figures, documented demon possessions, and full-body apparitions that are rather aggressive.

Even the land surrounding the Hinsdale House is also reputed to be haunted, with reports of chanting, drumming, and other unexplained sounds coming from the nearby woods.

In 2015, paranormal investigator Daniel Klaes purchased the Hinsdale House with the intent of restoring it and unlocking its mysteries. He has opened it for overnight investigations and tours. 

Want to investigate for yourself? Adventurous visitors can book an overnight stay at the Hinsdale House website.

The Dakota

New York City

The Dakota on Manhattan’s Upper West Side is historic, famous, and creepy. Constructed in 1884, this iconic building at 1 West 72nd Street has been home to countless celebrities. 

However, it is best known as the residence where John Lennon lived and died. Since his murder at the entrance in 1980, Lennon’s ghost has been seen, making The Dakota one of the most haunted places in New York.

While alive, John Lennon himself spoke of a ghost at The Dakota. He described seeing the “crying lady ghost,” a woman in period clothing, in the hallways. After his death, musician Joey Harrow claimed to have seen Lennon’s apparition standing near the entrance where he was killed, shining with an otherworldly glow. 

Yoko Ono claimed to see Lennon’s ghost seated at their piano. “Don’t be afraid,” he reassured her. “I am still with you.”

The Dakota has long been a magnet for the famous. Residents have included Judy Garland, who lived there for 52 years. Actress Judy Holliday, who spent her final years in Apartment #77 before succumbing to cancer, also haunts the building. Painters working in her former home reported seeing her ghost.

However, The Dakota’s haunted reputation stretches beyond Lennon. Construction workers in the 1960s reported seeing a figure with the body of a man but the face of a young boy, while residents have described sightings of a little girl in period clothing waving from lower windows. 

The White Horse Tavern

New York City

Tucked away in the heart of Greenwich Village, the White Horse Tavern has been quenching thirst since 1880, making it the second-oldest continuously operating tavern in New York City. Originally known as the Longshoremen’s Bar, it catered to dockworkers before transforming into a bohemian hub in the 50s and 60s. Writers, artists, and poets like Dylan Thomas, James Baldwin, and Anaïs Nin flocked to its cozy interiors, as did  Beat Generation writers like Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac and New York School poets like John Ashbery and Frank O’Hara. 

Famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas left an unforgettable mark on the tavern— literally. 

On November 4, 1953, he downed 18 shots of whiskey, collapsed, and was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital, where he died days later. Though pneumonia was the official cause of death, his love for the bottle had slowly killed his health. 

Visitors have seen Thomas creeping at his favorite corner table. Beside this bar table hangs a lifesize portrait of Thomas, reminding bar guests of his powerful legacy.

Raynham Hall

Oyster Bay

Raynham Hall, located in Oyster Bay, is a historic 20-room museum steeped in Revolutionary War history. Originally home to the Townsend family, the house helped foil Benedict Arnold’s treason. 

During the Revolution, British soldiers, including Major John André, were quartered here. André tried to bribe Benedict Arnold to surrender, but his plans were overheard by young Sally Townsend, who had the information relayed to George Washington.

When André’s role was discovered, he was convicted of espionage and hanged as a spy on October 2, 1780.

Other hauntings:

• Major John André’s spirit: Visitors often report sightings of André’s ghost wandering the halls or near the front door.
• Female lover’s ghost: Associated with an unnaturally cold room where she once lived, this spirit is the lover of an officer who stayed in the home.
• Lady in the kitchen: The comforting scent of cinnamon and apples occasionally drifts through the kitchen, attributed to a ghostly presence known as the “lady in the kitchen.”
• Michael Conlin, the gardener: Seen in phantom form, Conlin is known to appear pruning plants outside or standing stoically near the grandfather clock.
• White Horse Omen: One of the most chilling stories is of the family’s white horse ghost, an omen that appears before a death in the family. However, the connection between this tradition and Raynham Hall is unclear.

Knickerbocker Hotel

New York City

The Knickerbocker Hotel, a glamorous icon in the heart of Times Square, once hosted elite gatherings and sparked quirky traditions. Today, the hotel is, of course, one of the most haunted places in New York.

Supposedly, the martini was invented here in 1912 by bartender Martini di Arma di Taggia for John D. Rockefeller. The Knickerbocker also claims to be the birthplace of the velvet rope, used to manage dinner crowds and make the place seem more exclusive. 

Strange incidents:

• In 1918, a chimpanzee dressed in human clothing once caused panic by wandering into the lobby in 1918, reportedly after escaping from a traveling circus performing nearby.
• In 1919, thieves attempted to escape with stolen gems by unsuccessfully using Tabasco sauce to fend off police.
• The in-house violinist Albert de Brahms murdered his wife and then tried to seal her deceased body in plaster.

John Jacob Astor IV

The Knickerbocker’s most famous ghost is its original owner, John Jacob Astor IV, who died on the Titanic in 1912. Astor opened the hotel in 1906 as a luxurious retreat for New York’s elite, blending modern amenities with Gilded Age glamour. Guests and staff claim to see his ghost wandering the lobby or hallways, always impeccably dressed in period attire. Some report the smell of cigar smoke or a sudden chill when he’s near.

Astor’s death was tragic—he boarded the Titanic with his pregnant wife, Madeleine, and helped her into a lifeboat before staying behind. His body was later recovered with personal effects, including a gold pocket watch.

Astor made news recently when deep sea divers removed a 14-karat gold pocket watch from his dead body and auctioned it off for $1.46 million. His incredible attachment to his investments might be keeping his soul tied to this world.

Belasco Theatre

New York City

Broadway’s Belasco Theatre is known as one of the most haunted places in New York. Built in 1907 and named for its original owner, David Belasco, the theatre is haunted as they come.

David Belasco nicknamed the Bishop of Broadway for his preference for clerical attire like cassocks and collars, was a perfectionist in life and death. His spirit has been spotted countless times, usually on the balcony or wandering the wings. Belasco’s ghost is said to express his displeasure with subpar performances through moans from the wings of the theater and mysteriously messy dressing rooms. 

He also had an apartment, architecturally styled after a gothic church, above the theater. He installed a window on the floor that allowed him to watch the stage. 

Belasco’s ghostly partner, known as The Blue Lady, also appears with him from time to time. She is often described as a woman in a flowing blue gown, believed to be one of Belasco’s ex-girlfriends, who tragically fell to her death down an elevator shaft in the theater after it had tragically malfunctioned. She is spotted on the balcony, walking back and forth during performances.

Visitors and workers have reported curtains moving untouched, disembodied footsteps, and an elevator operating on its own. A Reddit user recounts working tech at the theater and encountering a helpful ghost who placed period money in costume pockets ahead of time, even after it had gone missing; he’s also turned on spotlights in the booth.

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

Sleepy Hollow

Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is iconic, making it one of the most haunted places in New York. This resting place is the burial site of Washington Irving, author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 

The most notorious spirit here is the Headless Horseman. According to legend, he is the restless ghost of a Hessian trooper decapitated by a cannonball during a nameless Revolutionary War battle. He’s seen wearing his war uniform and carrying his severed head, sometimes in the cemetery or the surrounding roads. 

The trooper was famously described in Irving’s book, where the Headless Horseman is called the “commander-in-chief of all the powers of the air,” forever searching for his lost head.

Another urban legend tells the story of the Bronze Lady, an old, worn statue of a young woman in robes, looking mournful in the center of the cemetery. One account recalls a group of kids daring to approach her one night. After touching and mocking her, one boy kicked her shin and was then tripped by a large root that appeared from nowhere, causing him to fall face-first into the dirt.

Hotel Utica

Utica

Opened in 1912, Hotel Utica was one of the first luxury accommodations between New York City and Buffalo, hosting several celebs in its early years. 

Amelia Earhart was honored at a grand dinner in the dining hall, and Judy Garland’s voice filled the mezzanine during its glam days. Despite falling on hard times in the 1970s, the hotel was renovated and placed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation Historic Hotel of America in 2001.

Hauntings:

• The Tuxedo Man: Affectionately nicknamed Charlie by staff, this dapper figure in a tuxedo has been seen by many over the years.
• The Lady of the Mezzanine: During large events, guests see a beautiful woman in a 1900s-style white ball gown on the mezzanine. 
• Phantom Phone Calls: The front desk receives calls from unoccupied rooms, with static crackling ominously on the line. When staff members call the rooms back, the line picks up again, but static is the only response.
• The Fourth Floor: Guests on the fourth floor frequently report hearing noises from the nonexistent “floor above” or knocking on their doors, only to find the hallways empty.
• Kitchen Mischief: Plates and salt shakers in the kitchen have been known to move on their own.
• The Wandering Housekeeper: At 2 a.m., guests spotted the ghost of an elderly housekeeper roaming the halls despite the housekeeping staff being off duty.

Washington Square Park

New York City

By day, Washington Square Park in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village is peaceful and quiet. Chess players gather at the tables, street performers entertain lively crowds, and friends sip coffee under the shady trees. But beneath the park’s pretty surface lies one of the most haunted places in New York.

The land originally belonged to the Lenape Indians, who fished in the Minetta Stream and made use of the area’s swampy grounds. After the Dutch West India Company established a trading post nearby in 1624, the Lenape were forced from their homeland. By the mid-1600s, the land was settled by freed slaves.

In 1797, the Common Council of New York purchased the land and converted it into a Potter’s Field, a burial ground for the poor, criminals, and victims of epidemics like yellow fever and cholera. Over 20,000 bodies were buried here, often in crude wooden coffins.

Hauntings:

• Hanging Tree: Hangman’s Elm, an English elm thought to be over 300 years old, is said to have been used for hangings. Sometimes, the spirits of the hanged still sway from its branches. 
• Ghostly Fog and Orbs: A thick, mysterious blue fog sometimes appears near or beneath the tree, and walking through it causes feelings of panic.
• Child Apparitions: Specters of children in 18th-century clothing have been spotted playing among the crowds.
• Iroquois Spirits: Translucent figures in tribal clothing have been seen drifting beneath the park’s streetlamps. It is said that locals see this manifestation more than tourists.
• NYU’s Haunted Library: Near the park, the Elmer Holmes Bobst Library has seen a history of tragic suicides, with students reportedly feeling haunted by dark thoughts before their deaths. Visitors have felt a strange presence inside the building, including sensations of being watched, especially in the atrium and upper floors. These experiences are often attributed to multiple suicides that took place in the building. In response to this, NYU installed perforated aluminum screens around the balconies to prevent further tragedies. 
• Rose Butler: The ghost of enslaved Rose Butler, hanged for arson in 1819, has been seen or felt near Hangman’s Elm. Despite the fire causing minimal damage, she was hanged at the young age of 19. Her spirit is said to linger near Hangman’s Elm; witnesses report hearing soft cries or feeling an inexplicable chill in the air around the tree. 

Palmyra Historical Museum & Phelps General Store

Palmyra

Palmyra has 2 historical hauntings located just a few doors apart. The Phelps General Store, frozen in time since its closure in 1940, and the Palmyra Historical Museum both carry dark legacies.

Phelps General Store

Stepping into the Phelps General Store is like traveling back to the 19th century. Proprietor William Phelps renovated the store by 1875, and after his son Julius locked the doors in 1940, the store became a perfectly preserved time capsule. Upstairs, the Phelps family home remains untouched, its Victorian furnishings unspoiled by modern amenities. 

Sibyl Phelps, the last of the family, lived there until she died in 1976. Visitors and staff report vanishing cats, mysterious footsteps, and full-body apparitions.

Palmyra Historical Museum

A few doors down, the Palmyra Historical Museum stands on the foundation of a home destroyed by a devastating fire on December 20, 1964. At 2 a.m., Anna Ruth Breedon and her 6 children, Marion Edward (8), Dennis (6), Susie (5), Mitchel (4), Sharon (3), and Samuel (1) died in the fire. 

Anna Ruth was found clutching 4 of her children beneath a mattress in the basement, while Eddie and Samuel were later discovered in the ashes upstairs.

Museum visitors smell ash in the basement, toys flying off shelves, and tugging sensations on their hair or clothes. Acknowledging that the museum is one of the most haunted places in New York, Executive Director Bonnie Hays honors the family each Christmas by hanging seven stockings for Ruth and her children.

The Merchant’s House Museum

New York City

The Merchant’s House Museum, built in 1832, is one of the most haunted places in New York. What sets it apart from other haunted locations is the sheer consistency of paranormal activity reported by visitors, staff, and passersby since the museum opened to the public in 1936. Occupied by the Tredwell family for nearly 100 years, the home has been preserved as a stunning 19th-century townhouse. 

Gertrude Tredwell, the youngest of 8 siblings, was born in an upstairs bedroom in 1840 and spent her entire life in the home. She never married and passed away in 1933, the last Tredwell to occupy the home. 

Since her death, unexplained phenomena have been attributed to Gertrude’s spirit. Over the years, countless visitors and staff have reported everything from inexplicable sounds to sightings of Tredwell family members. The servants’ bells, once used to summon household help, sometimes ring on their own, and weird smells, like old perfume, linger in empty rooms. 

The house offers candlelight ghost tours throughout the year.

Cherry Hill

Albany

Cherry Hill, a historic home in Albany, tells the story of 5 generations of the Van Rensselaer family. The house opened as a museum in 1964 and remains a treasure trove of history, with original furnishings, portraits, kitchenware, and family documents preserved by Van Rensselaer descendants for nearly 2 centuries!

The Hill’s history took a dark turn in 1827 with the infamous murder of John Whipple. Elsie Lansing-Whipple, a member of Albany’s social elite, conspired with her lover, handyman Jesse Strang, to kill her husband. On May 17, under the cover of darkness, Strang climbed onto a shed roof and shot John Whipple through a window. The bullet hit John in the shoulder, and he stumbled out of the room before collapsing.

The couple’s crime shocked Albany. They were quickly arrested, and the ensuing trial drew such a large crowd that it was held in the New York State Capitol. Lansing-Whipple was acquitted, possibly due to her wealth, but Strang was found guilty and hanged on August 24, 1827, before a crowd of 30,000. 

The event, Albany’s last public execution, did not go so smoothly; the hanging was botched, and Strang reportedly took half an hour to die. The large crowd and the gruesome nature of the execution led to the decision to end public hangings in Albany. Elsie fled Albany, eventually dying in Onondaga County 5 years later.

John Whipple, buried in Albany Rural Cemetery, still haunts Cherry Hill. Witnesses claim to see glimpses of John Whipple’s ghost in the window, still remembering the tragedy of nearly 2 centuries ago.

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