Real Haunts: Most Terrifying Ghostly Sites in the Southern U.S.

Florida shows up on the East Coast article twice, but the state is so large and varied, and so full of spooky locales, that it managed to sneak onto this one as well. Located in the Central Florida town of Ocala, sits the colorful, historic Seven Sisters Inn. Built in 1880, it was primarily the home of prominent businessman Charles Rheinauer and his wife, and actually went by the name “Rheinauer House” until it became the inn that it is today. Rheinauer passed away in the house, which is the impetus for the rumors that his ghost still remains.

Those who believe they have experienced a sighting say that Rheinauer is a friendly ghost who looks after the inn, and only spooks those whom he feels are undeserving to stay as a guest. Not all accounts of supernatural happenings are as tame, however. Several visitors have spoken of seeing a woman with rotting flesh in the bathtub of one of the rooms. Seven Sisters has so many tales of unexplained occurrences, that it’s been featured on SyFy’s Ghost Hunters. 

Savannah is widely considered to be the hub of paranormal activity in the South, with a plethora of haunted tours and attractions. One of the oldest and reportedly most haunted buildings in the city is The Pirates’ House restaurant. During its early days, the building was a known spot for seamen, criminals, and other shady characters to frequent for a cold drink after long weeks away on ships. Naturally, this was not a place for the faint of heart, as bar fights, brawls, theft, and stabbings were a common occurrence. Beneath the building, however, lies a series of tunnels said to have been used to shanghai drunken patrons out to sea. Many murders are believed to have taken place in those tunnels as well, as they were largely unknown to city officials for quite some time.

Those who visit the restaurant today say they have heard footsteps that resemble the hardy boots of pirates from an era long since passed. Though the tunnels beneath have since been closed off to the public, there are those who claim to hear moans and screams coming from the depths, a sign that some spirits may still be seeking a way out.

This palatial, grand hotel sits in the heart of the Ozarks, and has been around since 1886. During that time, it was a popular destination for weary travelers, but soon earned a sinister reputation after a series of grisly events that took place within and around its walls. One notable story is of a stonemason who fell to his death during construction, directly where room 218 sits today. Consequently, guests who stay in the room talk of everything from lights turning off on their own to ghostly hands reaching out to them from the bathroom mirror. The Crescent wasn’t only just a hotel, however, and has an even darker period of history to its name.

During the 1930’s, it was used as a cancer hospital, where experimental treatments took place. They were conducted by a man named Norman Baker, who referred to himself as a licensed physician, but it was later discovered this was an outright lie. Families of patients desperate for a cure would pay him their life’s savings in hopes that his “experiments” would work, but often the outcome would be much more heinous. Many would die under his care, their bodies kept in the morgue that was located near the present-day laundry room of the hotel. Hotel staff have spoken of a variety of supernatural happenings in that section, including sightings of the “Doctor” himself, holding specimen jars containing human body parts. Stay the night in one of the purportedly haunted rooms, or take part in a late night ghost tour…if you dare.

When you think “gothic haunted mansion,” what comes to mind is most likely the epitome of what Myrtles Plantation is. This former Antebellum Plantation has a long, rich history dating back to the late 1700’s. It’s also fraught with conflicting stories of murders that supposedly have taken place on its grounds. Though there are nearly a dozen different tales of slayings, only one has been factually confirmed. That victim, former owner William Drew Winter, was shot while standing on his front porch, but managed to drag himself back inside the house before collapsing and dying on the 17th step of the staircase. According to legend, those who walk over this step today feel a dramatic drop in temperature.

The most well known spirit is that of Chloe, who is said to have been a slave owned by Clark and Sara Woodruff, former residents of the estate. According to legend, Chloe poisoned the couple, along with their children, after giving them a cake she baked. She was then hanged for the crime and her body disposed of into the Mississippi River. Though there are no historical records of the Woodruffs ever owning a slave or even dying of poisoning, Chloe is said to be one of the most prominent ghosts still in the mansion today.

Some of the more terrifying sightings are in the form of certain photographs of the plantation, which allegedly show a young girl dressed in antebellum-era clothing peering out one of the windows. Myrtles Plantation is now a tourist attraction and hotel, offering tours of both a historical and supernatural nature.

It’s and unarguable and unfortunate fact that the Southern U.S. has a dark and complicated history, most notably during the Civil War era when slavery was abundant. One of the most infamous and disturbing cases is that of socialite and slave owner Madame Delphine LaLaurie. Regarded as one of the most cruel and horrific serial killers in U.S. history, LaLaurie is believed to have tortured, mutilated, and murdered dozens of slaves that lived in her home. Written history describes of the discovery of chains, hot irons, spikes, and other items used as weapons inflicted on the slaves during their time living in the mansion. When word got out about the mistreatment the slaves were enduring, an angry mob ransacked and set fire to the mansion, sending LaLaurie and her family escaping into the night.

The home has since been restored and is now a historical landmark in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It’s been featured in several movies and television shows, including American Horror Story: Coven. Tour guides and guests believe the mansion to be plagued by poltergeists presumed to be the angry energy left behind from the gruesome crimes committed on the site. Mediums are said to have visited the property in an attempt to communicate with the lingering souls, only to flee out of fear of what they experienced.

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