From Salem to San Jose, America is dotted with properties that will both frighten and fascinate even the greatest of skeptics. Despite our country’s relative youth, the U.S. harbors a surprisingly large number of haunted houses. Supernatural experiences and legendary tales live inside the walls of some of America’s most infamous homes, and for those seeking a Halloween thrill, many of these sites even encourage a peek inside.
A fan favorite, Poltergeist, brought notoriety to the Herrmann House upon which the classic horror flick was based. Although the original hauntings occurred on Long Island, the property where the movie was filmed is currently for sale in Simi Valley, California should you be in the market for an eerie new address. Another classic, The Changeling, is based off events that transpired in the Henry Treat Rogers House located in Denver’s Cheesman Park. The story’s iconic haunted house was sought out by spook-seeking theatre goers of the 1980 thriller, but this building was subsequently demolished in the decade that followed.
While some immortalized movie haunts like the Rogers house are no longer standing, there are a handful of locations that do still exist. Arguably the most famous of America’s haunted houses is the Amityville House on New York’s Long Island. Home to multiple residents over the years, this property has had to have its address changed to deter tourists and help the neighborhood move on from its troubling past.
Adversely, other famous horror houses encourage visitors to take part in the lore that surrounds the property. The Perron Family Estate, otherwise known as The Conjuring house, can still be found in Burrillville, Rhode Island, offering tours or various glamping options on the grounds. For $300 a night, visitors can stay on-site in a 3-person accommodation and explore the area around the home from dusk ‘til dawn. Those wishing to venture inside the house must book a separate tour during day-time hours though, as the home itself is not included in the camping experience.
America has pockets of spookiness to explore from coast to coast. The lore of Salem has attracted countless ghost hunters over the years, and those looking for a spine-tingling tour would be well set to visit this East Coast destination. Two of America’s most famed haunted houses lie here, The House of Seven Gables, offering daily guided walk-throughs, as well as the Lizzie Borden House where visitors can either book a tour or stay the night in one of six featured bedrooms.
Head midway across the nation and stop at the Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas where you can schedule your overnight stay at one of America’s creepiest small towns. Featured on multiple television shows that center on the supernatural, this tiny unassuming city offers a handful of haunted sites aside from the Sallie House, including the Green Man Theatre and the McInteer Villa, both reporting numerous instances of unexplained activity.
Make it all the way to California, and ghost hunters can visit San Diego’s Whaley House where tours are available throughout the daytime or evening, and folks hoping for a truly terrifying experience can splurge on the extended paranormal investigation tour. Venture north into the Sierra Mountain Range and you will find the preserved ghost town of Bodie. Now a state park, this abandoned village still claims to house the souls of long-deceased settlers from this lost mining town. Plenty of haunted houses to be found here!
Sometimes the sheer magnitude of a place can enhance its creep factor. Take The Biltmore, one of America’s most notorious mansions, located in Asheville, North Carolina. This sprawling family-owned estate is an architectural marvel where visitors can participate in on-site tours rich with detailed haunted history. Another beloved piece of Americana sits inside the 160 rooms of The Winchester Mystery House. Built and expanded upon by Sarah Winchester of the wealthy gun-manufacturing family, this unfinished architectural oddity is said to house the ghosts of anyone ever killed at the end of its namesake weaponry.
‘Tis the season for spookiness, so if simply visiting one of these haunted houses is not quite enough to satisfy your thirst for a thrill, Ruoff can get you started on the road to haunted homeownership. Homebuyers interested in purchasing their own corner of creepiness can visit spookyhousesforsale.com where the inventory changes daily but the invisible residents never leave.