With All Hallows' Eve nearly upon us, it’s time to turn our sights to ghosts and goblins and other things that go bump in the night. Thankfully, Yahoo.com has helped us along with a list of the most haunted cities in America.
So, what makes one city more haunted than another? Well, in the age of technology, the answer is internet searches, of course.
Yahoo compiled its list based on searches that combined a city’s name with the word, “Haunted.” And while the study may not be scientific (is there such a thing as a scientific ranking of haunted places?), we found it to be quite illuminating nonetheless.
Without further ado, Yahoo’s 10 most haunted cities are as follows:
10. Galveston, Texas.
Multiple surveys have ranked Galveston among the most haunted cities in America before. The small island has a rich but morose history that makes it ripe for creepy story telling. Perhaps that’s why its three ghost tour operators do so well.
9. Deadwood, South Dakota.
The Old West town of Deadwood is truly a bastion of the dead, not least because of its legendary history of lawlessness. It is also home to the Bullock and Fairmont hotels, both of which are said to be hopelessly haunted.
8. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Ahhh, the site of the Civil War’s bloodiest battle. More than 7,000 men died here in 1863. How could it not be haunted?
7. Charlotte, North Carolina.
Some of the hot spots for paranormal activity include Queens University and the Latta Plantation. But visitors looking for a real thrill can also visit the Fear Farm near Blacksburg.
6. Salem, Massachusetts.
Need we say more?
5. San Antonio, Texas.
Remember the Alamo! The ghosts sure do.
4. Charleston, South Carolina.
Charleston is said to be haunted by the restless spirits of its grisly past. These ghosts include Lavinia Fisher, the first female serial killer to be executed in the U.S.
3. Savannah, Georgia.
Those ghosts sure do seem to enjoy the South. Is it the history or the heat?
2. Baltimore, Maryland.
The city’s deep connection to famed macabre poet Edgar Allen Poe makes it creepy enough. Add the tales of ghost children allegedly haunting the former County Almhouse and you’ve got yourself a perfect runner-up for Yahoo’s most haunted city in America.
1. New Orleans, Louisiana.
Almost everyone will vouch for New Orleans’ ghastliness, which is why it is consistently ranked as the #1 haunted place in America. The eclectic city has just about everything a haunted destination could offer: above-ground tombs, voodoo, and a long history of drama, violence and catastrophe.
Read more about the most haunted cities in America here.
Image Credit: Flickr User brunkfordbraun, https://flic.kr/p/kK7yo via (CC BY-SA 2.0)