6 Obscure Haunted Locations That Will Creep You Out

Virginia is full of relics, from its rich history to its nightmarish secrets. Among these stands one building whose history is the darkest of all. It was once run by Doctor Joseph Dejarnette, a man with a reputation for dealing in human experimentation, eugenics, and ties to nazi Germany. The hospital staff subjected patients to sterilizations, lobotomies, electroshock therapy, physical coercion, and other widely accepted forms of abuse and stomach-turning “treatment” methods. 

Dejarnette also used extreme X-ray exposure as a method of sterilization, which almost certainly would have left its patients with adverse side effects. He often took the blood from the most hyperactive children and inject it into those who were depressed. He was also known for roaming the halls while quoting Adolf Hitler, claiming that human sterilization was his greatest work.

The rows of windows lining the entrance have long been boarded up, giving the facade a menacing appearance. Many brave explorers insist they have seen shadows moving in the darkness. Others report that they have felt cold drafts in the stillness of the boarded-up structure.

Doctor Joseph Dejarnette’s evil spirit is said to still walk the halls here. Some say they've heard children's voices in the darkness or moans and other noises from former patients reported to have died due to medical experiments of all kinds. Some people believe decades of past experiences and emotions can leave residual energy in a place.

Maybe that's partly what the ghost hunters are searching for. Because when you consider the collective traumas and experiences of all those who spent time in that dark state-run institution, there was plenty of opportunity for future hauntings.

As the building still stands today, abandoned and boarded up, it's a popular location for thrill seekers. The property has been purchased by private developers and is no longer owned by the state of Virginia. Keep in mind, if you choose to ignore the “no trespassing” signs and explore the buildings yourself, you could face some hefty fines from local law enforcement, who patrol the area frequently.

But, as a hotspot for paranormal activity... if you find yourself exploring the halls of the once-controversial hospital, beware of what you might encounter. Will you make it out safely, or could you become the next patient of Doctor Joseph Dejarnette’s unconventional treatments?

The sanatorium board of Manitoba operated several tuberculosis sanatoriums in Manitoba from the early 1900s until the 1960s. These sanatoriums were established and administered to house and care for those living with tuberculosis (TB).

At that time, effective treatments were not available to treat TB. Instead, patients were isolated from the general public and prescribed rest and good nutrition. The Ninette, or Manitoba Sanatorium was built in the town of Ninette, on the shores of Pelican Lake, in 1909. Consisting of many buildings built specifically to serve as a sanatorium, the Lakeview, treed landscape, and stone buildings all contributed to a picturesque setting.

This setting was purposeful, as TB treatment up until the Second World War consisted primarily of rest, good food, and fresh air. A large veranda was built on the front of the sanatorium to accommodate the patients in their beds while they took in the fresh air. Surgical procedures were incorporated into treatment plans in the following decades. Most of us Americans think of Canadians as being our friendly neighbors to the north, and for most accounts that seems to be true.

As much as I'd like to tell you that at the end of the story the country was on the cutting edge of medicine and that's where the story ends... But unfortunately, it couldn't be further from the truth. Terrible things happened at the sanatorium, almost exclusively to the indigenous people. Child abuse, torture, molestation, and human experimentation all happened here—for far longer than anyone could imagine. 

The sanatorium is rumored and to some, confirmed to be haunted. Plenty of supernatural accounts and experiences have been witnessed on the grounds of this century-old property. Most notably the spirits of six children who apparently like to tickle feet and fool around with the living can be found at Ninette.

During the tuberculosis epidemic, the site saw thousands of patients, some recovered, but a great deal never left. Like a scene from a horror movie, multiple layers of paint flakes off the walls of the darkened halls of the Ninette Sanatorium's long-vacant nurses' building. Some of the property’s buildings are in much better shape, fueling hope that they may one day be salvaged, but the nurses’ building is rough. The air in certain rooms is thick enough with moisture that you can feel its weight in your lungs.

We know these hauntings that have come from such horrible and disturbing things are hard to imagine, but because of the brutality that has taken place there, it’s no wonder how something may linger. Darkness, fear, and utter terror are what almost every one of these people felt up until their last `breath. 

Who are the children still calling the game room at Ninette Sanitorium home? Could there be something more sinister keeping them all captive? But more importantly, will these tragic souls ever be able to find peace in death, despite all of the horrid things that happened to them in life? We will never truly know, but we pray they do, and we hope if you ever venture to Ninette Sanitorium, the children let you go home like they were never able to do!

Tiedemann House was built from 1881 through 1883 by Hannes Tiedemann, a German immigrant who became prosperous first as a wholesale grocer and then later as a banker. The house was designed by the famed Cleveland architectural firm, Cudell & Richardson.

When Tiedemann built the house in the late 19th century, Franklin Blvd. was one of the most upscale residential avenues in Cleveland, perhaps second only to the famed Euclid Avenues, Millionaires Row. Tiedemann built his grand house on Franklin Blvd., not only to provide a more upscale residence for his family but also to provide a temporary place for friends, family, and others immigrating from Germany to stay when they first arrived in Cleveland.

On January 15th, 1881, Tiedemanns 15-year-old daughter Emma would succumb to diabetes. The property then saw its second death not long afterward when Tiedemann's elderly mother, Wiebeka, also passed away.

During the next three years, the family would bury three more children, giving rise to speculation that there was more to the deaths than meet the eye. Hannes sold the house shortly after Louise's death to the Mulhauser family.

He remarried to Henrietta, a waitress, but the marriage ended in a divorce just a year later. Hannes Himself died in 1908 because of a massive stroke while taking a walk in the park. He outlived his entire family, even his grandchildren. There was nobody left to claim his inheritance, and the German Mulhauser family sold the house to the German Socialist Party in 1913.

Franklin castle was always supposed to be a place for meetings and parties, but instead, the house was used as a place for Nazis to live. Legend says 20 people were killed in the house with machine guns because of political disagreements. Later residents claimed they could hear the fight over and over again inside the house.

Reports of hauntings didn't begin until around the 1960s. A family with six children called the Romanos had moved into the house and were hoping to turn it into a restaurant. They instead found themselves battling the spirits of Franklin Castle.

The hauntings allegedly began right away. On the day the Romanos moved in, two of their children said they'd encountered a crying girl in white on the third floor. But when Mrs. Romano investigated, no one was there. Soon, the family started hearing haunting organ music and heavy footsteps throughout the home. The two older Romano children woke up one night to find something yanking the blankets off their beds. Mrs. Romano allegedly awoke one night to find herself screaming on her bedroom floor, with an unseen presence screaming beside her.

A priest advised the Romanos to move out, and in 1974, they did. Mrs. Romano said the house was “getting the best of her.” She suspected that she'd been haunted by Louise Tiedemann and speculated that the crying girl in white was Tiedemann's daughter, Emma.

Franklin Castle is part of Cleveland ghost tours, and those who take part are hoping for a glimpse of the lady in black, the ghost that keeps watch from the tower window. There is still much to learn about this Cleveland treasure, but most of all, it's well worth a trip to drive or walk by and see or hear for yourself if there might be anything to the many rumors, sightings, and reported sounds of wailing, footsteps—and even crying children.

Taunton State Hospital was a psychiatric hospital located on Hodges Ave. in Taunton, Massachusetts. Published in 1854, it was originally known as the state lunatic hospital at Taunton. It was the 2nd state asylum in Massachusetts.

Most of the original part of the facility was built in a unique and rare neoclassical style, designed by architects Boyden and Ball. It is also a Kirkbride plan hospital and is located on a large 154-acre farm along the Mill River. It operated for decades as a repository for individuals suffering from mental illness. Though the facility didn't suffer from the same overcrowding and terrible living conditions as other New England asylums of the time, it did, however, have its own brand of evil that not many other places could match.

Taunton State had a long history of haunted tales and some of the most disturbing stories of what its “guests” endured throughout the years. Before Taunton State closed its doors in the 1970s, staff and patients often reported feeling uneasy in the lower levels of the hospital. After staff at the time did some digging around, they uncovered evidence of a sinister inner circle of doctors and nurses who were conducting vile, unforgivable experiments on the patients in the basement of the hospital.

Throughout the halls, the rooms, and even the cemetery of the Taunton grounds there is ample evidence of paranormal phenomena. Anytime the hospital is brought up, people mention ghastly screams, apparitions, unexplained noises, blood-stained handprints, cries for help, cold invisible hands that grasp at the living, and even whispering can be heard telling anyone and everyone to leave. More often than not, reports of visible poltergeists are very common.

The stories and claims are not limited to the buildings but the grounds and surrounding woods as well. None of these even begin to compare to the hospital's resident shadow man.

The shadow man lived in the basement of the main Kirkbride building, it is said that he travels through the walls, floors, and even the ceilings of the basement as though Taunton was a body, and he is the virus. In his presence, those unlucky enough to enter his space fell to the torment in pain of all those tortured and sacrificed in the facilities basements. Patients and caretakers alike have risked punishment or dismissal for refusing to carry out their duties if it required them to enter the basement for a second time.

Spirits are said to walk outside the building, often as a mist or dark cloud. Reports came in of an elderly man crouching and stroking the grass. He wears simple clothes, usually said to be jeans, and a dark shirt making him seem more like a former employee. When approached he smiles and then disappears.

Others have seen people in light pants and white shirts. While pictures of the people who made Taunton its home are hard to come by, some feel these souls are those of former residents. Memory rests on top of memory on top of grief at this hospital, and those who believe tragedy breeds negative energy that can remain in a place need only walk near the grounds to have their argument reinforced.

Many historic homes are preserved in Ocala, Florida’s large residential historic district, which was designated in 1984. East Fort King Street features many excellent examples of Victorian architecture.

Originally the iconic Rheihauer House—or Seven Sisters Inn as it's known today—was built in 1890 by Linda B. and Joseph Lancaster, and it was originally known as the painted purple lady. Charles Rheinauer was one of Ocala’s most significant Jewish businessmen, and overall, a most noteworthy contributor to the city's beginnings. Shortly after marrying Emma Hohenberg in 1890, he migrated to Florida.

Beyond his principal business, Charles Rheinhauer was involved in a number of community activities and commercial enterprises. He served as the vice president of the Ocala Iron and Machine Works, a founder of the Ocala Board of Trade, the forerunner of the Chamber of Commerce, and the founder and director of the first bank in Ocala, the Merchants National Bank. Charles remained there until his death on May 18th, 1925, at the age of 79.

Emma survived Charles by nearly 17 years and died at the age of 74 in 1942. The end was converted to many different uses over the next 50 years. Eventually, it was purchased and restored to its original greatness... Plus some!

The owners at the time were international cargo airline pilots and embellished the inn with amazing antiques and artifacts from all over the world, including Europe and Indonesia. Imagine sleeping in a sweep that is thronged with doors from a demolished temple in Bali that are over 400 years old.

Claimed by many to be the most haunted bed and breakfast in Florida, there is no doubt that the beautifully appointed and historical Seven Sisters in is very special.

The Seven Sisters Inn has had many stories over the years, it was even featured on Syfy’s Ghost Hunters in 2008. The home is said to have experienced so much activity that it clearly validates the known” 7 spirits” have checked in but have never checked out, including the Rheinhauers that lived in the gothic Victorian for over 50 years.

One of the alleged spirits may have even saved a man's life. He claims he was walking down the open staircase to the home’s living room when something caused him to trip and fall violently forward toward a stained-glass window. He would go on to say “I was falling headfirst, but something grabbed me with two hands. Then I was about to fall right on the coffee table, and someone held me up.”

In addition, a flirting gentleman from the 1950s named George has been seen on several occasions. Three children are also claimed to provide an activity that is playful but incredibly noticeable and beyond “coincidence”.

Never has a guest ever been spooked into an early checkout from the Inn, as it is claimed the spirits protect and watch the Inn with much care. On any given day, it is claimed one can hear footsteps, wispy sounds of long-period apparel, mystical relocation of items, whispers of voices, and knocks on the wall that clearly welcome visitors to the house.

The innkeepers at the Seven Sisters Inn keep a collection of photos, EVPs, and stories that they gladly share with all their guests and encourage them to experience the gracious spirits just as they do. They say the spirits that reside there radiate the feeling of protection and continuously prove they watch over the property with immense amounts of care, grace, and light.

The land on which Ashley’s was built is said to be the site of an old railroad depot that burned to the ground. According to Ashley's of Rockledge history page, the Tudor-style building was constructed sometime after the 1932 repeal of prohibition by entrepreneur Jack Allen.

The building's history goes all the way back to the early 1930s when it was called Jack's Tavern. It was built in a prime location just off Highway US1 and near the railroad tracks in Rockledge, FL. Ashley’s has had several owners and names over the years; memorable ones include Cooney’s Tavern, the Mad Duchess, the Loose Caboose, Sparrow Hawk, and Gentlemen Jim’s.

The main resident spirit is tied to a gruesome story that has in fact been verified by a local newspaper reporting from the time. A young woman named Ethel Allen, perhaps related to Jack Allen, was last seen at Jack's Tavern before her body was found on the shores of the Indian River, mutilated and burned. Ethel was laid to rest in the Georgiana Cemetery in Merritt Island, and the case, unfortunately, would go cold and would never be solved.

Another story tells of a man being dragged down the stairs of Ashley’s in the 1940s by police officers while the man's autistic daughter watched and cried. Allegedly she ran out into the road in her distress and was killed by an oncoming vehicle.

Some have even claimed that the site may even have been a former Native American burial ground, and there's even a local legend of Ashley being a train station and the train crashing into the building killing most of its occupants.

Over the years many have experienced activity in the restaurant. Many patrons have felt unseen hands touch them on their shoulders and back. Staff who closed the restaurant at night have heard whispers, the lights seem to have a mind of their own and TVs randomly turn off and on all by themselves. Some believe it's the spirit of an older man. One paranormal investigator once caught an apparition standing inside the bar area with a towel draped over his arm.

A second investigator would go on to capture a picture of this very entity, standing on the employee staircase. There is even a recorded EVP of a man's voice saying “peekaboo” when two investigators were having a meal at one of the tables.

There are also claims of the presence of child spirits. The spirit of a little girl likes to tug at the clothes of people while they are going up and down the stairs like they are trying to seek the attention of others. This entity has also been seen on the second floor, and it is also said that the spirit of a four-year-old boy has made himself known in numerous different ways.

As is to be expected, there is also the spirit of Ethel Allen, who was always front and center in the building and likes to get laughs as a way of letting the living know she's still there.

At times people have heard a terrifying, blood-curdling scream in the middle of the night coming from the building, as it's been reported by police officers that have a station directly across the street.

There have also been reports of a foul-tempered male spirit, who still seems to have temporary issues even after his death. And it's believed he is responsible for the poltergeist-type activity that happens all throughout the building. It is also believed by many that he is most likely Ethel's killer, and that he may be grounded here where he took her life.

Whatever may be causing the hauntings in this Florida restaurant, it is evident that something—or someone—is making themselves known to people who walk through the doors of this railroad side building along the well-known highway US1.

Thank you for reading! And if you enjoyed this, be sure to just us (Megan and Steve!) over on our podcast For the B-oo's as we discuss various haunted locations, youtube channels, and paranormal TV shows, and ask the question... "Is It Real!"

Every Monday at 12 p.m. Eastern Time anywhere you listen to podcasts!