Haunting is one of the most common paranormal beliefs around the world. Almost every town and city has at least one reportedly haunted house. The rumor that a house is haunted occurs after a violent tragedy like a murder or suicide. The ghosts of past inhabitants are not yet finished with their time on Earth and are said to be stuck in limbo, forced to roam the halls of their old homes due to unfinished business. Sometimes these spirits can become aggressive, turning on the visitors and new owners of their homes and wreaking chaos.
There’s something eerie about a haunted house story that keeps us coming back for more. Maybe it's because it's about a place that's supposed to keep you safe but has turned against you. Or maybe, because we’ve all experienced the creaks and moans at night, we secretly think is the work of ghosts.
Haunted houses have inspired literary works and films for decades, furthering our fears and fascination with them. Shirley Jackson’s 1959 horror novel and its Netflix adaptation, The Haunting of Hill House, is a perfect example. Jackson uses terror to highlight the complex relationships between her character's psyches and the mysterious events that haunt the house.
Stories of ghosts and demons living in the walls of hotels, mansions, and homes are just as popular as ever and perfect for all horror lovers.
If you’re a fan of haunted house lore and tales, check out the frightening stories below:
And once you’ve escaped those haunted halls, visit the stories below for even more spooky stories.
They watched in terror as the demonic writing appeared above her bed: "Esther Cox, you are mine to kill."
By Orrin Grey
Take a tour of some of the most haunting homes in America.
On October 1—National Ghost Hunting Day—our staff will be joining a ghost hunt at NYC's The Merchant's House and streaming it live on Facebook.
Are Godfrey and Julia Barnsley still cursed, even in death?
By Gary Sweeney
Enter this mansion and you may never make it out.
We haven’t caught a wink since 1991—here’s why.
By DeAnna Janes
They say the original owner's troubled spirit still wanders the halls, haunting all those who enter.
Her body may be buried in the family tomb, but Eliza's troubled spirit never left her stately home.
Some report the phantom sounds of musket fire, others the pungent smell of blood.
This ruined castle in Sao Paulo was once a luxurious mansion ... until it became the site of a grisly murder mystery.
By Orrin Grey
Whatever you do, avoid the "Death Chair."
By Gary Sweeney
For sale: five bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, and a chilling history of murder.
This Kentucky nightclub's grisly history includes murder, suicide, and rumors of Satanic sacrifice.
As a young girl, Gretchen Upshaw was plagued by a hateful spirit that hurt her pets and appeared in the night as a ghostly version of her brother.
Soon after moving into their West Pittson duplex, life for the Smurls became a waking nightmare.
By DeAnna Janes
Haunting this Cleveland mansion are tales of secret passages, brutal murder, and restless spirits lingering in its halls.
By Orrin Grey
As he lay dying, he muttered his last words: “I’ll never leave this accursed place.”
By Gary Sweeney
Multiple spirits were said to have wandered this eerie Alabama estate, including one spectral figure who may have been caught on camera.
By Orrin Grey
The restless spirits of fallen soldiers still linger in the halls of this historic, Pennsylvania inn from the Revolutionary War.