Out of the one hundred and seventy supposedly most haunted places in Virginia, only twenty-five locations satisfied Colonial Ghosts’ huge scares criteria. Rumors were not enough to earn a spot on the list below!
Why is Virginia one of the Nation’s Most Haunted States?
Well, to begin with, it is among the country’s oldest colonies. The first successful English settlement in America, Jamestown, was established here on May 13, 1607. Its earliest inhabitants, though, are believed to be of Asian descent. These “first Virginians” arrived some 11,000 years ago.
After that, the state became the home of various Native American tribes. They were all united under the powerful Powhatan chiefdom by the time John Smith and his crew of European pioneers reached Virginia.
Virginia has thus had plenty of time to accumulate some spooky stories. Before the 1600s, its occupants were practitioners of shamanism and believers in the afterlife. Many Native American ceremonies, for instance, sought to make contact with the dead, even bringing them back to life.
During the colonial era, Virginia continued to be marked with instances of black magic. Several people were tried for dabbling in witchcraft, wrongly convicted, and sentenced to death. Indian burial grounds and old prisons are thus among the state’s most haunted locations.
Then there are Virginia’s numerous battlegrounds. Whether fights pitted Americans against Indians, the British, or each other, they all resulted in the same thing: high casualties. The state’s pivotal location and importance as a hub of commercial and political activities made it the site of several significant Civil War battles.
Four major battles occurred at just one of its parks (the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park). You can be sure that plenty of ghosts are roaming the “bloodiest ground in North America”!
Spooky Happenings
Let’s not forget all the gruesome murders, tragic suicides, violent massacres, horrible accidents, and creepy medical experiments that have happened in Virginia. No wonder the state boasts nearly one hundred and seventy supposedly haunted destinations. So, how on earth is a fear enthusiast to know which ones are actually worth a visit?
There are many rankings out there, but the problem is that few stem from reputable sources. The so-called “hauntings” of many locations are based on urban legend and third-party claims. Even stories from locals are not always reliable. People tend to overexaggerate and embellish stories to scare listeners.
Finally, someone decided that horror hunters need a well-curated, in-depth, and accurate directory of locations. Presented here are Virginia’s Top 25 Most Haunted Places, as ranked by Colonial Ghosts. Know that their recommendations are for true fear fans only—to be included on this list, a site had to have well-documented paranormal activities.
What Are The Most Haunted Places in Virginia?
While there are many contenders for the title of the most haunted place in Virginia, three lead the pack by leaps and bounds. The Peyton Randolph House, Crawford Road, and Bacon’s Castle are the most haunted places we’ve ever encountered in the Old Dominion. But America’s oldest colony is full of haunted houses, hospitals, battlegrounds, and much more! Read on to learn about the absolute most haunted places in the state.
Ready for the countdown? Here are the 25 most haunted places in Virginia
25. The Public Hospital, Williamsburg
23. Lightfoot House, Williamsburg
21. Edgewood Plantation, Charles City
20. Spotsylvania Court House, Spotsylvania
19. Staunton Train Depot, Staunton
17. Salubria Manor, Stevensburg
15. Fort Magruder Hotel, Williamsburg
14. Major Graham’s Mansion, Wythe County
13. Boxwood Inn Bed & Breakfast, Newport News
9. Weems-Botts Museum, Dumfries
8. Ferry Plantation House, Virginia Beach
7. Graffiti House, Brandy Station
6. Cold Harbor Battlefield, Mechanicsville
5. Historic Jordan Springs, Stephenson
4. Henricus Historical Park, Chester
3. The Exchange Hotel Civil War Medical Museum, Gordonsville
2. St. Albans Sanatorium, Radford
1. The Peyton Randolph House, Williamsburg
25. The Public Hospital, Williamsburg
As the first mental institution in North America, The Public Hospital has seen a lot of misery and pain. In fact, one of its superintendents, Dr. John Minson Galt II, took his own life, so stressful was his job. His spirit is believed to still roam the asylum.
Other ghosts seen around the creepy hospital include tortured patients and Civil War soldiers who took over the building during the Battle of Williamsburg. This creeping factor and its disturbing history make the Public Hospital one of the most haunted places in Virginia!
24. Crawford Road, Yorktown
If you take your vehicle onto Crawford Road, one of the most haunted places in the state, avoid its old bridge. Scary things have happened when people drive under it. In one instance, a group of friends were attacked by something definitely not of this world.
It left handprints all over their car’s fogged-up windows. The dead also occupied an abandoned building by Crawford Road. Visitors report being watched by red eyes while in the spooky structure. This is more than just a Virginia urban legend! You can take our word for it or try it for yourself.
23. Lightfoot House, Williamsburg
This beautiful 18th-century mansion was originally the home of the wealthy Lightfoot family. During the colonial era, many influential people, including foreign ambassadors and celebrities, visited the Lightfoot House.
Today, however, it appears that pranksters have replaced the privileged. Employees say that the Virginia haunted house has poltergeists who like to mess up beds and cause other mischief.
22. Bacon’s Castle, Surry
During its long history, Bacon’s Castle has been the target of rebels, Indians…, and even strange, cosmic fireballs. This historic castle, also known as the Arthur Allen House, has fascinated historians and paranormal researchers for years.
The castle’s ghosts are known to move objects around, shove visitors, and clamp noisily down the stairs, making it one of the many scary places in Virginia that we advise against visiting.
21. Edgewood Plantation, Charles City
Edgewood Plantation, now a bed and breakfast, has a charming, misleading veneer. During the Civil War, much violence and bloodshed took place here. Guests of the haunted inn frequently spot dead soldiers roaming its grounds.
The haunted Virginia B&B even has a room named after its most famous ghost, “Lizzie.” She is said to have been the fiancée of a soldier who never made it home from the battlefield.
20. Spotsylvania Court House, Spotsylvania
It’s not too surprising that Spotsylvania Court House earned a spot on this list of most haunted places. That’s because it lies on what is known as the bloodiest ground in North America, Fredericksburg, and Spotsylvania National Military Park.
The park has much to explore, but its scariest and most active spot is the “Bloody Angle.” Psychics who’ve visited this location have always gotten strong readings, while ghost hunters have never failed to collect EVPs there.
19. Staunton Train Depot, Staunton
War, fires, derailed trains… the Staunton Train Depot has been a site of both bloody and tragic occurrences. The station’s ghosts include Civil War soldiers and victims of train crashes. In 1890, a runaway train tore through the depot, destroying the building completely.
Many passengers were significantly wounded, but Myrtle Ruth Knox’s injuries were the worst. She was the only one who died, and her spirit is often seen wandering around the station’s tracks.
18. Swannanoa Palace, Afton
This stellar but deteriorating mansion has always been the perfect place to shoot ghostly footage. In 2014, it was featured in the paranormal reality television show The R.I.P. Files. The palace is said to be roamed by the wife of the estate’s original owner, James Henry Dooley.
After the property left the hands of the Dooley family, it became a mysterious school called the University of Science and Philosophy. Its founder, the famous artist, and mystic Walter Russell is linked to the Illuminati cult. So, besides ghosts, people have also witnessed strange rituals being conducted at Swannanoa Palace, one of the most haunted places in Virginia!
17. Salubria Manor, Stevensburg
This stately, Georgian-style house is said to be one of Culpepper County’s most haunted places. The manor’s ghosts are more active than ever, thanks to a recent earthquake.
These spectral tenants include Lady Spotswood (the wife of the manor’s first owner) and Mrs. Hansbrough, a woman who is said to have hung herself in one of the bedrooms. The mansion also has two cemeteries, where spirits have been seen as well.
16. Paxton Manor, Leesburg
Paxton Manor is the perfect place to spend your next Halloween. Since 2009, the team behind the building’s popular Shocktober event has transformed it into a comprehensive scareground, which includes a spooky fun house and hair-raising hayride.
But real ghosts lurk among Shocktober’s costumed actors. Jedidiah Carver, a previous owner who was known for mutilating animals, is one of the house’s most feared spirits. You certainly wouldn’t want to run into him in the manor’s infamous Well of Souls! Nothing says one of the most haunted places in town like a Well of Souls!
15. Fort Magruder Hotel, Williamsburg
Book a room at Fort Magruder Hotel if you’re looking for a unique and scary night in Williamsburg. The property lies where the epic and bloody Battle of Williamsburg occurred.
Guests of the haunted Virginia hotel reported seeing Civil War soldiers in their rooms and even encountering spirits pretending to be hotel staff. Several paranormal investigations have also been conducted at the hotel, during which an abundance of supernatural evidence (e.g., EVP readings and photographic anomalies) has been captured.
14. Major Graham Mansion, Wythe County
The Major Graham Mansion was built in 1826 by a wealthy businessman. For some reason, he decided to construct his home on bloodstained land. In the 1700s, Joseph Baker was murdered by two of his slaves there. His grisly remains were kept in a barrel of moonshine.
Major Graham’s wife, Martha, also died on the property. She was a depressed woman who eventually went insane. Her husband, unable to handle her madness, is said to have shackled her in the basement. Martha is among the various ghosts tourists encounter during the manor’s popular Halloween event.
13. Boxwood Inn Bed & Breakfast, Newport News
During the Civil War, this charming B&B hosted weary Civil War soldiers, including the famous General John J. “Blackjack” Pershing. Today, its rooms retain their original colonial charm and are haunted by a friendly ghost known as Nannie.
She’s known to help out staff and rouse guests in the early mornings. People have also seen the spirit of an old man at the haunted Virginia Inn.
12. Public Gaol, Williamsburg
This two-story brick prison is featured on Colonial Ghosts’ comprehensive tour of Williamsburg. From murderers to pirates, the jail’s inmates during the colonial times included the city’s most vicious individuals. Fifteen henchmen of the infamous Corsair Blackbeard were incarcerated there.
Conditions at the Gaol were as bad as its occupants (picture freezing cells, terrible food, and widespread typhus.) Visitors have seen shackles move on their own and heard screams coming from cells while touring the prison, making it one of the scariest places in Virginia.
11. Wythe House, Williamsburg
The Wythe House is a beautiful Georgian-style mansion built in the mid-1700s by George Wythe, the nation’s first law professor. Wythe was well known in the city for his work in the legislature and his contributions to the Declaration of Independence.
Unfortunately, smarts and honest living didn’t run in the family. Wythe’s great nephew, George Wythe Sweeney, opted to steal, gamble, and eventually kill his way to money. He poisoned Wythe with arsenic in order to inherit the family’s wealth faster.
Today, Wythe’s spirit is often heard walking around the haunted house. Another ghost, believed to be of Lady Ann Skipwirth, has frightened visitors as well in one of the most haunted places around.
10. Historic Avenel, Bedford
Historic Avenel, also known as Avenel Plantation, has been confirmed by many paranormal experts to be officially haunted. The property was inherited by William A. Burrell, the secretary of President Thomas Jefferson, in 1831. It includes several outbuildings, but the main mansion is definitely the most paranormally active.
Evidence captured there includes EVPs and spooky photographs of eyes. The house is said to be haunted by a cat and a woman known only as The Lady in White. There is much talk about it being one of the most haunted places in the state!
9. Weems-Botts Museum, Dumfries
Soak up some history and get some frights at this haunted museum. The house portion of the Weems-Botts Museum was originally a village poor house where the sick and homeless sought shelter. It then became the home of two famous colonials, Mason Locke Weems (George Washington’s first biographer) and Benjamin Botts (a lawyer on Aaron Burr’s defense team.)
Today, it’s haunted by members of the Merchant family. This includes the epileptic Mamie Merchant, who died because of her disease, and her sister, Violet. Violet is often seen through the house’s windows, grieving over her dead sibling.
8. Ferry Plantation House, Virginia Beach
Ferry Farm is named after Norfolk County’s first ferry service. Eleven ghosts are believed to haunt this beautiful colonial plantation. In the old haunted house, people have encountered a woman, The Lady in White, who died after falling down the stairs. On the grounds, visitors have spotted the spirit of Henry the slave.
In 1706, the infamous trial-by-dunking of Grace Sherwood (aka The Witch of Pungo) was held near the plantation. Grace was wrongly accused of causing the miscarriage of a local woman. Whenever there’s a full moon, people see her sopping spirit emerge from the banks of the Lynnhaven River.
7. Graffiti House, Brandy Station
In 1863, during the Battle of Fleetwood Hill, the Graffiti House was transformed into a field hospital. Troops who stayed there passed the time by signing their names and doodling on the building’s walls. But these soldiers have left more than just artwork at this historic train station.
When people enter the building, they’re often overwhelmed by a sense of pain and misery. Objects are also known to move on their own at the Graffiti House.
6. Cold Harbor Battlefield, Mechanicsville
The Battle of Cold Harbor is said to have been one of the nation’s bloodiest battles. It lasted for nearly two weeks and resulted in a total of 17,332 casualties. Shots of the battlefield taken by Civil War photographers show grisly piles of skeletons and severed limbs.
Decades after the battle, people still capture unsettling images: apparitions, strange shadows, unexplainable mists. Visitors also report feeling watched while they tour the haunted Virginia battlefield.
5. Historic Jordan Springs, Stephensen
Historic Jordan Springs is one of Virginia’s few authenticated paranormal sites. Its history dates back to 1549. The area was first inhabited by the Catawba Indians, who had heard about the healing powers of the White Sulphur Spring and the Calibeate Spring.
In 1832, Branch M. Jordan started a successful resort business there. Hotel operations were brought to an abrupt halt thanks to the Civil War. The spirits of soldiers have been seen and photographed around the property. Historic Jordan Springs has even been featured on an episode of SciFi’s Ghost Hunters!
4. Henricus Historical Park, Chester
The city of Henricus was established in September 1611 and was Virginia’s second settlement. The town prospered and grew until the famous Indian Massacre of 1622, during which some 400 colonists were slaughtered.
Henricus was also the site of a bloody naval Civil War skirmish which lasted from January 23 to 25, 1865. Restless spirits from both events continue to roam the area. Even when no reenactments are being staged at the park, visitors encounter people dressed in colonial garb and hear canon fires in the distance.
3. The Exchange Hotel Civil War Medical Museum, Gordonsville
Historic Gordonsville, Inc. currently runs the Exchange Hotel Civil War Medical Museum. It acquired the property back in 1971 and has been renovating it ever since. The hotel was built in 1859 and spent its early years as a popular place to stay for weary train passengers. Then, in 1862, it was converted into a Civil War receiving hospital.
Over 23,000 sick and wounded soldiers were shuttled in and out of the building. Around 700 could not be saved and were buried there. This explains why nearly 80 recorded unexplainable incidents have been reported at The Exchange Hotel Civil War Medical Museum.
One of the museum’s ghosts is believed to be a little boy who worked there during the Civil War. The hospital’s depressing environment is said to have driven him to commit suicide.
2. St. Albans Sanatorium, Radford
This insane asylum’s spooky history began before it was even built. The land on which it stands was where a bloody massacre occurred. In 1755, the colonists of Draper’s Meadow were attacked by a group of Shawnee Indians. Those who weren’t killed were taken as hostages.
St. Albans Sanatorium was built in 1892 but first functioned as a boys’ school, where bullying and homicide were not uncommon. The building became a psychiatric hospital in 1916. From insulin-induced comas to lobotomies, the treatment methods at the sanatorium were often more deadly than conducive.
Plenty of creepy instruments and old gurneys lie rusting in the hospital today, easily making it one of the scariest places in Virginia!
1. Peyton Randolph House, Williamsburg
The Peyton Randolph House is a two-story, Georgian-style mansion built in 1715 by Sir William Robertson. It passed into the hands of Peyton Randolph, a famous revolutionary leader, in 1754. Behind the house’s impeccable design lurks plenty of misery and pain. Peyton’s wife, Betty, was known to be a very cruel slave master.
One of her slaves, Eve, is said to have placed a terrible curse on the house. Perhaps this is why, decades later, many people died at the mansion – from freak accidents, murder, or even mysterious illnesses.
The house is thus one of the hottest attractions along Colonial Ghosts’ guided tour of Williamsburg and the clear winner of our most haunted places list. Besides seeing and hearing ghosts, they have also attacked people. A security guard, for instance, was trapped in the house’s basement by some angry force.
Haunted Williamsburg
Thank you for reading our list of Virginia’s most haunted houses, hospitals, battlefields, and everything in between! Of course, there are many more haunted places in Virginia, but the 25 listed here are among the scariest and most haunted. This list of haunted places should guide you on your journey in the strange and unusual world of haunted Virginia.
If you need a guide, though, we’ve got you covered! Colonial Ghosts is the best way to learn about the most haunted places in Virginia, both live and in person. Our experienced tour guides take you up and down Duke of Gloucester Street for an evening you’ll never forget. Take a Williamsburg ghost tour tonight to experience the ghosts of VA for yourself!
Are you itching to learn more about this list of haunted places? Dive into our blog for a more in-depth analysis of each and every one of the haunted places in Virginia you read about here. For even more haunted house knowledge, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.