7. Portland, Oregon
Boots that belonged to kidnapped men found inside the Shanghai Tunnels
In 2012, Portland was listed by USA Today as one of the Top 10 Most Haunted Cities in the U.S. Today, it still makes the lists due to its dark past. One of the creepiest places to visit is the Pittock Mansion. It was originally built in 1909 by Henry and Georgiana Pittock. After their death, heirs of the mansion sold it to the city and spooky events started to happen. Windows open and close from time to time and there’s a distinctive smell of roses even though there aren’t any at the Mansion. Probably the most peculiar event is Henry’s photo changing location and appearing in different rooms.
The Shanghai Tunnels in Chinatown are another must-visit. In the 1800’s these underground passages were used to avoid traffic when transporting goods to the harbor. Unfortunately, this practice led to “Shanghaiing,” a term referring to the hundreds of kidnappings of men and women that happened in these tunnels. They were then transported to the harbor and sold for slavery and prostitution. It is said that the victims haunt the place and many have reported feeling and seeing them. Lastly, you can stay at the White Eagle Saloon bar and hotel where guests have reported being touched by transparent forces and even being pushed down the stairs.
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6. San Francisco, California
Haunted room 410 at the Queen Anne Hotel
This Golden State city is a hot spot to have a ghost hunt adventure. Chinese migration arrived to San Francisco in the 1840s, making its Chinatown the oldest one in America. For this reason, there are many tours and ghost adventures you can go on at this part of town. Also, Stow Lake is said to be haunted by the spirit of the Lady of Stow Lake asking people who pass by if they’ve seen her baby. According to legend, over 100 years ago a lady sitting on a bench next to the lake left her baby unattended for a few moments and never found the baby again. The last place she looked for her baby was the lake, and since then the mother was also never seen again.
To plan a spooky stay in San Francisco, check out the Queen Anne hotel. It served as a school for girls in 1890 and now is heavily haunted by Mary Lake, former headmistress. To take things further, request to sleep in room 410, which was Mary Lake’s office. Guests there have witnessed their clothes being unpacked and some others have experienced being tucked in smoothly at night.
A ghostly visit to San Francisco wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Alcatraz Island. Famous for its former maximum security prison, Alcatraz is one spooky place to visit. Tour guides at Alcatraz will tell you how prisoners were treated unethically and that could be the reason why some prisoners’ and guards’ ghosts haunt the island. Visitors may hear screams from the cafeteria, footsteps, slamming of cell doors and sounds of violent fights.
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5. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Supposedly, a Confederate dead body at Devil’s Den
This small college town was once home to the bloodiest event to ever occur in the country, The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 during the American Civil War. This battle left more than 50,000 people injured, dead or missing. History tells that rivers of blood turned the streets red. As a result, doctors at the time had to create holes in the floor of the hospitals to drain thousands of liters of blood. Currently, Gettysburg is one of the most active paranormal sites in the world. At the Gettysburg Battlefield, visitors can hear cannon sounds and screaming soldiers to the point of feeling like a battle reenactment is happening without there actually being one.
On the second day of battle, many soldiers fought and died at a site known as Devil’s Den. The ghost of a man with no shoes can be seen wandering Devil’s Den. It’s believed to be the ghost of the man in an iconic Devil’s Den Barricade photo (above). Visitors have also experienced that most pictures they take at this place come out blurry and unusable. But even weirder, cameras that are turned on there tend to have their batteries drained instantly.
Also, check out Jenny Wade’s home. Jenny was the only civilian casualty that happened in the battle, and her spirit refuses to leave her home. For the brave souls, stay at the Farnsworth House Inn, one of the most haunted Inns in the country. Ask for the “Sara Black Room” which is said to be the most active one.
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