Press Kit: America's Most Haunted Places, 2026

Methodology

We rank by evidence, not legend: independent sources, documented history, and how long reports go back. We do not claim ghosts are real; we document where reports concentrate. Full per-state methodology is published on each state's index page and fact sheet.

Headline angles

• Alabama: Alabama's most famous haunted site, Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark, ranks 2nd on the evidence; the winner is Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville.
• Arizona: Arizona's most famous haunted site, Bird Cage Theatre, ranks 3rd on the evidence; the winner is London Bridge in Lake Havasu City.
• Arkansas: Arkansas's most famous haunted site, 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, ranks 2nd on the evidence; the winner is Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa in Hot Springs.
• California: California's most famous haunted site, Winchester Mystery House, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado.
• Colorado: Colorado's most famous haunted site, The Stanley Hotel, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Silver Cliff Cemetery in Silver Cliff.
• Connecticut: Connecticut's most famous haunted site, Snedeker House, ranks 7th on the evidence; the winner is New London Ledge Lighthouse in New London.
• Delaware: Delaware's most famous haunted site, Woodburn (Governor's House), does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Cape Henlopen State Park (Fort Miles) in Lewes.
• Florida: Florida's most famous haunted site, Fort East Martello Museum (Robert the Doll), does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Ringling College of Art and Design, Keating Hall in Sarasota.
• Georgia: Georgia's most famous haunted site, Sorrel-Weed House, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Rhodes Hall in Atlanta.
• Hawaii: Hawaii's most famous haunted site, Hawaii Theatre, ranks 3rd on the evidence; the winner is Hawaii's Plantation Village in Waipahu.
• Idaho: Idaho's most famous haunted site, Old Idaho State Penitentiary, ranks 6th on the evidence; the winner is Idanha Hotel in Boise.
• Illinois: Illinois's most famous haunted site, Resurrection Cemetery, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Peoria State Hospital (Bartonville Asylum) in Bartonville.
• Indiana: Indiana's most famous haunted site, Whispers Estate, ranks 7th on the evidence; the winner is Willard Library in Evansville.
• Iowa: Iowa's most famous haunted site, Villisca Axe Murder House, ranks 9th on the evidence; the winner is Mathias Ham House Historic Site in Dubuque.
• Kansas: Kansas's most famous haunted site, Sallie House, ranks 2nd on the evidence; the winner is Fort Riley (Custer House & Main Post) in Fort Riley.
• Louisiana: Louisiana's most famous haunted site, LaLaurie Mansion, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans.
• Maryland: Maryland's most famous haunted site, Antietam National Battlefield, ranks 7th on the evidence; the winner is Druid Ridge Cemetery in Pikesville.
• Massachusetts: Massachusetts's most famous haunted site, Lizzie Borden House, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Stone's Public House in Ashland.
• Michigan: Michigan's most famous haunted site, Eloise Asylum, ranks 10th on the evidence; the winner is Two Way Inn in Detroit.
• Minnesota: Minnesota's most famous haunted site, Palmer House Hotel, ranks 10th on the evidence; the winner is SS William A. Irvin in Duluth.
• Mississippi: Mississippi's most famous haunted site, McRaven House, ranks 2nd on the evidence; the winner is King's Tavern in Natchez.
• Missouri: Missouri's most famous haunted site, Lemp Mansion, ranks 2nd on the evidence; the winner is Epperson House in Kansas City.
• Montana: Montana's most famous haunted site, Bannack State Park, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Virginia City in Virginia City.
• Nebraska: Nebraska's most famous haunted site, Fort Robinson, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Museum of Shadows in Omaha.
• Nevada: Nevada's most famous haunted site, Goldfield Hotel, ranks 6th on the evidence; the winner is Mizpah Hotel in Tonopah.
• New Hampshire: New Hampshire's most famous haunted site, Omni Mount Washington Resort, ranks 3rd on the evidence; the winner is Three Chimneys Inn in Durham.
• New Jersey: New Jersey's most famous haunted site, Leeds Point (Jersey Devil Birthplace), ranks 2nd on the evidence; the winner is The Southern Mansion in Cape May.
• New York: New York's most famous haunted site, Amityville Horror House, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Merchant's House Museum in New York.
• North Carolina: North Carolina's most famous haunted site, The Biltmore Estate, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is The Grove Park Inn in Asheville.
• North Dakota: North Dakota's most famous haunted site, Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Bonanzaville, USA in West Fargo.
• Ohio: Ohio's most famous haunted site, Ohio State Reformatory, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Franklin Castle in Cleveland.
• Oklahoma: Oklahoma's most famous haunted site, Skirvin Hilton Hotel, ranks 6th on the evidence; the winner is Constantine Theater in Pawhuska.
• Oregon: Oregon's most famous haunted site, Old Town Pizza (Portland Shanghai Tunnels), does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Yaquina Bay Lighthouse in Newport.
• Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania's most famous haunted site, Eastern State Penitentiary, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Baker Mansion in Altoona.
• Rhode Island: Rhode Island's most famous haunted site, The Conjuring House (Old Arnold Estate), ranks 2nd on the evidence; the winner is The Astors' Beechwood Mansion in Newport.
• South Carolina: South Carolina's most famous haunted site, Old Charleston Jail, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Abbeville Opera House in Abbeville.
• South Dakota: South Dakota's most famous haunted site, Historic Bullock Hotel, ranks 2nd on the evidence; the winner is Hotel Alex Johnson in Rapid City.
• Tennessee: Tennessee's most famous haunted site, Bell Witch Cave, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Siam Steel Bridge Site (Watauga River, Elizabethton) in Elizabethton.
• Texas: Texas's most famous haunted site, The Alamo (Mission San Antonio de Valero), ranks 4th on the evidence; the winner is The Driskill in Austin.
• Vermont: Vermont's most famous haunted site, Emily's Bridge (Gold Brook Covered Bridge), ranks 6th on the evidence; the winner is The Hartness House Inn in Springfield.
• Virginia: Virginia's most famous haunted site, Peyton Randolph House, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is St Albans Sanatorium in Radford.
• Washington: Washington's most famous haunted site, Pike Place Market, does not make the evidence top ten; the winner is Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub (Butterworth Building) in Seattle.
• West Virginia: West Virginia's most famous haunted site, Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, ranks 9th on the evidence; the winner is Hill Top House Hotel in Harpers Ferry.
• Wyoming: Wyoming's most famous haunted site, Old Faithful Inn, ranks 8th on the evidence; the winner is Fort Laramie National Historic Site in Fort Laramie.

Photo policy

Press may use HauntBound's original photography with credit to HauntBound. Images sourced from Wikimedia Commons or Flickr carry their own licenses; check the credit line on each venue page before republishing.

Quotable

• “We rank by evidence, not legend: independent published accounts, documented history, and how far back the reports go. We don't claim ghosts are real, or that they aren't. We document where the reports concentrate, and we show our work.”

  Ben Fineman, Editor, HauntBound