5 Scariest Real-Life Haunted Houses in the United States
Do you want to have some scare post-Halloween? For sure, you can find a lot of hokey and kitschy haunted house attractions spread across the country. But if you want to have the real-deal, true-blue haunted houses, the United States has something for you to creep you out and make your heart racing.
Yes, I’m talking about those houses that are sites of real-life tragic events and have been the centers of paranormal occurrences in their localities ever since. So, without further fussing, here are five of the terrifying haunted houses in the United States.
The Amityville House
The first on this list has been the inspiration for various horror movies. The Amityville House was the location of a brutal murder of the DeFeo family. It was found out that the eldest son Ronald Defeo Jr. killed his parents and siblings.
A year after this tragic event, the Lutz family bought the home and moved into the house. They moved out immediately after 28 days of living in the house due to the paranormal activity that they had experienced. According to the Lutz family, they see apparitions and hear strange voices within the ill-fated home.
The Joshua Ward House
Salem, Massachusetts, is a beloved city for history buffs and fans of ghost stories. One of the creepiest locations in the city is the Joshua Ward House. It was the abode of the wealthy sea captain Joshua Ward, but it was originally owned by High Sheriff George Corwin, who was one of the masterminds of the infamous Salem witch trials.
Corwin chose his house as a torture and execution site for those who were accused of practicing witchcraft. Locals say that the ghost of the brutal torturer and his victims haunt the place. Eerie voices in the night and ghost sightings are reported to occur in the house.
The Whaley House
The Whaley House is among the most haunted houses in the country. Before the house was built in 1857, several hangings occurred in the place where the house now stands.
According to stories, the ghost of Yankee Jim Robinson, who was hanged on the gallows in 1852, still haunts the place. Locals reported hearing heavy footsteps believed to be that of Yankee Jim. Other paranormal occurrences include that of the spirits of Thomas and Anna Whaley.
The Lalaurie House
The Lalaurie house was owned by Dr. Louis Lalaurie and Madame Delphine Lalaurie, a wealthy and prominent family in New Orleans in the 1830s. According to stories, Madame Delphine treated her slaves brutally. Among her methods of maltreatment include whipping, stoning, chaining, and mutilating her slaves. She also made a young slave girl jump to her death.
There are reports that the ghosts of the poor slaves still roam around the haunted property. Locals also frequently hear screams and witness ghost sightings.
Villisca Ax Murder House
This house in Villisca, Iowa, was the scene of a brutal crime on June 12, 1912. Six members of the Moore family and two houseguests were murdered using an ax by an unknown murderer. Rumor has it that the spirits of the victims still wander around the place. Neighbors often hear crying voices and banging doors in the night.
Takeaway
If you want a real scare, these real-life haunted houses in the United States are sure to make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. You can take a tour with these creepy homes and know the stories behind their eerie reputation.
