1. Resurrection Mary (Illinois, 1930s–Present)
Resurrection Mary is Chicago’s most famous hitchhiking ghost, seen near Resurrection Cemetery since the 1930s, according to Adam Harrington and Blake Tyson from CBS News. Dozens of drivers claim to have picked up a beautiful young woman in white, only for her to vanish before their eyes. Some say she asks to be dropped off near the cemetery gates before disappearing completely. The sightings are remarkably consistent over decades.
She’s believed to be the ghost of Mary Bregovy or another young woman who died in a car accident after a dance. Paranormal researchers note the strength and persistence of eyewitness reports. Many of the accounts come from people with no prior knowledge of the legend. It’s rare for an urban ghost story to stay this vivid—and verifiable—for nearly a century.
2. The Bell Witch Haunting (Tennessee, 1817)
The Bell family of Adams, Tennessee, reported chilling encounters with an invisible entity that tormented them for years, according to Victoria Kleinpeter from the Tennessee State Museum. Known as the Bell Witch, the spirit was said to speak, slap, and even predict future events with eerie accuracy. At one point, it allegedly drove family patriarch John Bell to his death—his symptoms baffled doctors. President Andrew Jackson reportedly visited the site and left in a hurry, supposedly saying, “I’d rather fight the British again.”
The haunting became one of the most documented paranormal cases of the time, with neighbors and outsiders all reporting strange activity. Despite the notoriety, no one ever figured out what the Bell Witch actually was. Skeptics blame hallucinations or trickery, but that doesn’t explain the consistent witness reports over years. To this day, people say they still hear strange sounds near the old Bell property.
3. The Mystery of Roanoke Colony (North Carolina, 1587)
The entire Roanoke Colony vanished without a trace, leaving behind only the word “CROATOAN” carved into a post. Over 100 settlers disappeared, and no confirmed remains or clues have ever surfaced. Theories range from disease and starvation to assimilation with local tribes—but nothing’s been proven, according to Tanya Basu from National Geographic. Sir Walter Raleigh’s attempts to find them failed, and the mystery deepened over time.
What makes it paranormal is the way the story refuses to settle. Some locals claim ghost sightings and phantom voices around the Lost Colony site. It’s become a cultural ghost story layered over a real-life enigma. The eerie emptiness where a bustling colony once stood only adds to its haunted reputation.
4. The Vanishing of David Lang (Tennessee, 1880)
In 1880, David Lang supposedly vanished in front of multiple witnesses—including his wife and children—while walking across his field. One moment he was there; the next, he was gone, according to Edward Fracisco from Appalachia Bare. Search efforts turned up nothing, and the ground showed no holes or disturbances. Even stranger, people later claimed to hear disembodied cries near the spot where he disappeared.
Though widely told in paranormal circles, some skeptics argue it was an invented tale by 20th-century authors. Still, the story has persisted, fueled by the idea of spontaneous human teleportation or dimensional rifts. It’s remained in paranormal literature as one of the first “disappearance-in-plain-sight” stories in the U.S. The Lang family’s pain and confusion have become an eerie backdrop to the tale.
5. The Winchester Mystery House (California, 1884–1922)
Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune, built a sprawling, bizarre mansion with staircases leading to nowhere and doors that opened into walls. She believed she was haunted by the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. Construction continued non-stop for 38 years until her death in 1922. She claimed she was following the instructions of ghosts.
The house is now a tourist destination, but strange things still happen there. Visitors report cold spots, whispers, and the sense of being watched. Paranormal investigators have recorded unexplained sounds and movements. Whether Sarah was mentally ill or truly cursed, the house reflects her deep fear of the afterlife.
6. The Greenbrier Ghost (West Virginia, 1897)
Zona Heaster Shue’s death was ruled natural until her mother claimed Zona’s ghost appeared and said she was murdered. Thanks to her mother’s insistence, the body was exhumed—and signs of strangulation were found. Her husband was then tried and convicted of murder. This remains the only U.S. case where a ghost’s testimony helped secure a conviction.
It’s one thing to believe in ghosts—it’s another to let one into a courtroom. The story still resonates in paranormal and legal circles alike. No one has convincingly debunked the mother’s ghostly claim. The Greenbrier Ghost has since become a folk legend, immortalized in both legal history and Appalachian storytelling.
7. The Devil’s Footprints of Devil’s Tramping Ground (North Carolina)
Deep in the woods of Chatham County lies a 40-foot circle where nothing grows and objects left overnight are mysteriously thrown out. Locals call it the Devil’s Tramping Ground, claiming the devil himself paces there, plotting evil. The soil’s been tested, but scientists can’t explain why plants refuse to grow in the circle. Animals reportedly avoid it too.
People who camp there often report strange sounds, visions, or nightmares. Objects set in the circle at night are sometimes found outside of it by morning. No one’s been able to crack why the circle behaves this way. Whether you believe it’s satanic energy or a natural anomaly, it’s undeniably unsettling.
8. The Lemp Mansion Hauntings (Missouri)
The Lemp family, beer barons of 19th-century St. Louis, faced a tragic streak of suicides. Four members of the family died by suicide in the house over a span of years, and their presence is still said to linger. Guests and employees report phantom footsteps, shadow figures, and sudden cold spots. Some even claim to have seen apparitions matching historical photos of the Lemps.
Paranormal investigators say the emotional trauma imprinted itself on the property. The mansion now operates as a restaurant and inn, but guests often leave with chilling stories. Given the multiple documented deaths, the hauntings seem hard to dismiss. Few places have such a well-documented overlap between tragedy and ghost sightings.
9. The Phoenix Lights Incident (Arizona, 1997)
In March 1997, thousands of people across Arizona and Nevada reported seeing a V-shaped formation of lights hovering silently in the sky. Witnesses included military personnel, police officers, and the then-governor, who later admitted he saw it too. The lights lingered for hours and then vanished without a trace. The Air Force claimed they were flares, but witnesses dispute that.
This wasn’t just a fleeting sighting—it was a mass event with consistent descriptions. To this day, no one has provided a satisfying explanation. The event is a cornerstone in American UFO lore because of the credibility of the witnesses. Whether aliens or something else, the Phoenix Lights refuse to fade from public consciousness.
10. The Ghosts of Eastern State Penitentiary (Pennsylvania)
Built in 1829, Eastern State Penitentiary was one of the first prisons to use solitary confinement as a form of rehabilitation. Inmates often went insane, and the prison eventually closed in 1971. Since then, it’s been a hotspot for ghost sightings and paranormal investigations. Visitors and workers report disembodied laughter, slamming cell doors, and shadowy figures.
Even seasoned ghost hunters consider it one of the most haunted places in America. The emotional residue from years of suffering is believed to feed the hauntings. Despite numerous investigations, no one’s been able to explain the consistent activity. The prison’s grim history makes the stories feel all too believable.
11. The Great Amherst Mystery (Technically Canada, but widely circulated in U.S. folklore)
Esther Cox, a young woman from Amherst, Nova Scotia, became the center of violent poltergeist activity in the 1870s. Though it’s Canadian, the story made major waves in American newspapers and paranormal circles. Furniture moved on its own, loud bangs echoed through the house, and objects flew through the air. Esther was even burned and bruised by unseen forces.
An investigator, Walter Hubbell, documented the case in detail after living with the family. Skeptics called it hysteria, but no one could prove deception. U.S. spiritualists used this case to promote their beliefs in the supernatural. Despite its location, its impact on American paranormal lore is undeniable.
12. The Ghost Ship Mary Celeste (Found adrift in 1872)
When the American merchant ship Mary Celeste was found abandoned in the Atlantic, it sparked one of history’s great maritime mysteries. The crew was gone, the cargo untouched, and meals left on the table. No signs of struggle or storm damage were found. The lifeboat was missing, but there was no clear reason for a hasty escape.
Theories range from mutiny to sea monsters to alien abduction, but none hold water completely. The U.S.-flagged vessel became a legend in its own right. To this day, no one knows what happened to the crew. It remains one of the sea’s most chilling mysteries.
13. The Brown Mountain Lights (North Carolina)
For over a century, glowing orbs have been seen hovering over Brown Mountain in North Carolina. Native legends, Civil War tales, and modern sightings all describe the same strange lights. Scientists have tried to blame swamp gas or headlights—but the lights predate cars by decades. They appear randomly and can’t be fully explained by natural causes.
The lights have been investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey and others, with no definitive findings. Some think they’re ghostly spirits from battles or lost travelers. Even NASA took an interest at one point. Despite modern technology, the mystery lingers like the lights themselves.
14. The Curse of the Hope Diamond (Smithsonian Institution, Washington D.C.)
The Hope Diamond is famous not just for its beauty, but for the trail of misfortune that follows its owners. Tales of bankruptcy, madness, and death haunt the gem’s long history. Though now housed safely in the Smithsonian, some believe its curse persists. Its strange past includes shipwrecks, beheadings, and ruined fortunes.
Historians argue the curse was exaggerated by jewelers to enhance its mystique. But when so many owners suffer, it’s hard not to wonder. The Smithsonian even includes the curse legend in its display. It’s the rare artifact with both sparkle and spine-chilling lore.
15. The Dyatlov Pass–Like Deaths in Yosemite’s Death Valley (1990s–2000s)
While Dyatlov Pass is Russian, eerily similar unexplained deaths have occurred in remote parts of U.S. national parks—especially Death Valley and Yosemite. Some hikers have been found under mysterious circumstances: with no trauma, no clear cause of death, or missing clothes. One baffling case involved a group found in a tent they seemingly fled without reason. Rangers still can’t explain the bizarre behavior patterns.
There’s even speculation of infrasound effects or government experiments causing panic. Conspiracy theories aside, there’s no denying the strangeness. Park rangers remain tight-lipped on some of these incidents. The combination of isolation and unexplained deaths keeps this mystery alive.
16. The Mothman of Point Pleasant (West Virginia, 1966–1967)
In the months leading up to the collapse of the Silver Bridge in 1967, dozens of Point Pleasant residents reported seeing a large winged creature with glowing red eyes. Dubbed the Mothman, it was blamed for a series of strange occurrences and even deaths. Some think it was a harbinger of doom, while others suspect government experiments. The sightings stopped after the bridge disaster, adding to its mystique.
The story inspired books, movies, and annual festivals—but many still swear it was real. Multiple credible witnesses reported similar details, independent of each other. Whether cryptid or spirit, the Mothman legend refuses to die. It’s one of the most iconic American paranormal tales for a reason.
