by Rich Newman
Is that enough ghostly activity for one place? Of course not! Other ghosts in the property include Henry Wilson (a former vice president), General John Alexander, and several former employees of the site. But the most interesting phantom at the Capitol is, perhaps, that of a “demon cat” that has been seen and heard in various corners of the building. It’s said that the ghostly feline will often appear just before a tragedy takes place. This bizarre entity is also known to appear at other locations throughout Washington DC, including the basement of the White House …
The White House
Washington, District of Columbia
Constructed between 1792 and 1800, the White House has been the official residence of the President of the United States since President John Adams. When President Abraham Lincoln moved into the White House at the onset of the Civil War, he entered a residence in dire need of renovations, additions, and a new policy concerning access to the public. All of these things were rectified in some way, and President Lincoln’s tenure at the White House would certainly be among the more interesting ones in history.
Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, was a staunch believer in Spiritualism and hosted many séances while she was there. And after the death of her son, Willie, Mary spent much time delving into this practice. Many believe that her hobby also rubbed off on her husband. According to Abraham Lincoln’s biographer, Ward Hill Lamon, the president dreamed of his own death and discussed it with him just three days before the assassination. Lincoln’s bodyguard, William H. Crook, also believed that the president knew he was going to be killed; he stated that the president told him, “goodbye,” prior to going to the theater where he was killed (Crook stated that the president never said this to him, preferring “good night” instead).
With all of this information, it’s easy to understand why Abraham Lincoln still haunts the White House to this day. His spirit has been seen in the bedroom named for him, in the Yellow Oval Room, and even walking the halls of the second floor. Witnesses of the presidential ghost include Mary Eben (Eleanor Roosevelt’s secretary), First Lady Grace Coolidge, and Theodore Roosevelt. Many more have heard raps on the bedroom door and footsteps in the hall, too. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, though, had the best story concerning the spirit of Lincoln.
Churchill claimed that, after having a bath, he was enjoying a scotch and a cigar when he walked naked into the adjoining room. There he saw the spectral sight of Lincoln leaning against the fireplace. The ghost seemed to be regarding Churchill as he walked in. Churchill, ever the witty man, simply said, “Good evening, Mr. President. You seem to have me at a disadvantage.” He then stated that the spirit of Lincoln smiled at him and disappeared.
In addition to Lincoln, there also seem to be a few other entities residing in the White House. The ghost of Abigail Adams (wife of John Adams) has been seen carrying laundry toward the East Room, the spirit of David Burns (the original owner of the property) has been heard speaking in the Yellow Oval Room, President William Henry Harrison is thought to haunt the attic, and the Rose Room is said to be inhabited by President Andrew Jackson. It was during a séance with Mary Todd Lincoln that the ghost of Jackson was first encountered.
If you get the opportunity, a tour of the White House is well worth your time. The guides know the ghost stories very well and can point out even more spooky spots. Just make sure you swing through the rose gardens outside, too; the ghost of First Lady Dolley Madison is said to have appeared there in the past when someone attempted to dig up her garden.
Andersonville National Historic Site
Andersonville, Georgia
The execution of Captain Wirz.
If you want to learn about the horrible conditions and treatment that prisoners of war had to endure during the Civil War, there is no better place to visit than Andersonville. Books and movies have both been made about this site, and it’s safe to say that neither could possibly do justice to the reality that happened there. Only a direct visit to Andersonville National Historic Site can truly immerse you in one of the darkest moments in American history.
Though it only functioned for the final year of the Civil War, Camp Sumter (also known as Andersonville Prison) would hold over 45,000 prisoners. Almost 13,000 of them died due to the poor conditions of the camp. Specifically bouts of dysentery, scurvy, and severe diarrhea ran rampant throughout the inmates during the camp’s existence. When Union soldiers arrived at the prison to liberate their fellow soldiers from the bonds of their Confederate captors, they reported seeing men as thin as skeletons, covered with vermin, near death.
On November 10, 1865, immediately after the war, Captain Henry Wirz (the commander of the camp) was actually tried and executed for war crimes for his treatment of Federal prisoners of war. But this did nothing to exacerbate the horrible memories the prisoners of Camp Sumter would carry to their graves.
The Andersonville National Historic Site has made a valiant effort to preserve the history of Camp Sumter. With the creation of the National Prisoner of War Museum—and the nearby Andersonville National Cemetery—people can see firsthand the aftermath of all this hatred, despair, and death. Of all the Civil War sites listed in this book, this comes as the least surprising place to have a haunting.
First you have the typical residual effects from the war taking place within the park. These include the sounds of gunfire, cannons, and shouts, etc. Then you have the misty apparitions of soldiers that have been seen throughout the area—sometimes being a single spirit, sometimes a phantom army. In either case they seem to appear for a moment and then slowly fade away. But there’s also activity that is directly associated with the prisoners of the camp.
Witnesses claim that you can hear the moans and cries of pain of those dying, as well as hear voices that seem to be pleading for help. At least three different people have reported smelling a sudden stench that would overwhelm them, a scent reminiscent of rotting flesh. It’s said you can actually sense when one of the tortured spirits is going to approach you; if you’re touring the site and suddenly feel an electric-like charge sweep over you (your hair may stand on end), or a blast of frigid air hit you, be alert. You may be in for the paranormal experience of your life.
Old Governor’s Mansion
Milledgeville, Georgia
Located within the Georgia College & State University, the Old Governor’s Mansion is now a living museum dedicated to preserving the history of the building, its original inhabitants, as well as life during the period it was the seat of government for the state (1839–1868).
When the mansion was completed in 1839, it was one of the first High Greek Revival structures in the country. It was designed by architect Charles Clusky, and it served as the residence for the governor for almost thirty years. During the Civil War, the home was seized by Union forces led by Major General William T. Sherman during his famous “March to the Sea.” He actually used the place as his headquarters on November 23, 1864.
After the war was over, it was determined that the seat of government should be moved, so it was relocated to the city of Atlanta. The mansion was abandoned. In 1889, the Georgia Normal & Industrial College (now known as Georgia College) was allowed to take the mansion to use as the first building for that institution. And so it remains today where you can now visit it, take a lovely tour, and learn more about antebellum Georgia. You may also get the chance to run into one of the three ghosts who are said to haunt the mansion.
While most haunted places are known for sounds (usually voices, footsteps, or bangs) or sights (apparitions, things moving, etc.), the Old Governor’s Mansion is known primarily for scents. The most well-known ghost on the premises is a former cook known as “Molly.” People will periodically report entering a room in the house and catching the smell of fresh muffins baking or a pot of black-eyed peas cooking on the stove. These are said to have been specialties of Molly and evidence of her presence.
/> The mansion library is also the location of a phantom smell. It’s said that you can detect the scent of cigar smoke on certain occasions. It’s known that many of the former politicians who lived in the home often retired to the library after dinner to partake of a stogie—so it’s believed that, perhaps, one of these men have decided to stick around.
The final ghost of the mansion is, surprisingly, not known for any spectral scents. This female spirit has actually been witnessed on a number of occasions, and she is thought to be a former servant who worked in the mansion. She has been seen in the State Dining Room (wearing an antebellum-style dress) and is thought to be the source of activity in an upstairs bedroom where workers often find the beds disheveled and the lights turned on during the night.
Old State Capitol Building
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
If you’ve never been to the Old State Capitol in Louisiana, you are missing out. Seriously, Google the place and just look at the images that come up. Reminiscent of a castle with stained-glass windows, this historic building (now a museum open to the public) dates back to 1852. It was under construction for over five years after the state of Louisiana decided to move the seat of government to the town of Baton Rouge.
During the Civil War, the “whitewashed castle,” as Mark Twain once termed it, was taken over by Union soldiers after Admiral David Farragut captured the city of New Orleans in 1862. Federal troops initially used the building as a prison, but later transformed it into a garrison for African American soldiers serving under General Culver Grover. Once the war was over, the citizens of Baton Rouge found their beloved capitol building in ruins. At least the inside of it anyway. Apparently several fires during the Union tenure of the place had gutted the inside.
Once the repairs were made to the site by famed architect William A. Freret (along with several new upgrades, including the stained-glass dome and ornate spiral staircase) in 1882, the capitol resumed its duties until 1932. Now, the historic site is the Museum of Political History. You can check out the exhibits, take a tour of the building, and even celebrate the haunted history of the place by participating in one of their spooky events.
The stories of ghosts in the capitol building have been around so long that the museum has decided to embrace that part of their history. They do Halloween parties and ghost tours and will happily tell anyone who asks all about their spiritual activity. Well, they will specifically tell you about one ghost anyway: the ghost of Pierre Couvillion.
Pierre was a state congressman who died of a heart attack during a debate in the capitol in 1852. Now his spirit has been seen and heard on many occasions throughout the structure. Most encounters with the ghost include the sounds of footsteps and his shadowy shape moving through a room. Even the security cameras have caught Pierre’s activity. Guards have reported seeing flashes of light as he passes a camera, shadowy figures moving in a room, and motion detectors that go off for no reason.
After you’ve made a pass through the museum to look for the spirit of Pierre, consider taking the time to hear from another ghost as well; the museum offers a theatrical presentation called “The Ghost of the Castle” where the “spirit” of Sarah Morgan, a Civil War-era woman who kept a diary during the war, tells attendees about the history of the capitol.
US Naval Institute
Annapolis, Maryland
The United States Naval Institute, currently housed in a former mental institution, was established in 1873 when it was proposed the nation downsize its navy. With the Civil War safely behind at this point, the prevailing thought was that the United States Navy could withstand an overhaul and a smaller overall fleet. And so this Institute was created to discuss these ideas and more concerning sea warfare and ships. The former commander of the USS Monitor, Rear Admiral John L. Worden, was placed in charge as the first president of the organization.
Over the years there have been quite a few notable members of the institute, including Thomas Edison, Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, and President Theodore Roosevelt. They, and others, created many of the programs that are still in existence through the organization today. The Naval Institute Press publishes the proceedings of the group, as do the Naval History magazine and other books related to seamanship and nautical subjects.
Prior to 1999, the institute was located in Preble Hall, within the confines of the United States Naval Academy. But the space was too small for the amount of publishing that was occurring, so that building was handed over to the academy and turned into the US Naval Academy Museum. The institute moved into the nearby Beach Hall (named in honor of Captains Edward L. Beach, Jr. and Sr.), where it is located today. This is also the building that seems to be plagued with a couple ghosts.
Dating back to before the Civil War, Beach Hall was originally a hospital that treated people with mental ailments. So when the war broke out, it was quickly converted to a military hospital to treat the wounded. It actually remained a hospital until after the turn of the century, and it’s said that the principle spirit of the place is someone who was treated there and who perished under the knife.
According to the local legend, the ghost is a soldier named Jimmy Sutton, who passed away in 1907. He was supposedly shot by another man over a jealous dispute involving a young lady.
Sutton was quickly taken to surgery but did not make it. Now he is seen in various parts of Beach Hall and is blamed for much of the paranormal activity on the premises. Things like objects moving by themselves, sudden cold spots appearing, and ghostly footsteps are all attributed to this spirit. But he might not be alone there.
Some say there is a second entity, one that isn’t so nice, that inhabits the hall, too. This particular specter is known for touching people and pinching them, and has been heard speaking with a sinister voice. One witness to this particular ghost even claimed that it pushed her while she was on a staircase, as if trying to knock her down. There is a bit of a dispute about this part of the haunting; some say this activity is also Johnny Sutton and that he’s simply trying to be noticed. Others say there is a malevolent, possibly nonhuman spirit in the building that’s a dark remnant of all the death and pain that dates back to the Civil War.
Point Lookout Lighthouse
Scotland, Maryland
When the Civil War was raging across the country, the Point Lookout Lighthouse was already over thirty years old. Dating back to 1830, it serviced the shipping community at the confluence of Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River to warn approaching ships of the shoals at the entrance to the river. It was updated with a new and brighter Fresnel light in 1854, and it existed in relative peace until 1861.
After a year of war in 1862, it was determined that a military hospital was needed in the area to care for all the wounded soldiers streaming in. And so Hammond General Hospital was created. A year later, in 1863, it became apparent that all the Confederate wounded that were being treated would need a place to stay while at the hospital (and after), so Camp Hoffman was created as a military prison. 20,000 prisoners were housed in the prison, with over 3,000 perishing thanks to disease, poor conditions, and inadequate food.
This is why, to this day, Point Lookout Lighthouse is considered a haunted area. One of the many Confederate soldiers who died there decided to stay. Well, at least one. Visitors have reported seeing the apparition crossing the road, as if walking between the hospital and the camp. Those who see him say he looks emaciated and forlorn. But, if we are to believe the tales about the lighthouse, he isn’t alone.
With a military hospital and prison in the area, it only goes to reason that there would be a cemetery, too. Probably several of them. Records show there was once a graveyard called “Taylor Cemetery” that was nearby, but it is no longer around. In fact, nobody seems to know the exact spot where it once stood. There also seems to be the spirit of a woman that’s looking for it as well. At least four different accounts of encountering this apparition ha
ve been told, and all say she appears to be searching for something. One witness claims she actually spoke and told him she was looking for a certain grave.
If those two ghosts aren’t enough to coax a visit out of you, consider that the actual lighthouse is also haunted. The stories about the lighthouse have been circulating for decades and were so popular in the area that the infamous Hans Holzer visited for an investigation. Since then there have been numerous investigations at the lighthouse. The Point Lookout Lighthouse Preservation Society organizes these events, so you may want to contact them if you’re interested in doing a bit of ghost hunting.
So what paranormal activity is happening in the lighthouse? Short answer: Plenty! First there’s the ghostly sounds. Disembodied voices, heavy footsteps, and breathing that seems to be right in your ears. Then there’s the “sprite lights” that dance along the ceilings and are often seen from outside. And then there’s the apparitions. There are at least two of these. One is a female spirit that’s thought to be Ann Davis, a former caretaker of the lighthouse. The other is a Civil War-era soldier that’s been seen by workers and visitors. Enough ghosts for you?
This historic church dates to 1818 when it was organized by Reverend Benjamin Allen, a local clergyman from Shepherdstown. It operated much like any church with a small congregation in the 1800s, until September 17, 1862. That was when the Battle of Sharpsburg—also known as the Battle of Antietam—took place right in their back yard.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
Sharpsburg, Maryland
