Monthly Archives: February 2017

Haunted Places, Louisiana, Southern Ghost Stories
 

Lafittes Blacksmith Shop – New Orleans, LA

It isn’t every day that you see a haunted site, and even more so uncommon is a Blacksmith’s shop. Well in New Orleans you get both! Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop however has been repurposed, and is now supposedly the oldest “bar” in the United States. The building where it resides was built around 1772 and is one of few that survived the two great fires of New Orleans, in 1788 and 1794. This building happens to be one of few remaining buildings built by the earliest pioneers using soft clay bricks from the Mississippi River.

jean lafittes blacksmith shop - new orleans, louisiana

In 1806, Jean Lafitte and his brother Pierre (a notorious pair) established their blacksmith shop along St. Philip St. as a base to sell the pirated goods and also to expand their smuggling business after
the “Embargo Act” forbade American ships from docking at foreign ports. Jean Lafitte was a prolific businessman who changed the pirates’ smuggling business from unorganized crimes into a well-run thriving criminal business. He consistently scheduled auctions of the pirated goods in New Orleans and also directly from the pirates’ warehouses in Barataria.

Jean Lafitte became famous during the war in 1812 when he helped defend the city of New Orleans from attacks at the hands of the British. This made Lafitte a local legend, which led to the further expansion of his illegal enterprise. The more money he made, the more ships he acquired to speed up operations. He took customer service to its peak by organizing his own fleet of barges that made speedy deliveries of the auctioned goods to their new owners. He profited enormously from his illegal activities and had mansions both in New Orleans and in Barataria.

Jean Lafitte - Privateer

Jean Lafitte was a handsome man who had many mistresses but one true love, the wife of the Governor. This affection made him a bad enemy of the governor, which helped in fueling nosey authorities suspicious of his operations.

There are so many stories about Jean Lafitte that makes it difficult to know what to believe. Some researchers assert that he was a pirate while others claimed that he was just a gentleman privateer. The difference between pirates and privateer involves only a few scary differences. A pirate is a ruthless killer that attacks ships and towns while a privateer sails on armed ships that carries letter of marquee from a country at war, which gave them the legitimate right to attack weaker commercial ships that sails under enemy flags.

A privateer could retain and offer any captured enemy vessel and its cargo. In the real sense, these privateers assaulted any weaker ship, paying little heed to the flag it sailed under, murder the entire crew and sold the cargo. The small Louisiana town of Barataria, about 60 miles south of New Orleans, was a favorite home for most of these pirates. The local merchants had intention of buying the low priced, stolen goods, but they were hesitant to deal with the dangerous pirates.

When Columbia started procuring privateers to man ships in Columbia’s new navy, to assault Spanish ships, Jean Lafitte for the first time joined their force and was part of a government-run plan to attack Spanish ships. Some say that he retired to his beloved Louisiana after that incident; others say that he died in a battle with one of these merchant vessels.

Since the days of the Columbian battle against the Spanish, locals have sworn that Jean Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop was haunted by evil spirits.

Most people described that the chimney on the first floor bar section of the building is surrounded by an unwholesome or dark aura (most likely Jean), with random cold pockets of surrounding air. They claim that when his spirit is not hiding in the chimney, he has appeared in the dark corners of the first floor, looking irritated and scowling at the living, while jerking his mustache with his gloved hands. He disappears quickly when seen by witnesses.

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Arkansas, Haunted Places, Southern Ghost Stories
 

The 10 Most Haunted Locations in Arkansas

Arkansas is a state in the southern region of the United States bordering the Mississippi River. It’s known for its bounteous par and wild ranges, with landscape encompassing mountains, hot springs, rivers and caves.

It’s capital, “Little Rock” hosts the Clinton Presidential Center, as well as Bill Clinton’s presidential archives.

Let us take a look at 10 most haunted places in this state:

1. The Old Arsenal

The Old Arsenal is among many buildings that comprised the state’s weapons storage facility. It is in MacArthur Park and now houses the MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. There have been many reported sightings of nebulous visions, including a playful spirit who likes to toss things from the top of the staircase, a duel between two unexplained shadows and a strong figure of a man who disappeared into the air once an employee made contact. There have also been sounds of laughter, talking and music heard from the second floor, however when investigated, there was no one present.
The Old Arsenal (Arkansas)

 

2. Mr. Lyle’s House

This house was built by Jimmy Lyle in 1926, and there were series of reports by local residents stating that there are different fun-loving spirits around the premises. Although the house underwent renovation in 2006, it was also reported that the ghost of Mr. Lyle is said to have been spotted meandering in areas of the house. During the renovation, some construction workers claimed that they heard the voice of a child running and laughing around on the second floor but nobody was seen after they checked. In 1970, a family who lived in the house recalls their daughter waking up and screaming after seeing a little boy in front of her bed smiling at her. He ran through the wall and vanished.
The Jimmy Lyle house

 

3. Toltec Mounds

This place is also called the “Stonehenge of Arkansas.” The earthen dikes and mounds present at Toltec Mounds Archeological State Park are remnants of the Plum Bayou culture. Eighteen mounds were built by the Plum Bayou native to serve as a religious, governmental, ceremonial and social complex with each mound serving as a burial mound. Archeological digs at the site have revealed items that can’t be traced to other Native American cultures, and have also suggested that the Plum Bayou people simply vanished with no hint of why they left or where they went.
People who pay visit to the present-day stop have asserted to see orbs, lights, and even ghostly phantoms of ancient people. Footsteps have also been heard around the current mound site at night.
Toltec Mounds

4. Springfield-Des Arc Bridge

This is an iron bowstring truss bridge that extends over Cadron Creek, the Springfield Bridge-Des Arc Bridge is said to be haunted. Visitors claim they have heard a baby’s cry and a girl’s scream without tracing the source of the sound or the person involved. These dismal clamors were observed in the area sound the bridge.
Springfield Bridge -Des Arc Bridge

 

5. Old Malco Theatre

It all started during a performance in the 1880’s when a woman disappeared from the audience in the middle of a magic show production. Ever since that incident, Old Malco Theatre have been considered haunted. The ghost of a glowing woman has been observed in the theatre basement, screams come out of the empty theatre and objects move around by themselves.
Old Malco Theatre

6. Hornibrook House/The Empress of Little Rock

This house was originally built by James H. Hornibrook as the most unrestrained dwelling in the state. However, the house now operates as The Empress of Little Rock. There have been witnesses of several paranormal experiences by visitors, guests and even the owner Robert H. Blair. Blair saw a gentleman dressed complete with a top hat floating down the stairs.z
The same image was seen by another witness, Timmy Watts when he found himself locked out while restoring the mystery poker room in the attic. When he came back with a screwdriver to give unlock the door, he discovered that the door was now open.
Hornibrook House - The Empress of Little Rock

 

7. Calico Rock

East Calico Rock is a historic district that is regarded as a ghost town featuring 23 buildings and structures from the city’s history. When you take a stroll along this historic Walnut Street Bridge, you will see 22 detailed signs with notable photographs and information about the area, which includes a theater, cotton gin, pool hall and tavern, funeral parlor, lumberyard, and the old city jail.

East Calico Rock

8. Mount Holly Cemetery

This cemetery is located at 12th Streets and Broadway in Little Rock. Mount Holly Burial ground is the final resting place for some eminent Arkansans. Over the years, there have been several reports of paranormal sightings in photos taken at the property, including nebulous visions of people wearing period apparel, mists and bright lights. Some visitors have claimed that statues have been strangely relocated to the lawns houses close-by.
The sounds of trinkets and flute echo have also been heard. Also, there are claims that tiny items appear and disappear around the graves.
Mount Holly Cemetery

9. Gurdon Light

On several occasions during the night, there are claims a haunting light is spotted in Gurdon along the railroad tracks. We are meant to believe that the source of the light is from the lantern of the rail employee’s ghost.
There are two versions of this rail employee’s death. Some claim the man was struck by a train, others say he was killed in a fight close to the tracks.
Gurdon Light Arkansas

10. Witches Hollow – Cave City

The name tells it all; its name originates from a witch who once practiced her magic this place. This place is said to be haunted by the deceased witch who has been seen strolling along Sandtown Road.
Witches Hollow - Cave City

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Mid-West Ghost Stories, South Dakota
 

The 8 most haunted places in South Dakota

South Dakota is located within the Mid-western part of the United States. Outside of agriculture and industry, you don’t hear too much about it in national news. However, don’t let that fool you, South Dakota is a popular place for tourists, and sight seeing, mostly during the summer and winter seasons. Much like almost anywhere else, it has also had it’s share of paranormal activity.

Let’s dive a little deeper into the some of the most haunted places in South Dakota.

  1. San Haven Sanatorium Dunseith, North Dakota

The San Haven Sanatorium was built the Turtle Mountains, not far from Dunseith, near the Canadian border. It opened in 1912 and treated tuberculosis patients and the developmentally disabled until the 1980s, at the time it closed due to lack of financial help. At one time, the building housed up to 900 patients, and conditions were scrappy, best case scenario. In 1987, the last patients which were at San Haven were moved to Grafton State School. It finally stopped its entryways in 1989. The property now belongs to Chippewa Indians, who bought it in the mid 1990s, and has relentlessly crumbled from neglect. More than 1,000 individuals passed on at the hospital while it was in operation, but there have been many more deaths as well. In October 2001, a 17-year-old met his untimely death while researching about the abandoned building. There are rumors around that San Haven is haunted, but they are vague. Apparitions have been listed for in the windows and the sound of a baby crying has been heard. Never-the-less, it is an extremely creepy place.

San Haven Sanatorium Dunseith, North Dakota

 

  1. Eastons Castle, Aberdeen

Eastons Castle is a yellow brick home that was built sometime around 1886 and 1889. It was initially a 30 room, three stories Queen Anne style mansion, meanwhile, in 1902 it was bought by Carroll Francis Easton who had an exterior clad in yellow bricks. After the demise of Easton and his wife, their child got to be a hermit and vacated the house. It disintegrated so rapidly and people were saying it was haunted before he met his death. Right from that time there have been reports of Mrs. Easton’s ghost, the spirit of the family home keeper and maybe the most important a ghost that pursuing people using a knife!

Eastons Castle, Aberdeen

 

  1. Lucky Nugget Casino, Deadwood

Yet another of the building in Deadwood that surely deserves a spot on any list of the most haunted places in South Dakota would be the Lucky Nugget Casino. This spot is so much loved by paranormal agents and over the years there has been all possible evidence gathered here to say for sure that the building is haunted! Only a portion of the activities that has been listed at the Lucky Nugget Casino during those years the scent of perfume all of a sudden appearing and afterward disappearing into the air, ghost footsteps and shadow people.

Lucky Nugget Casino, Deadwood

 

  1. Rough Riders Hotel Medora, North Dakota

This hotel was built in 1884 and initially known as the Metropolitan, the Unpleasant Riders Hotel is situated in the heart of downtown Medora. It was renamed in 1903 to respect President Teddy Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, who served in the Spanish-American War. Roosevelt was the primary US President to visit Medora.

The hotel undergoes critical renovation in 2008 and is currently running at Nonprofit. For some hidden reason, over the last most recent three decades guests at the hotel have revealed encountering the ghost of a young boy on the upper floor. They would be awoken by sounds of a child playing in the hallway, but upon further research, they could find no child. Immaterial laughter and the sound of toilets flushing are reported as well. Till date, no historical occasions have been found to explain this other words presence.

Rough Riders Hotel Medora, North Dakota

 

  1. Old Minnehaha Courthouse Museum, Sioux Falls

Old Minnehaha Courthouse is now a museum which is said to be haunted by different types of spirits making it a specially left aside amongst the most haunted places in South Dakota. Staff and visitors alike have explained hearing somebody roll down the stairs, but when they go to look there is no one at the stairs. There are moreover free sounds and ghost footsteps moving from room to room. A few visitors claimed to have seen a man sweeping the floor of one of the courtrooms who then disappears once he is moved closer to!

Old_Minnehaha_Courthouse_Museum-Sioux_Falls

 

  1. Sage Hill Bed and Breakfast Anamoose, North Dakota

Built in 1928 and known as White School, this structure originally housed one of the first solidified primary schools in rural North Dakota. The citadel of learning was advanced for now is the right time, hot showers, and meals are filled in as a “model school” in which progressive teaching ways could be practiced. With the height, the school served 100 students, yet it still closed in 1968. In 1996, a couple purchased the building and converted it into an overnight boardinghouse called Sage Hill. As building on the B&B began, workers reported hearing moans and perceiving of a cigar smell. As said by Rich Newman, author of The Ghost Hunter’s Field Guide, guest went on to experience strange movements, including lights getting turned and on it, disembodied voices, and ghost smell. It is believed that the ghost of a previous schoolmaster haunts the building; however he is not threatening presence.

Sage_Hill_Bed_and_Breakfast_Anamoose-North_Dakota.

 

  1. Orpheum Theater Sioux Falls, South Dakota

A ghost named “Larry” said to haunt this historic, 100year old theater in Sioux Falls. The Orpheum Theater was inherent Beaux-Arts style and opened in 1913. It was purchased in 1954 by the Sioux Falls Community Playhouse, and many strange things started to happen. Its new owners saw an old, ornate coffin in the boiler room. When they got back to tidy the room, the casket had disappeared. In 1959, an actor named Ray Loftesness saw the figure of a man bathed in blue-green light showing at him from the balcony. He felt this icy blast of air, and was later knocked unconscious by a dropping sandbag—not just once, but twice! A dim shadow in the state of a man has likewise showed up in a photo of the gallery. Throughout the years, this apparition came to be called “Larry,” and there is much hypothesis about who he may have been. Concurring to one unusual story, Larry was a actor who disappeared during dress rehearsal after a gunshot was heard in the light booth. His co workers found a pool of blood, meanwhile no body.

Orpheum Theater Sioux Falls, South Dakota

 

  1. Mount Rushmore Brewing Company, Hill City

Once upon a time, Mount Rushmore Brewing Company was a restaurant but the building is now a Harley Davidson store. It has served in the past filled in as funeral service home what’s more, a crematorium so it is positively no outsider to death. Employees say objects move around all alone and there are unexplained commotions, especially in the basement where the remaining parts of the creation furnace can still be seen!

Mount Rushmore Brewing Company, Hill City

 

 

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🎙️ South Dakota's Most Haunted Places

The sinisterdreadvault’s Podcast · 2025-10-17

🎙️ The Haunting's of: South Dakota

Movement Radio · 2021-07-26

🎙️ The Haunting's of: South Dakota

Movement Radio · 2021-07-26

🗺️ Haunt It Yourself — On The Map

Here’s where The 8 most haunted places in South Dakota sits on the map. Zoom in, plan your visit — if you dare.

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Mid-West Ghost Stories, North Dakota
 

Top-10 Most Haunted Places in North Dakota

North Dakota is home to numerous haunted places where extremely weird and even terrifying things happen.

Below you will find 10 places in  North Dakota guaranteed to make you hesitate your next visit.

 1. St. Joseph’s Hospital (Dickinson)

St. Joseph’s Hospital staff has given information that ghostly acts have been experienced in the hospital’s varied areas. It has been noted that the elevator that goes to the morgue operates on its own. Many times, in the cafeteria ghostly voices are heard. There have also been reports of running footsteps in the basement.St. Joseph’s Hospital (Dickinson)

St. Joseph’s Hospital staff has given information that ghostly acts have been experienced in the hospital’s varied areas. It has been noted that the elevator that goes to the morgue operates on its own. Many times, in the cafeteria ghostly voices are heard. There have also been reports of running footsteps in the basement

2. Harvey Public Library (Harvey)

Witnesses at Harvey Public Library have seen glittering lights, unexplained computer issues and missing objects. The naughty ghost responsible for all this mess is thought to be a lady called Sophie. Sophie resided on the library’s site when her husband murdered her using a hammer, at the beginning of 1930s.

3. North Dakota State University

It is thought that a man who committed suicide by hanging himself from a pipe in Ceres Hall in the course of World War II haunts the place. A lot of individuals feel a weird presence near them while inside Minard Hall, which at one time was believed to be the scene of two murders.

4. The Children’s Museum (Yunker Farm)

This children’s museum is found in a farmhouse made of brick which was constructed in 1876. There was a belief that Elizabeth Yunker’s ghost had been sighted upstairs, where children engaged in activities.

The ghost of a young kid who passed on a long time back in the ancient well has been sighted standing near the same well. At times also, the elevator operates without prompt!

5. Fort Abraham Lincoln Custer House (Mandan)

General Custer lost his life in 1876 at the Battle of Little Big Horn. Therefore, he and his wife did not enjoy their house which was newly constructed, together for a lengthy period.
At Custer House, numerous witnesses have said they heard ghostly voices, saw doors open and close of their own accord and lights going on and off. The ghost of Mrs. Custer has even been sighted, dressed in black mourning attire…

6. Medora Fudge & Ice Cream Depot (Medora)

It is believed that a lady haunts Medora Fudge & Ice Cream Depot. She just makes one appearance each year on her birthday.

Medora haunted ice cream and fudge parlor
Haunted Ice Cream Parlor

 

7. Old Armory (Williston)

The year 1915 saw the construction of an Old Armory in North Dakota. According to witnesses, mannequins have been seen throughout the campsite moving about unaided. Also, some have even reported hearing ghostly whispers when no one else was around.

8. Totten Trail Historic Inn (Saint Michael)

This remarkable inn was at one time utilized by officers as well as their families as living quarters at the end of the 19th century. Witnesses say that while inside the inn, they saw ghosts from the corner of their eye trailing them.  A lady and gent lost their lives at the inn before it was rebuilt and there is a belief that these ghosts are them visiting time, and time again so they won’t be forgotten.

9. Liberty Memorial Building (Bismarck)

It is alleged that a ghost haunts Liberty Memorial Building. This ghost is also known as ‘Stack Monster.’  Witnesses say that they saw a male ghost and heard ghostly footsteps. At times, employees hear a person calling their name out, although no other person is present.

10. Chateau De Mores (Medora)

Chateau De Mores once housed Marquis De Mores together with Medora, his wife. Here, visitors might come across more that its initial furnishings. According to witnesses, they have seen unusual lights glimmer on and off. A lot of visitors claim to have also felt cold spots throughout the chateau.

🕯️ Dig Deeper Into the Darkness 🕯️

Videos, podcasts, deep-dive reads, first-hand accounts, books, and a map — everything you need to keep chasing this haunting.

🎬 Ghost Videos From Across the Paranormal Universe

Fellow ghost hunters have investigated places like this. Watch their findings:

🎙️ Paranormal Podcasts On This Case

Voices from the paranormal podcast underground digging into this story:

🎙️ North Dakota's Most Haunted Places

The sinisterdreadvault’s Podcast · 2025-09-29

🎙️ Ghost and a bit of UFO's

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🎙️ Passport to the Paranormal w/Rich Newman

ParaTruth Radio · 2021-11-22

🗺️ Haunt It Yourself — On The Map

Here’s where Top-10 Most Haunted Places in North Dakota sits on the map. Zoom in, plan your visit — if you dare.

Open in Google Maps →