A Manhattan Scare: Haunted Places in New York City

Who is this for?  Ghost hunters and history enthusiasts looking for a scare in New York City.

Jump to Section:

• Historic Houses
• Spooky Taverns
• Hallowed Grounds
• Iconic Landmarks
• Haunted Hotels
• Incentra Village House

Historic Houses:

Old homes come with a lot of stories, and often a lot of spirits. Here are a few historic homes with haunted pasts.

Morris-Jumel Mansion

Where: 65 Jumel Terrace, New York, NY 

Built in 1765, this mansion in Washington Heights is the oldest house in Manhattan. In 1810, Eliza and Stephen Jumel purchased the mansion. Eliza reportedly had an affair with Aaron Burr (yes, that Aaron Burr). After her husband, Stephen, died due to a “pitchfork accident,” Eliza went on to marry Burr in the front parlor. The two were only married for 1 year before divorcing.

The house is said to be haunted by 5 spirits:

1. All 3 of those involved in the affair: Eliza Jumel, Stephen Jumel, and Aaron Burr
2. An unnamed servant girl, who allegedly committed suicide by jumping out of a window
3. A painting of an unknown Revolutionary War soldier that occasionally comes to life!
   

“House of Death” 

Where: 14 W. 10th Street, New York, NY

Widely known as “the most haunted building in New York”, this 19th-century brownstone in Greenwich Village earned its sinister reputation due to several mysterious deaths. One tragic death includes the murder of 6-year-old Lisa Steinberg by her father, Joel Steinberg. 

Among the many paranormal experiences reported in the building, the spirit of legendary author Mark Twain, who lived in the house for 1 year, has been spotted wearing his signature white suit and smoking a cigar.

Fun Fact: In 1974, Jan Cryant Barell wrote a memoir about her paranormal experiences there, titled “Spray from a Psychic Sea.

Merchant's House Museum

Where: 29 East 4th Street, New York, NY

Originally built in 1832, the house was bought by a wealthy merchant named Seabury Tredwell in 1835. His family made this row house their home for nearly 100 years, but one member of the family has lingered even longer. 

Tredwell’s youngest daughter, Gertrude, passed away in 1933, “in the same room in the same bed in which she had been born”. Her spirit is said to watch over the building today. She has been heard playing the house’s broken piano, moving teacups around the kitchen, and shooing away rowdy children from the lawn. And she may not be alone! Some locals even report seeing – even speaking to – one of Gertrude’s siblings, Samual. 

The Dakota

Where: 1 W. 72nd Street, New York, NY

Widely known as one of the most haunted buildings in New York City, the Dakota first opened its doors in 1884. Many residents and visitors have reported hearing phantom footsteps, mysterious noises, and objects moving on their own. Since then, the roster of ghosts has grown to include:

• 
  A playful girl in a yellow dress
• A creepy short man in an ill-fitting wig
• John Lennon (who was murdered right outside of the building)

Fun Fact: Scenes from the classic 1968 horror movie Rosemary’s Baby were shot at the Dakota!

Spooky Taverns

Need a good meal or drink with your scare? Enjoy some spirits with spirits at these haunted taverns.

One if By Land, Two if By Sea

Where: 17 Barrow Street, New York, NY

Now a popular eatery in the West Village, this building was built as a carriage house in 1767. Once owned by Aaron Burr (yes, him again), the building is said to be haunted by him and his daughter, Theodosia, who disappeared at sea in 1813. 

Diners and restaurant employees have reported being shoved by an invisible hand, earrings being pulled from their ears, paintings falling off walls, flickering lights, and plates flying across the room. 

Fun Fact: The Private upstairs dining area reportedly served as the apartment of Steve McQueen.

White Horse Tavern

Where: 567 Hudson Street, New York, NY

Established in 1880, White Horse Tavern originally attracted longshoremen who worked on the Hudson River Piers. However, White Horse Tavern has been a “notable bar for writers” and a certified National Poetry Landmark for decades. 

One ghost said to haunt the establishment is Dylan Thomas, who allegedly drank 18 straight whiskies here on the night of his death in 1953. He has been seen lounging around his favorite table and even stealing shots from the bar.

Landmark Tavern

Where: 626 11th Ave, New York, NY

Dating back to 1868, this waterfront Irish saloon has been running as a bar, tavern, and speakeasy for over a century. Some of its patrons are said to have stuck around that long as well. 

One such ghost is said to be an unknown Confederate Civil War veteran, who was stabbed in a fight before he died in a bathtub on the second floor. Another is a young Irish girl who died from one of the cholera or typhoid outbreaks that plagued the city in the late 18th and 19th centuries.

Hallowed Grounds

Sacred spaces are no strangers to lost souls. Here are a few of the hallowed grounds known to attract ghosts.

St. Paul’s Chapel

Where: 209 Broadway, New York, New York

As the oldest standing church in Manhattan (built in 1697), St. Paul’s Chapel is said to be haunted by many of those laid to rest on its grounds. One of these is George Frederick Cooke, a 17th-century actor and gambler who is said to have sold his head for research to pay off his debts. Today, his headless ghost can still be seen wandering the grounds. 

President George Washington has also been spotted on these hallowed grounds. His spirit has been seen appearing to pray at the chapel, as he reportedly did on the day of his inauguration.

Fun Fact: Cook’s skull was used in many of New York’s productions of Hamlet before being donated to the Thomas Jefferson Medical School Library in 1938.

St. Mark’s Church in-the-Bowery

Where: 131 E 10th Street, New York, NY

Dutch governor Pete “Peg Leg” Stuyvesant (famous for his wooden leg) built a family chapel on this site in 1660. He was buried beneath the chapel upon his death, and despite the property changing hands, it appears he never left. In 1793, the chapel was sold to the Episcopal church. Construction on a new church began in 1795 and was completed in 1799. 

Visitors have witnessed Stuyvesant roaming the church grounds, ringing church bells, singing hymns in Dutch, and committing acts of mischief. You can take a self-guided walking tour. 

Iconic Landmarks

Even the most famous City landmarks have infamous pasts. Here are some of Manhattan’s most famous haunted landmarks.

Empire State Building:

Where: 20 W 34th Street, New York, NY

Since its opening, the Empire State Building has become an unfortunate spot of death. One soul in particular has haunted both the public consciousness and the observation deck of the building since 1947. 

At the age of 23, Evelyn McHale jumped from the observation deck and landed on a limousine. A photo of her body resting atop the crushed vehicle appeared in Life Magazine, labeled as “The Most Beautiful Suicide”. Later, her photo would be used by Andy Warhol in his work titled “Suicide (Fallen Body)”.

Washington Square Park

Where: 5th Avenue, New York, NY

Washington Square Park has a long, dark history. During the American Revolution, the area was used as a hanging ground. Later, the area became a public gravesite for the pool and unclaimed deceased. It’s said that as many as 20,000 bodies still rest on the grounds. 

Visitors to the park report seeing ghostly figures wandering around late at night.

Fun Fact: Hangman’s Elm, an English elm located in the park, is the oldest tree in Manhattan

The Manhattan Well

Where: 120 Spring Street, New York, NY

The infamous “Manhattan Murder Well” trial took place in 1799, after the body of Gulielma “Elma” Elmore Sands was found in a well in the Lispendard Meadow area of Manhattan. Levi Weeks, brother of influential builder Ezra Weeks, was accused of strangling his girlfriend, Elma, and throwing her body into the well. 

Weeks was acquitted in a controversial verdict, which may be the cause of Elma’s unrest. It’s said that Elma’s ghost can be found wandering the streets of SoHo or shrieking from the remains of the well, which are in a clothing store on Spring Street.

Fun Fact: Levi Weeks was represented by Henry Brockholst Livingstone, Alexander Hamilton, and Aaron Burr (yes, him again).

Haunted Hotels

Hotels host the transient living during their travels, and the restless dead in the afterlife. Here are some of the most haunted hotels in NYC.

Hotel Chelsea

Where: 222 West 23rd Street, New York, NY

It doesn’t get much more iconic than Hotel Chelsea. Artists of every genre have called this place home, including Jimi Hendrix, Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, Tennessee Williams, and Dylan Thomas. It's said that some never left.

Famous ghostly residents include:

• Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen: bassist for the Sex Pistols and his girlfriend
• Dylan Thomas: Welsh poet 
• Mary: A survivor of the Titanic

The Algonquin Hotel

Where: 59 W 44th Street, New York, NY

The Algonquin has been hailed as one of the spookiest hotels in NYC, and it’s no wonder why. As the oldest operating hotel in the city, The Algonquin has hosted thousands of people over the last century, including the members of the famous Algonquin Round Table, who are said to hold ghostly meetings in the dining room and bar. 

Notable members include:

• Dorthy Parker
• Alexander Woolcott
• Franklin Pierce Adams
• Harpo Marx
• Russell Crouse
• Edna Ferber
• Harold W. Ross
• Robert Benchley

Incentra Village House

Where: 32 8th Ave, New York, NY

Yes, we are on the list too. Originally built in 1841, Incentra Village Hotel has a resident ghost of our own: the previous owner of the building. Guests and employees have reported hearing strange noises, footsteps in the hallway, and objects moving on their own. 

About the Author

Bozhidar Bachvarov (aka “Boz”) is the manager of Incentra Village Guest House in historic West Village. As a city local and a frequent traveler, Boz knows how to give guests an authentic New York experience.