7 Creepy Places in New York That Might Just Be Haunted
It’s the spookiest time of the year — and the perfect season to visit these haunted NYC landmarks.
Gorgeous fall foliage, delicious spiced cocktails, and the Rockefeller Center Ice Skating Rink aren’t the only things Manhattan has to offer in October. The city is overflowing with history: from famous musicians and poets to Alexander Hamilton and his colleagues, countless figures have left their mark on NYC — and some of them have stuck around their old haunts well into the afterlife.
This Halloween, visit these spooky sites for a glimpse of an extraordinarily pale Andy Warhol, a ghoulish Broadway actress, or a stumbling Dylan Thomas.
1. The Chelsea Hotel
Countless celebrities enjoyed the vibrant bohemian vibe of the Chelsea Hotel in its heyday: Patti Smith, Andy Warhol, Allen Ginsberg, Jimi Hendrix, Jack Kerouac, and Stanley Kubrick among them. But the colorful history of the hotel had its share of dark undertones, too: several stars have spent the last moments of their life in the hotel, including Sid Vicious’s girlfriend Nancy Spungen. Gerald Busby told Vanity Fair, “There used to be a murder, a suicide, and a fire every year.” While living humans can no longer reserve rooms at the hotel, surely paranormal presences don’t have to play by the same rules.
The Chelsea Hotel is located at 222 West 23rd Street.
2. New Amsterdam Theater
Times Square is chock full of historic, ornate theaters, and the New Amsterdam — which once played host to the Ziegfeld Follies, and where Aladdin the musical is currently running — is among the oldest on Broadway. Legend has it that an actress by the name of Olive Thomas once graced the New Amsterdam’s stage. In 1920, she was on a trip to Paris and accidentally ingested a lethal dose of her husband’s medicine. The young actress’s life was cut short, but her spirit returned to the east coast and the stage she called home. If you catch a glimpse of a ghostly pill bottle at intermission, it’s more than likely that Olive is making her presence known.
The New Amsterdam Theater is located at 214 West 42nd Street.
3. One If By Land, Two If By Sea
Lauded as one of the most romantic destinations for a date, this high-class restaurant is a popular spot for couples to pop the question. But romantic evenings aren’t the only things this West Village spot is known for: before it was a restaurant, One If By Land was Aaron Burr’s carriage house in the mid-1700s. Evidently, Burr wasn’t a solitary man, as it’s said that at least 20 ghostly beings have since set up shop in the building. The spirits have been known to pilfer earrings, flicker candles, and create mysterious drafts.
One If By Land, Two If By Sea is located at 17 Barrow Street.
4. The Merchant’s House Museum
A designated interior and exterior landmark (one of only 117 in the city), the Merchant’s House Museum is home to a slew of artifacts, apparel, and furniture from a wealthy merchant family that lived in the house during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Nowadays, the Tredwell family is long gone from the physical plane, but museum staffers and visitors alike have reported mysterious paranormal sightings and sounds in the house. These aren’t just subtle creepy happenings here and there. Full-body apparitions have been sighted, even in broad daylight!
The Merchant’s House Museum is located at 29 East 4th Street.
5. Morris-Jumel Mansion
Uptown, north of Harlem, you can find the oldest house in Manhattan. Built in 1765, the Morris-Jumel mansion is also one of the most haunted places in the borough. It was initially inhabited by a colonel and his wife, who vacated the premises during the American Revolution. Then, George Washington and his cohorts made the mansion their headquarters, where he strategized his victory in the Battle of Harlem Heights. Later, the home was purchased by Stephen Jumel and his wife Eliza (who later married Aaron Burr). Eliza lived in the house until her death, and it’s said that her ghost still inhabits the property.
Morris-Jumel Mansion is located at 65 Jumel Terrace.
6. White Horse Tavern
The White Horse Tavern was established all the way back in 1880, and it’s said that you can find more than one type of “spirit” on the premises of this West Village bar! The poet Dylan Thomas, a notorious drinker, is said to have taken 18 whiskey shots at the Tavern in 1952, which predictably brought him to the verge of unconsciousness. And where was Thomas taken in his state of drunken distress? The Chelsea Hotel, of course, and then to a hospital where he spent his last hours. Nowadays, you may catch a glimpse of him still roaming the tavern.
White Horse Tavern is located at 567 Hudson Street.
7. The “House of Death”
Though its name may evoke images of a gruesome and over-the-top haunted house, the location known as the House of Death is a fairly unobtrusive-looking home built in the 1850s that was converted into apartments in the late 1930s. But the building has earned its nickname: it’s rumored that as many as 22 ghosts call this building their home. Notable among them is the spirit of Mark Twain, who lived there for a year in 1900. Other paranormal residents of 14 West 10th Street, according to experts, include a child and a gray cat.
The House of Death is located at 14 West 10th Street.
Though there are many interesting “haunts” to visit in NYC, we’re guessing that you’d like to return to a spirit-free zone at the end of your explorations. You’re in luck: our hotels are free from wandering spirits, and we offer the absolute lowest rate to our customers when you book on affinia.com(GUARANTEED). Book a visit in October or November, and enjoy the many amenities available at our hotels: free wifi, a complimentary wine hour before you head out to enjoy the city’s Halloween festivities, and more!
