The top 13 haunted spots in Savannah, Georgia

The Marshall House, built in 1851, is the home to several strange paranormal happenings. Taken over by Union General William T. Sherman's men in December of 1864, this hotel was used as a hospital for the Federal troops. In addition to several sightings of Union soldiers, guests also report hearing and seeing the ghosts of children in the hotel, some of whom like to tickle the feet of sleeping patrons. The Kehoe House, built in 1892, is one of Savannah's most elegant bed & breakfasts. One night, Savannah tour guide Missy Brandt was leading a tour past the house when her entire group heard the disembodied voice of a child say, "Play... come play with me." The Hamilton Turner Inn was built in 1873. Originally constructed by Hamilton Turner after the Civil War, this house is now an elegant inn. According to this collection of haunted Savannah stories, the sounds of children laughing are coupled with the sound of billiard balls rolling around on the upper floors. A strange, cigar-smoking man has also been seen on the roof by the staff. View the list »
Colonial Park Cemetery was established in 1750. Haunted stories abound regarding Colonial Park Cemetery. According to Savannah tour guide and author Tobias McGriff: “Besides being an anchor location for Savannah's early haunted history, Colonial Park Cemetery is where the infamous Jesse Greathouse video was filmed in 2008. That video has become one of the most compelling and controversial pieces of evidence for life after death currently available.” Savannah tour guide Chris Allen of Haunted Savannah Tours states that "you can almost hear the whispers of the inhabitants, each with a unique story to tell."  

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Savannah, Georgia is considered by many to be the top haunted destination for tourists east of the Mississippi. Nearly every building in the Historic District has a ghost story associated with it. But among all that haunted activity, what are the locations which report the most frequent brushes with the paranormal?

Local experts and insider sources share their top haunted spots, and even relate a few of their own experiences. Trying to narrow the list down to an even 10 sparked such debate amongst our experts that we expanded the field to a much more appropriate number. So here are the 13 most-haunted spots in Savannah.

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  • Colonial Park Cemetery was established in 1750. Haunted stories abound regarding Colonial Park Cemetery. According to Savannah tour guide and author Tobias McGriff: “Besides being an anchor location for Savannah's early haunted history, Colonial Park Cemetery is where the infamous Jesse Greathouse video was filmed in 2008. That video has become one of the most compelling and controversial pieces of evidence for life after death currently available.” Savannah tour guide Chris Allen of Haunted Savannah Tours states that "you can almost hear the whispers of the inhabitants, each with a unique story to tell."  
  • The Hamilton Turner Inn was built in 1873. Originally constructed by Hamilton Turner after the Civil War, this house is now an elegant inn. According to this collection of haunted Savannah stories, the sounds of children laughing are coupled with the sound of billiard balls rolling around on the upper floors. A strange, cigar-smoking man has also been seen on the roof by the staff. 
  • The Kehoe House, built in 1892, is one of Savannah's most elegant bed & breakfasts. One night, Savannah tour guide Missy Brandt was leading a tour past the house when her entire group heard the disembodied voice of a child say, "Play... come play with me."
  • The Marshall House, built in 1851, is the home to several strange paranormal happenings. Taken over by Union General William T. Sherman's men in December of 1864, this hotel was used as a hospital for the Federal troops. In addition to several sightings of Union soldiers, guests also report hearing and seeing the ghosts of children in the hotel, some of whom like to tickle the feet of sleeping patrons. 
  • The Olde Pink House was originally built to be a private residence for James Habersham Jr., the Olde Pink House is now home to some of the finest dining in Savannah. It also has a haunted reputation. Savannah tour guide Christa Rosencranz has had several women tell her about strange supernatural goings-on in the women's rest room. “One woman got a really bad feeling in the room, like being watched, and as she hurried to wash her hands and leave she glanced in the mirror and saw a dark shadow zip through the reflection. Another woman said she had a similar feeling and there was some decorative fringe on a lamp in there, and it begun swinging even though there was no an, vent or breeze that could have caused it.” 
  • The Owens-Thomas House was built in 1819 by noted architect William Jay. According to the book Savannah Spectres, a ghostly figure of a man has been reported back when the upper floors were being used as apartments. Two eyewitnesses described “a man about thirty… powerfully built… (with) black hair… he was dressed in the style of about 1830…  He was at the doorway about two or three minutes, then he kind of moved about the room. My partner here and I looked at each other and nodded, to be sure we were both really seeing him.” The building is now a house museum. It has been reported that the staff is occasionally vexed to hear the sounds of footsteps, noises that they assume originate with straggling members of their tour group, only to find that there are nothing but empty rooms. 
  • The 17Hundred90 Inn and Restaurant, built in 1820, is home to a collection of spirits. This building is a popular stop on the Savannah haunted pub crawl.According to owner Patrick Godley, "the 17Hundred90 boasts of multiple ghosts; an old slave cook who bangs pots in the kitchen, a servant boy who leaves small change around the inn, but the most famous is Anna. Perhaps the most famous ghost in the city, Anna is said to haunt the top floor and Room 204 awaiting the return of her sailor lost at sea."  
  • The Andrew Low House, now a house museum, was built in 1850 by famed architect John S. Norris. Once the home of Juliette Gordon Low and her husband, Willliam, the house now is inhabited by disembodied foorsteps, which are often heard by staff and tourists alike. "That's just Old Tom," the staff will sometimes explain, meaning the Low's longtime (but now deceased) former butler. 
  • The Birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low, founder of the Girl Scouts, was constructed in 1821. This house is an incredibly popular spot for the ghost tours in Savannah. Sarah, Juliette's grandmother, is said to still haunt the old mansion. Now a house museum, it is entirely possible to catch a glimpse of Sarah while on tour-- she's even been mistaken for an exhibit!
  • The Davenport House, built to be a private residence by Isaiah Davenport, is now a house museum. Licensed Savannah ghost tour guide Christa Rosencranz relates: “Once on a cold winter night, I was telling some tourists about the Davenport and glanced at the building. Right below the front door, above the sidewalk, there was a spot that looked like the way heat ripples off of something hot. As I did a double take, whatever 'it' was moved 10 feet down the sidewalk and was gone.” 
  • The Hampton Lillibridge House, built in 1796, has been home to some truly strange Savannah hauntings. The only house in Savannah to ever receive an exorcism, the blessing ceremony apparently failed to even slow down the strange forces within. The haunted stories are too numerous to list here, but a woman's scream has frequently been heard, a man was dragged by an unseen force, and a Savannah police officer once chased something unseen (but felt) inside the house with his sidearm drawn. 
  • The Pirate's House, constructed in 1794, was originally a bar and boarding house for sailors. Reportedly, the basement was used to shanghai unwary (and unconscious) men through a secret tunnel which led to the Savannah River,. These men were forced into seafaring service against their will. A very popular stop on many ghost walking tours in Savannah, the Pirate's House continues to amaze and confound those who attempt to learn its secrets.
  • Moon River Brewing Company, originally built in 1821 as the City Hotel, is considered by many to be the most haunted spot in Savannah. The basement is home to a malevolent spirit the staff has named 'Toby'. The upper floors are inhabited by an equally forbidding ghost that work crews attemting to renovate dubbed 'Mrs. Johnson'. Relates Cobblestone Tours guide Christa Rosencranz: “One night I had a tour group on the 2nd floor and the lights turned themselves on and off. When I took them down the hall, something that looked like it'd been thrown came flying out of an empty room- I didn't investigate and decided to leave at that point, but later a tourist told me she'd seen a woman in an old dress at the top of the staircase of the condemned floor... I've also heard footsteps in the building and often have had tourists report feeling someone bump into them or touch their face. I always get an odd feeling in the second floor and get short of breath while telling the story, which is never a problem I have anywhere else. The air seems strange and thick.” 
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, Savannah City Guide Examiner

James Caskey is a tour owner, licensed guide, historian, and author in Savannah, Georgia. In 2001, he founded Cobblestone Tours, a walking ghost tour based in Savannah, Georgia. Caskey’s first book "Haunted Savannah" is a local best-seller, originally published in 2005. His second book, "Haunted...

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