1. Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is among the most haunted and oldest prisons in the country and has been featured on travel channels and even Syfy’s Ghost Hunters. As a result of the high number of reported paranormal occurrences, paranormal believers and researchers flock to the site every year. The penitentiary opened in 1829 intending to drastically change inmate behavior. The walls within this prison are known for their brutal punishments, horror, and madness, and many are drawn to explore them.
The impressive architecture, which included running water as well as heating, was an impressive feat in the mid-1800s. This is one of the largest prisons, with room for hundreds of prisoners as well as solitary confinement cells. In 1829, the government prescribed solitary confinement as a form of punishment, believing that solitary confinement would cause inmates to feel guilty and seek penance. Everyone was assigned a cell. It measured 8x12 feet, amounting to 384 square feet, and led to a single exercise cell with a skylight. All cells have two doors to prevent inmates from interacting with one another. There is a wooden door and in front of it is a sliding metal door. Not only are the cells made to reduce contact between inmates, but they also serve as protection against guards’ interference. The building has spacious halls and ceilings that could almost pass off for chapels. To create such an enormous structure was an incredibly daunting task given its complexity.
Prisoners would have an average of 2 years in prison, with no life sentences. Solitary confinement was a common punishment where prisoners were thrown into “The Hole”, an underground cell without any contact with other human beings or exercise. Prisoners in the hole were given little air and food during their time there- they supposedly tried to find God. Other punishments included being dunked in water and hung out at night until iced formed on their skin outside — all to try to break them down psychologically. The iron collar was a device that clamps around the inmate’s tongue and wraps around between his hands for movement restriction. Another punishment was the Mad Chair. For days at a time, the Mad Chair was used by wrapping straps over each limb tightly enough so circulation is cut off entirely.
Al Capone was a notorious inmate of Eastern State Penitentiary. He served an eight-month sentence from 1929 to 1930 for tax evasion, and his cell was one of the best in the facility with paintings on its walls and a radio that played classical music. “The whole room was suffused in the glow of a desk lamp which stood on a polished desk…On the once-grim walls of the penal chamber hung tasteful paintings, and the stains of a waltz were being emitted by a powerful cabinet radio receiver of handsome design and fine finish…” It is said he experienced paranormal activity during his time there-guards reported hearing him yell out at night.
Eastern State Penitentiary was a dreadful place for inmates and it’s a place filled with anger and emotion. There is a history of isolation and terror, which is why this haunted museum located in Philadelphia is one of the most popular places in the United States to visit. If you are interested in visiting Eastern State Penitentiary, tickets can be purchased at their website here: www.easternstatepennsylvania.org.
2. Maple Hill Cemetery & Playground
Huntsville Alabama’s Maple Hill Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in the state. It opened way back in 1822 and has served as a final resting place for Civil War soldiers, among others. Adjacent to this cemetery is ‘Dead Children’s Playground,’ which was built around 1985. This playground has been made for children whose parents are visiting loved ones buried there. The children can go play while their parents mourn nearby on site.
Many people speculate that the playground is haunted by the ghosts of children supposedly buried beneath it. The swings have been known to move as if no one were on them, and some claim they’ve heard giggling or laughing from it but see no children around. Those who venture at night with cameras seem to report photographing orbs going down slides in their photos. There’s not a confirmation about why these paranormal occurrences happen, but many attribute these happenings to the souls of children playing.
Another theory suggests that the hauntings were from the children who died in the 1960s from a spree of serial murders and others attribute the haunting to the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic. The epidemic hit Alabama hard. Within a week, it spread to a majority of the state population resulting in high death rates. During that period, the dead would be buried in Maple Hill Cemetery and the children buried there would go to the playground at night. The legend of Maple Hill Cemetery & Playground provides an interesting contrast of death and innocence. The proximity to the Huntsville cemetery adds to the spooky allurement as well.
3. Bonaventure Cemetery
Bonaventure Cemetery is one of the most picturesque southern Gothic attractions in the south. Located in Savannah, Georgia, it began as a privately owned plantation in 1846 and became public in 1907. You may recognize one of the most famous statues from Bonaventure Cemetery in the novel Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt. The style of this cemetery embodies the southern Gothic aesthetic, characterized by Victorian styles, Spanish moss, and a mixture of realistic and fantastical elements. Known for its ghost stories and haunted graves it has become a prominent tourist attraction.
Gracie Watson, the daughter of a local who owned a hotel in Johnson Square near the cemetery, died at an early age. A gravestone was made to commemorate her with a carving said to represent Gracie sitting on top of it. “Having died at just six years old, her grave is marked by a life-size marble statue with her hand resting on a tree stump, symbolizing her life cut short. Many visitors place toys at her grave when they visit, and some have reported seeing the ghost of Gracie near the site. Other spooky accounts of the Bonaventure include inexplicable sounds, like crying babies and barking dogs, and statues suddenly smiling as people approach them.”
Bonaventure also holds the burial sites of celebrities. The songwriter and academy award winner, Johnny Mercer is buried in Bonaventure Cemetery. He is the co-founder of Capitol Records and is most known for composing and writing ‘Jeepers Creepers’ (1938) as well as co-writing ‘Moon River’ in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), which led him to win his third academy award out of four. Complications due to brain surgery to remove a brain tumor led to his death in 1976, at age 66. At the bottom of his grave lies a bench with his most famous songs engraved on front. Although Bonaventure Cemetery may come with some chilling stories, it’s a cultural and historical site for the residents of Savannah. There is an air of mystery around the cemetery and it maintains a sense of undisturbed nature.
References:
Julia, J. (2020, October 20). The most haunted places in America. CBS News, https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-most-haunted-places-in-america/3/
Audio tour. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, https://www.easternstate.org/explore/audio-tour
Dalrymple, L. (2013, October 24). Is Eastern State Penitentiary really haunted? NPR, https://www.npr.org/2013/10/24/232234570/is-eastern-state-penitentiary-really-haunted
Timeline. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, https://www.easternstate.org/research/history-eastern-state/timeline
Travel, T. The creepiest place to visit in every State. Thrillist, https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/most-haunted-places-in-america
Jennifer. (2017, February 15). The Haunted Playground in Alabama that will send Shivers Down your spine. OnlyInYourState, from https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/alabama/haunted-playground-al/
Ruiz, F. The urban legend of Alabama’s ‘dead children’s playground’. CCHS Oracle, https://www.cchsoracle.com/news/2021/02/16/the-urban-legend-of-alabamas-dead-childrens-playground/
the legend of Alabama’s ‘dead children’s playground’. Al., https://www.al.com/life/2020/10/the-legend-of-alabamas-dead-childrens-playground.html
Bonaventure Cemetery. Bonaventure Cemetery | Savannah, GA — Official Website. https://www.savannahga.gov/864/Bonaventure-Cemetery
Morton, C. (2016, October 25). The 32 most haunted places in America. Condé Nast Traveler. https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-most-haunted-places-in-america
Banner title. Arcadia Publishing | Local and Regional History Books. https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/
Johnny Mercer (1909–1976) — find a grave memorial. Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1327/johnny-mercer
