When you think of haunted places in the United States, you probably picture the classic ghost tours of Charleston or Savannah. Yet, beyond those well‑trodden streets lies a treasure trove of spooky sites that most travelers never hear about. In this roundup we spotlight ten little known haunted spots that sit far off the usual tourist map. Whether you love a good ghost story or just crave a shiver‑inducing adventure, these eerie locations are sure to intrigue and maybe even spook you.

ten little known haunted locations you’ve never heard of

1 Red Onion Saloon (Alaska)

Don’t be fooled into thinking the Red Onion Saloon is merely another watering hole. Nestled in Skagway, this historic bar still clings to its Old West roots, complete with weathered décor that transports patrons back to the Gold Rush era of 1897. The atmosphere feels like stepping into a living museum, where every brass knob and creaking floorboard whispers of a bygone time.

But peel back the surface and the story takes a darker turn. In its early days the saloon doubled as Skagway’s most popular brothel. Upstairs, the second‑floor rooms housed working girls who entertained clients, while the bar staff used a peculiar system of dolls to signal each woman’s availability—upright for “ready,” reclined for “unavailable.” The most famed of these ladies was Lydia, whose spirit is said to still roam the premises. Employees frequently report hearing her footsteps on the second floor, feeling sudden cold drafts, and even catching a whiff of her century‑old perfume drifting through the bar.

Legend has it that Lydia still tends the plants that dot the saloon, not watering them herself but somehow keeping them thriving. Some visitors swear they’ve seen a translucent figure resembling Lydia slipping into what would have been her old room. Unlike many malevolent specters, Lydia appears to be a friendly haunt, simply lingering where she once lived and worked, adding an eerie yet comforting presence to the historic saloon.

2 Sloss Furnace (Alabama)

The Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham once powered the city for a full century before shutting down in the 1970s. These massive iron‑making structures were pivotal in turning Birmingham into an industrial hub, and the community still honors the laborers who kept the furnaces roaring. Yet, buried beneath the pride of progress lies a chilling tale of a restless spirit.

In the early 1900s, the furnace’s graveyard shift was overseen by a notoriously harsh foreman named James “Slag” Wormwood. Known for his brutal expectations, Wormwood demanded relentless speed from his skeletal crew, and under his watch at least 47 workers lost their lives. In 1906, Wormwood met a fiery end when he slipped into the massive furnace dubbed “Big Alice,” melting instantly in the molten ore. Whether his death was accident or retribution remains debated, but his presence has lingered ever since.

After his demise, workers began sensing a demonic aura within the furnace walls. Reports flooded in of phantom pushes urging faster work, and even physical shoves from an unseen force. Over the ensuing decades, more than a hundred documented incidents described strange happenings attributed to this spectral overseer. The Sloss Furnace’s legacy now includes not only industrial heritage but also an unnerving tale of a foreman who still haunts the very steel he once commanded.

3 Jerome Grand Hotel (Arizona)

Originally built in 1927 as the United Verde Hospital in the tiny mining town of Jerome, this massive structure later fell silent in 1950. For half a century the building lay empty until developers transformed the abandoned hospital into the Jerome Grand Hotel in 1996, hoping to capitalize on its stunning location and architectural charm. Unfortunately, the conversion awakened a host of lingering spirits.

Historians estimate that nearly 10,000 souls passed away within the hospital’s walls during its three decades of operation—an unsurprising figure for a medical facility. As a result, the hotel now hosts a variety of phantom activity. Guests frequently report seeing hospital gurneys glide down hallways, hearing disembodied wails echoing from vacant rooms, and feeling an uncanny chill in certain areas.

The third floor, once home to the operating theater, is the epicenter of the most intense hauntings. Visitors describe the unmistakable sound of rolling gurney wheels and the sensation of animal spirits—particularly cats—leaping onto their beds in the dead of night. Room 32, in particular, is said to be possessed by a maintenance worker who was crushed by a runaway elevator in 1935. The hotel’s manager even maintains a detailed journal chronicling hundreds of supernatural incidents each year, underscoring the building’s reputation as one of Arizona’s most haunted locales.

4 Whaley House (California)

San Diego’s Whaley House stands as perhaps the most infamous haunted residence in California. Constructed in 1856 by Thomas Whaley, the house was intended to be the most elegant home in the region, complete with a courthouse, general store, and theater on the surrounding property. Today, the historic district is preserved for tourists to explore the Whaley legacy.

However, the house’s tranquil façade hides a tragic past. In 1852, a horse thief named Yankee Jim Robinson was executed on the land that would become the Whaley estate, and his restless spirit has been rumored to linger ever since. Shortly after the Whaley family moved in, a newborn son died of scarlet fever, and later, Thomas’s daughter Victoria took her own life within the house. These layered tragedies have woven a tapestry of hauntings that persist to this day.

Visitors frequently report sensing Thomas’s cigar smoke drifting through the corridors, catching whiffs of his wife’s perfume, and hearing the giggles of the infant who perished. Ghostly sightings of Victoria wandering an upstairs bedroom add to the eerie atmosphere. The Whaley House has become a magnet for paranormal investigators, who regularly document unsettling phenomena within its historic walls.

5 Mackinac Island (Michigan)

Mackinac Island, a summertime jewel of northern Michigan, draws visitors with its car‑free streets, horse‑drawn carriage rides, and historic Grand Hotel. While its sun‑lit charm is undeniable, the island also harbors a darker, spectral side rooted in its tumultuous past.

Originally inhabited by the Odawa tribe, the island suffered devastating losses during the 17th‑ and 18th‑century colonial conflicts. The British later turned it into a fur‑trading outpost, and during the War of 1812, the island became a battlefield. To this day, tourists claim to encounter the lingering spirits of soldiers, witnessing disembodied limbs, headless apparitions, and other unsettling sights.

The Grand Hotel stands at the heart of these hauntings. Some say the hotel is haunted by workers who died during its construction in the late 1880s, while others report a phantom with glowing red eyes that roams the premises. Legends also speak of a sorrowful soul named Harvey, who either took his own life after a heartbreak or was murdered by a jilted lover, and now wanders the hotel and downtown area, adding another layer to Mackinac’s ghostly folklore.

6 Wabasha Street Caves (Minnesota)

The Wabasha Street Caves in Saint Paul began as a 19th‑century silica mine, supplying glass‑blowing factories with raw material. When the glass industry moved on, the tunnels found new life as a mushroom farm, and later, during Prohibition, they transformed into an underground speakeasy and nightclub.

During the roaring 1920s and ’30s, the caves attracted notorious gangsters—Baby Face Nelson, John Dillinger, and others—who partook in illicit drinking, brawls, and even murder within the dank corridors. The violent history left an indelible mark on the subterranean passages.

Modern visitors who brave the depths report a range of paranormal activity: phantom footsteps echoing through the tunnels, chandeliers flickering without cause, and apparitions drifting along the walls. Some historians even speculate that the bodies of slain gangsters may still be interred within the stone, intensifying the eerie atmosphere of the Wabasha Street Caves.

7 McRaven House (Mississippi)

Located in Vicksburg, the McRaven House stands as Mississippi’s most haunted mansion, its roots stretching back to just before 1800. Its original builder, Andrew Glass, was a feared highwayman who robbed and sometimes murdered travelers along the Natchez Trace, stashing his loot within the house’s walls.

After Glass sold the property, a new owner married a 15‑year‑old bride, Elizabeth Howard, who tragically died during childbirth. Her spirit is said to linger, forever bound to the bedroom where she passed. The house’s grim history deepened during the Civil War when it served as a Confederate field hospital, only to be later haunted by the ghost of John Bobb, a homeowner murdered by Union soldiers.

In the early 20th century, the Murray family took residence, enduring the deaths of at least four family members. Their descendants maintained the home until the 1960s, after which it fell into disrepair. New owners soon reported a flurry of hauntings: lights flickering on stairways, a mysterious figure appearing atop the staircase, Bobb’s ghost pacing the porch and balcony, Howard’s lingering presence in her bedroom, and even Glass’s own specter roaming the halls.

8 Old Montana Prison (Montana)

Constructed in 1871 near Deer Lodge, the Old Montana Prison operated as the state’s largest penitentiary for a full century before closing its doors in 1979. The remote, scenic setting belies the brutal conditions that once prevailed within its stone walls.

The prison’s most infamous episode unfolded in 1959, when a massive inmate riot seized control for over 36 hours. Prisoners held guards hostage, killed a deputy warden, and demanded better conditions, prompting the National Guard to intervene. The turmoil resulted in multiple murders and a series of suicides among the riot’s leaders.

Today, the former penitentiary functions as a museum, yet visitors frequently encounter chilling phenomena: inexplicably cold cells, swirling mists, and phantom figures roaming the corridors after hours. The solitary confinement cell, known as “The Hole,” is reputedly the most haunted spot, with spirits reportedly pushing and shoving anyone who enters. Amidst the darkness, a benevolent ghost named Turkey Pete—an inmate who entertained fellow prisoners by “selling” wild turkeys—still roams the halls, offering a comforting counterpoint to the prison’s more malevolent spirits.

9 KiMo Theater (New Mexico)

Opened in 1927, Albuquerque’s KiMo Theater blends American Indian motifs with Art Deco flair, thanks to visionary Oreste Bachechi. Over the decades the venue hosted plays, vaudeville acts, silent films, and later, talkies, earning a place on the National Register of Historic Places.

Local lore tells of a teenage worker named Bobby who perished in a basement explosion in 1951. Since then, his mischievous spirit has been known to play pranks on staff—moving objects, toppling items, and generating eerie noises after dark. Though his antics are harmless, employees often leave candy and donuts to keep Bobby appeased.

Patrons have also reported sightings of Bobby, described as wearing a striped tee and jeans, appearing at the top of the theater’s staircase. Additionally, an unknown woman in a bonnet is said to glide silently through the halls at night. While neither specter appears malevolent, their presence adds a spooky charm to the historic KiMo Theater.

10 Ocean Born Mary House (New Hampshire)

In 1720, a newborn named Mary Wallace arrived aboard a ship bound for New England. Shortly after her birth, pirates seized the vessel near Boston. Moved by the infant’s cries, the pirate captain struck a deal: the parents could keep their child if they renamed her after one of his relatives—Mary. He also gifted the mother a piece of green silk destined for Mary’s future wedding dress.

Mary grew up in New England, eventually marrying and bearing five children. In her later years she settled in Henniker, New Hampshire, where she lived for sixteen more years before passing away in 1814. Decades after her death, a newcomer purchased a nearby estate and, seeking profit, fabricated a legend that Mary had died in his house and now haunted it.

Despite the fact that Mary never actually lived in that particular house, the tale took hold. Tourists began flocking to the estate, claiming to see her specter—sometimes perched in a rocking chair, other times reuniting with the pirate captain to hide treasure in the orchard. Today, visitors to the Ocean Born Mary House report ghostly encounters, even though the spirit was never truly tied to the property, making her haunting a tragic case of misplaced afterlife.

When you think of murderers, you probably picture adults with long, twisted histories. Yet the top 10 killers listed here proved that the urge to kill can surface far earlier than most people imagine. While most youngsters gravitate toward sports, music, or video games, a few chose a far more sinister hobby. Below, we rank ten offenders and reveal the age at which each embarked on a grim road.

Why These Top 10 Killers Shock Us

Each case below showcases a blend of trauma, opportunity, and chilling indifference that allowed a child or teen to cross the line from curiosity to cruelty. Their stories serve as unsettling reminders that evil knows no age limit.

10 Harvey Miguel Robinson, 17 Years Old

Harvey Miguel Robinson, hailing from Allentown, Pennsylvania, earned his place on death row as one of the youngest serial killers in United States history. At just 17, he launched his murderous spree in August 1992. Law enforcement finally cornered him on July 31, 1993, after a botched attempt to murder Denise Cali on June 28, 1993; Cali survived, bit Robinson’s arm during the struggle, and later helped police match the bite mark to him.

• Joan Burghardt: 29‑year‑old nurse’s aide (August 1992)
• Charlotte Schmoyer: 15‑year‑old newspaper carrier for The Morning Call (June 1993)
• Jessica Jean Fortney: 47‑year‑old grandmother (July 1993)

The courts convicted Robinson of raping and killing Schmoyer, Burghardt, and Fortney on November 10, 1994, sentencing him to death for each case. In April 1995, he received an additional 57‑year term for raping a five‑year‑old girl. A 2006 resentencing converted the Burghardt murder penalty to life imprisonment because he was only 17 at the time. He later relinquished appeal rights for a life sentence in the Schmoyer case on December 14, 2012. As of 2020, the death penalty still stands for the Fortney murder.

9 Craig Price, 13 Years Old

Craig Chandler Price, a native of Warwick, Rhode Island, now serves time at Florida State Prison in Raiford. At age 13, he brutally murdered 27‑year‑old neighbor Rebecca Spencer, stabbing her a staggering 58 times. Although he was not initially suspected in Spencer’s death, Price confessed two years later after being apprehended for a triple‑murder spree in 1989, during which he killed 39‑year‑old Joan Heaton and her daughters, 10‑year‑old Jennifer and 8‑year‑old Melissa, inflicting wounds so deep the knife handles snapped off, and crushing Melissa’s skull.

Because of his youth, Price could not be tried as an adult and was sent to the Rhode Island Training School, a juvenile correctional facility. In 2004, he was transferred to Florida owing to his continued violent tendencies. He faced parole denial in March 2009, and while his original release date was set for May 2020, a new 25‑year sentence was added on January 18, 2019, after he stabbed fellow inmate Joshua Davis on April 4, 2017.

8 Jasmine Richardson, 12 Years Old

Jasmine Richardson turned a classic tale of star‑crossed love on its head. At just 12, she began a relationship with 27‑year‑old Jeremy Steinke after meeting at a 2006 punk‑rock show. Their families disapproved, prompting the duo to embark on a murderous rampage on April 23, 2006, targeting Richardson’s parents, Marc and Debra, and her eight‑year‑old brother Jacob. A six‑year‑old neighbor discovered the bodies inside the family home in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada.

Steinke testified that Richardson wanted her parents dead so she could live free of their control, even telling her father, “It’s what your daughter wanted,” as Marc succumbed to stab wounds. Jasmine herself delivered the fatal stab to her brother’s neck. On July 9, 2007, a court convicted both of three counts of first‑degree murder. Canadian law caps sentences for offenders under fourteen at ten years, so Richardson received a ten‑year term, while Steinke was sentenced to three life terms on December 15, 2008.

During her incarceration, Richardson enrolled in courses at Mount Royal University in Calgary and, in 2011, was transferred to a psychiatric hospital. Demonstrating signs of rehabilitation, she completed her sentence and was released in May 2016.

7 Mary Bell, 10 Years Old

Born into poverty and haunted by a mother who repeatedly attempted to kill her, Mary Bell embarked on a murderous path before turning eleven. On May 25, 1968, she lured four‑year‑old Martin Brown to an abandoned house in Newcastle, England, where she strangled him. Although she later left a confession note, authorities initially dismissed her claims. Two months later, she repeated the act, this time murdering three‑year‑old Bryan Howe in the same area, finally leading to her arrest.

In December 1968, a court found Bell guilty of manslaughter on grounds of diminished responsibility. A psychiatrist described classic psychopathic traits, noting that Bell had carved an “M” into Howe’s body and mutilated him, even using scissors to amputate his genitals. She served 12 years before being released in 1980 at age 23. Today she lives under a new identity with her daughter.

6 Joseph Mcvay, 10 Years Old

On January 2, 2011, ten‑year‑old Joseph McVay of Holmes County, Ohio, shot his 46‑year‑old mother, Deborah McVay, with a .22‑caliber rifle. According to his sister Shawna, Joseph was fed up with constant arguments and chose violence over chores. After the shooting, he fled to a neighbor’s house, dialed 911, and calmly told the dispatcher, “I shot my mom. I shot her with a gun.” He pleaded guilty to murder the same day.

The court initially deemed him incompetent for trial, postponing proceedings until early 2013 when a juvenile court finally sentenced him at age 13. The underlying motive appeared to be a dispute over household chores, but family interviews revealed a backdrop of physical, emotional, and verbal abuse from his mother. Earlier signs of aggression surfaced in September 2007, when Joseph swatted a school administrator with a dustpan.

5 Cayetano Santos Godino, 9 Years Old

Cayetano Santos Godino, nicknamed “El Petiso Orejudo” or “Macrotous Runt,” terrorized Buenos Aires, Argentina, from a very young age. At seven, he beat a two‑year‑old boy and left him in a ditch; at eight, he struck another child with a stone. Though released for these assaults due to his youth, the violence escalated. In 1906, at nine, he strangled three‑year‑old Maria Rosa Face and concealed her corpse, only confessing years later.

• Arturo Laurona: 13‑year‑old, killed and abandoned in a house (January 26)
• Reyna Vainicoff: 5‑year‑old, burned alive when her dress caught fire (March 7)
• Roberto Russo: 8‑year‑old, choked but survived (November 8)
• Carolina Neolener: 2‑year‑old, kidnapped and later rescued (November 20)

The killing spree culminated on December 4, 1912, when Godino lured Jesualdo Giordano to a country house, attempted to choke him, beat him, and finally drove a nail into his skull. He was apprehended and placed in a youth detention center on January 4, 1913. Medical reports later declared him insane after he tried to murder fellow inmates. After appeals, he was transferred to Ushuaia Penitentiary on March 28, 1923, where he died in 1944.

4 Christian Romero, 8 Years Old

On November 5, 2008, eight‑year‑old Christian Romero of St. Johns, Arizona, allegedly killed his father, Vincent Romero, with a .22‑caliber rifle before turning the weapon on family friend Tim Romans, a room‑renter, in a double homicide. He pleaded guilty to negligent homicide for Romans’ death in 2009, but prosecutors never pursued charges for his father’s killing, citing the best interests of the child and a desire to avoid forcing a formal acknowledgment.

Romero was placed under the supervision of the Apache County Superior Court, residing in a secure group home where his probation required ongoing mental‑health treatment rather than punitive measures. In 2015, at age 15, an Apache County probation officer recommended he attend public school, marking a tentative step toward normalcy.

3 Carroll Cole, 8 Years Old

Born May 9, 1938, in Sioux City, Iowa, Carroll Cole began his murderous career at eight, drowning classmate Duane in a lake after enduring emotional abuse from his younger sister and relentless teasing at school. Though authorities initially ruled the drowning an accident, Cole later confessed in an autobiography that the act was intentional.

As a teenager, Cole’s criminal behavior escalated: he was discharged from the Army for misconduct, and in 1960 he attacked two couples parked in lover’s lanes. He later attempted to strangle an 11‑year‑old girl in Missouri, earning a five‑year prison term. After his first murder at eight, he did not kill again until May 7, 1971, when he strangled Essie L. Buck. It wasn’t until November 1980 that police finally linked him to three Texas murders, leading to his conviction on April 9, 1981, and execution by lethal injection on December 6, 1985. Cole claimed responsibility for at least fourteen additional murders prior to 1980.

2 Amarjeet Sada, 7 Years Old

Amardeep “Amarjeet” Sada, known as India’s youngest serial killer, committed three murders of infants under one year old in Bihar. At seven, he killed his eight‑month‑old sister and six‑month‑old cousin, both crimes concealed by his parents. Villagers were aware but refrained from reporting, treating it as a family matter. A year later, in January 2007, he abducted six‑month‑old Kushboo, a neighbor’s daughter, strangled her, and bludgeoned her head with a stone.

Police described Sada as smiling frequently and speaking minimally during interrogation. Psychoanalyst Shamshad Hussain labeled him a sadist who derived pleasure from inflicting pain, while a Patna University professor noted his lack of moral compass. Superintendent Amit Lodha classified the case as psychiatric, determining Sada suffered a chemical imbalance. Consequently, he was placed in a children’s home until reaching adulthood at 18.

1 Carl Newton Mahan, 6 Years Old

Claiming the grim title of America’s youngest known killer, Carl Newton Mahan of Kentucky shot his eight‑year‑old friend Cecil Van Hoose on May 18, 1929, using his father’s 12‑gauge shotgun. The dispute originated over a scrap of iron that Hoose had slapped Mahan with; enraged, Mahan retrieved the shotgun, declared, “I’m going to shoot you!” and pulled the trigger.

Less than a week later, Mahan faced trial for manslaughter. He was frequently seen lounging on the defense table or even sleeping during proceedings. A jury convicted him, and the judge imposed a 15‑year reform school sentence. Public opinion split: some argued the punishment was too severe, others felt it insufficient. A circuit court judge later overturned the conviction, insisting a county judge should handle juvenile cases. Ultimately, Kentucky’s attorney general declined further action, allowing Mahan to remain with his parents.