Few things are worse than living in a small town. It’s like purgatory. You’re not quite in hell but you might as well be. But not all towns are equal, and not all of them are boring. Many are known for reports of paranormal activity. Usually small and old, they have long been plagued by alleged ghostly encounters. There are haunted towns in every country, if you believe the word of the locals, that is. But as I said, every location has a different story. As Halloween is fast approaching we will today look at some of the world’s most haunted towns.
10: Leadville, Colorado
In the mountains of Colorado, Leadville is known as the 2 mile high town. Leadville might sound like a fictional location from Fallout but it’s a real place. And for more than a century it’s been rumored haunted. In 1907, a local newspaper reported on such rumors, naming a landlord unable to find tenants as everyone believed his building was haunted. A nearby mine too is said to be haunted by a vengeful female spirit. By day or night she is known to lure victims deep into the mine, hoping they will get lost and perish. Leadville cemetery is also notorious – where orbs of light float over certain graves at night.
9: Belchite, Spain
In Northern Spain is an eerie abandoned town. For hundreds of years it was a quiet community. Then in 1937 a bloody battle was fought in the town. Local townsfolk fled, in the hope of returning when the battle died down. But after two weeks of intense fighting the town was ruined beyond hope. Ever since it has been a ghost town. So it’s no surprise actual ghosts are believed to now call it home. Walk down it’s empty streets and you might hear the sound of a baby crying. You might even see the ghosts of dead soldiers carrying on their battle. Though one of the more beautiful haunted towns, I would still avoid going near it.
8: St. Osyth, England
The English town of St. Osyth is a very strange place. It was named after a 7th century princess who was beheaded by Viking raiders. For her sacrifice Osyth was later declared a saint, because in those days everybody god made one. But unlike a saint her spirit soon returned. On cold mornings she can be seen walking around the town carrying her severed head. In the 16th century a series of witch trials again devastated the town. Ten women were executed by hanging, and today a local house is said to be haunted by their angry ghosts. A former jail house, it’s owner has been trying to sell the building since 2006.
7: Catemaco, Mexico
In southern Mexico there is a mysterious town inhabited by mysterious people. Known as the witchcraft capital of the world, many of it’s residents are said to practice magic. It’s unknown why this one town has a tradition of witchcraft. But it’s origin goes back to pre-Colombian times. Within the town is a council of 13… apparently powerful witches, who essentially lead the community. Every year they hold an absurd festival where witches from across the world descend on their small town. Thousands of creeps and losers attend the event – making it the biggest of such gatherings in the world.
6: Deadwood, South Dakota
The small town of Deadwood has been infamous since the wild west era. A gold rush boom town, it’s population then was 20 times larger than now. It was a violent place, with gunfights common and famous figures like Wyatt Earp and Bill Hickock drawn here. But that was a long time ago. Today deadwood is little more than a tourist attraction. Many who visit leave believing in the paranormal, as many historic sights are considered haunted. Among them is the bullock hotel, founded by the sheriff of deadwood. His ghostly figure often walks it’s halls. Dozens have reported seeing him. Even more have heard strange noises, or seen orbs of light float through the air.
5: Bedok, Singapore
I think ghosts are a bunch of cowards. Otherwise they would show themselves more often. But in Singapore, people are somehow scared of these ghostly cowards. The residential town of Bedok is the subject of countless ghost stories. Some describe demonic figures peering into windows – even high up on large apartment blocks. Another tells of a jilted bride who attacks anyone that looks like the man who hurt her. My favorite tells of a family haunted for years, to the point the father went mad and jumped out of a high rise window. It might sound grim for that to be my favorite but ghost stories are rarely jolly.
4: Kapunda, Australia
Kapunda is known as the most haunted town in Australia. The countries oldest mining town, it has been in decline since the last copper mine shut down. Many men died in those mines, only for it’s owners to ignore the relatives of the dead. And so it was said angry spirits emerge from the mines at night. Many former residents refuse to return to Kapunda, claiming a strong headache and sense of dread keeps them away. The local cemetery is sometimes found with bible verses written into the soil of certain graves. Most feared is a youth detention center, a place so believed to be haunted it was demolished by authorities. So if you want a building torn down, just claim to see a ghost.
3: Fort San, Canada
Home to just 200 people, Fort San is a pointless place. For much of it’s history town life revolved around the local sanatorium, a medical facility specializing in tuberculosis. Most new arrivals in Fort San came simply to die – often slowly. Only shut down in 1971, thousands of patients lived and died in Fort San. Many were not claimed by relatives and buried in unmarked graves on the grounds. Some say it was shut down due to the numerous ghosts trapped inside. Some ghosts are nurses going about their duties. But most are of dead patients, often heard calling for help or cursing the doctors. One ghost is of a man who died in an experimental treatment and is kept going only by hatred.
2: Fengdu Ghost City, China
In the mountains of central China is Fengdu ghost city, a mysterious complex of temples and monasteries. According to legend, the spirits of humans come here immediately after death. In order to pass on to the afterlife we must then walk through the complex while being judged by the god of death. Throughout the complex are creepy statues. Statues of gods, strange monsters, and of humans being tortured. Little is known of it’s origin or even who built Fengdu Ghost City. But it seems to be around 2 thousand years old. In recent years it’s become a tourist attraction. So if you find yourself here you might still be alive. A folkloric location like this might not sound like it belongs on a list of haunted towns. But since ghostly souls are said to walk freely here, I think it’s close enough.
1: Pluckley, England
The English town of Pluckley has long been called the world’s most haunted place. So many ghosts are rumored to occupy Pluckley I wish the government would destroy it. First there is the spirit of a medieval monk, who appears only on a Sunday morning to make sure people attend church. On the town outskirts is a ghostly highwayman eternally riding his horse in the shadows. Several pubs in the area date to the 1600s. Each of which claim to be haunted. The population is less than a thousand. But there are 12 major ghosts of Pluckley, easily making it one of the world’s most haunted towns per capita.