Schools with histories of hauntings
Many U.S. colleges and universities have been around for centuries, enduring fires and serving as places of refuge or hospitals for soldiers during war. With that history — including times of loss — comes tales of eerie hauntings on campuses, including encounters with figures, objects mysteriously moving and disembodied voices. Whether recently or in the past, students and staff at the following nine schools are rumored to have encountered paranormal occurrences in academic buildings or dormitories. True or not, these ghost stories have been passed on from student to student for years, sometimes even generations.
Boston University (MA)
Boston University has connections to several famous spirits, including baseball star Babe Ruth and playwright Arthur Miller. Ruth was a regular guest at the Myles Standish Hotel — now known as BU’s 610 Beacon St. — and, it has been said, sometimes comes back to visit as a benevolent ghost. The former hotel-turned-dormitory is also tied to the suicide of Miller’s uncle. Some students have allegedly felt cold spots and seen drawers open by themselves in their rooms. 610 Beacon St. is not the only spot at BU with unexplained occurrences, however. There have been reports of alarms sounding without being set and overall feelings of uneasiness in other buildings on campus.
Drew University (NJ)
Drew University is rumored to have not just one, but several haunted areas on campus, including Seminary Hall, Mead Hall, Hoyt-Bowne Hall and outside the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theater. At some of these residence halls and academic buildings, students have reported seeing apparitions and flickering lights; felt wandering eyes; and heard doors slam and an organ play without someone nearby. The New Jersey university shares its spooky stories — passed down over decades — during campus ghost tours every year, which are available first come, first served to a limited number of students and community members.
East Tennessee State University
At East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, students and staff recount the story of the “Marble Boy.” Years ago, in what’s now Lucille Clement Hall, a young boy dropped marbles, causing him to fall down an elevator shaft. Some students living in the five-floor building still claim to hear marbles rolling around on the top floor and a young voice saying “hello” despite no one in sight. There also have been reports of faucets turning on and off on their own and spirits of former faculty members roaming the halls of other campus buildings.
Kenyon College (OH)
At Kenyon College in Ohio, many ghost stories have been passed down for generations. The Bolton Dance Studio, formerly the Shaffer Pool, for instance, is home to the “Greenhouse Ghost.” According to lore, either a Kenyon student or World War II Air Force cadet died at the pool — which was nicknamed “The Greenhouse” due to its glass ceiling — after a diving accident. Some dancers rehearsing late at night have claimed to see wet footprints leading into the locker rooms, while security workers have heard the sound of a diving board bouncing.
The Pennsylvania State University
Penn State is no stranger to spooky stories. More than half a dozen sites on the main campus, University Park, have tales of spirits, ghosts and apparitions, according to the school. Old Botany, the oldest building on campus that has not received significant exterior renovations, for instance, is reportedly haunted by several ghosts, including the wife of George Atherton, a former Penn State president. Some witnesses have claimed to see her figure in a window keeping a watchful eye on her husband’s grave on campus. Others have heard sounds of glass shattering and have seen carpets roll up without someone nearby.
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia‘s Candler Hall has a sinister history. Now home to the School of Public and International Affairs, Candler Hall was once a dorm. In September 1905, William Samuel Loy, a student at the university, played with a loaded pistol in his room. The gun fired accidentally and struck Loy in the abdomen, killing him. Many believe his spirit never left the building, as staff and students continue to have paranormal encounters, such as hearing footsteps, seeing a figure drag chains on the staircases and noticing objects moving when no one else is in the building.
University of Notre Dame (IN)
On a snowy December night in the 1920s, University of Notre Dame football player George Gipp, nicknamed the “The Gipper,” missed curfew and was locked out of his dorm room, forcing him to sleep on the steps of Washington Hall. That cold night outside caused pneumonia and ultimately led to his untimely death. On his deathbed, Gipp told his coach to “win just one for the Gipper” — a quote that has been immortalized by the Indiana school’s football team, known as the Fighting Irish. It’s said that Gipp, alongside other spirits, still haunts the music hall. Students have also reported seeing dark figures strolling through Notre Dame’s Cedar Grove Cemetery late at night.
University of South Carolina
With a 200-year history, the University of South Carolina is no stranger to reports of spooky footsteps, voices and moving objects on campus — to the point where, similar to Drew University, ghost tours are organized each year for students and local residents of Columbia. These hauntings commonly occur on the Horseshoe, a cluster of buildings in the oldest part of campus. A spirit of a Confederate nurse — known as Ms. Black, who poisoned occupying soldiers during the Civil War — is said to offer wine to those passing by the Horseshoe. There also have been reports of strange sightings and peculiarly cool breezes in buildings on or near the Horseshoe.
William & Mary (VA)
William & Mary‘s history spans five centuries, with the Sir Christopher Wren Building — the oldest college building in the U.S. still standing — serving as a hospital for wounded soldiers during the Revolutionary and Civil wars. In present day, late-night visitors to the Wren Building have claimed to hear footsteps through the halls. There have been encounters with other spirits at the Virginia college, too, including in Tucker Hall, once the main library on campus. Any students working alone on the third floor are approached by a spirit asking how their studying is going. If the study session is productive, it’s rumored the ghost will throw a fit until the student leaves.
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Colleges with haunted buildings
— Boston University (MA)
— Drew University (NJ)
— East Tennessee State University
— Kenyon College (OH)
— The Pennsylvania State University
— University of Georgia
— University of South Carolina
— University of Notre Dame (IN)
— William & Mary (VA)
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Boo! Check Out These 9 Haunted Colleges originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 10/09/25: This slideshow was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
