Boo! Check Out These 8 Haunted Colleges

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 moving inexplicably and disembodied voices. Whether recently or in the past, students and staff at the following eight 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 Myles Standish Hall — 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. Myles Standish Hall is not the only spot at BU with unexplained occurrences, however. There have been reports of flickering lights, elevator doors opening automatically and overall feelings of uneasiness in other buildings on campus.

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 fell down an elevator shaft after dropping his marbles. 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 buildings on campus.

Kenyon College (OH)

At Kenyon College in Ohio, many ghost stories have been passed down for generations. The Shaffer 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 guards have heard the sound of a diving board bouncing.

The Pennsylvania State University–University Park

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’s website. Old Botany, the oldest standing building on campus, for instance, is reportedly haunted by several ghosts, including the wife of George Atherton, a former president of the university. Some witnesses have claimed to see her figure in a window keeping a watchful eye on her husband’s grave, which is on campus. Others have heard sounds of glass shattering and have seen carpets roll up without anyone nearby.

University of Georgia

The University of Georgia’s Candler Hall, commonly referred to as the IA Building, has a sinister history. Now home to the School of Public and International Affairs and the Department of 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. That 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 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 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. DeSaussure College, an upperclassmen dormitory and office building on the Horseshoe, served as a hospital during the Civil War and as a federal prison during Reconstruction. Since then, some students have claimed to hear the footsteps and voices of soldiers. There also have been reports of strange sightings and peculiarly cool breezes in other buildings on or near the Horseshoe.

Wells College (NY)

While details have changed slightly over time, several ghost stories have been told at Wells College in New York for years. Morgan Hall, which houses the Book Arts Center, for instance, is said to be guarded by Max — a security guard that died saving students from a fire where the building now stands. Some students claim they’ve felt a push from behind when walking down the stairs, which is rumored to be Max still trying to save those left in the building. Other stories, among many, involve the ghost of a science student who was stabbed and the comforting spirits of nurses who died in a fire in the Main Building, a residence hall on campus.

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, which was 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.

Resources for campus living

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Colleges with haunted buildings

— Boston University

— East Tennessee State University

— Kenyon College

— The Pennsylvania State University–University Park

— University of Georgia

— University of South Carolina

— Wells College

— William & Mary

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