Halloween has passed but that doesn’t mean the season of spooks has to be over. In fact, Nevada is chock full of haunts that are worth visiting all year long. After all, we just happen to be home to the most haunted college in America and it’s definitely worth checking out. University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) is a beautiful campus but it’s also the setting of plenty of ghost stories that will spook you to the core. Check out the story behind UNR’s haunted reputation below and keep your eyes peeled the next time you find yourself on campus!
The University of Nevada, Reno campus is certainly unique. As you stroll through the college grounds, you'll notice a combination of both new and old buildings. Some of these buildings date back to the college's founding in 1874 so it only makes sense that many of them are rumored to be haunted.
The Mackay School of Mines is considered among the campus' most haunted buildings. There are simply too many ghost stories linked to it to count, including the one about Geology professor E.R. Larson. He died in his office in 1979 and clocks have been known to randomly stop at his time of death ever since.
One of the most famous legends about the building refers to the portrait of Katherine Mackay that is located inside of the conference room on the second floor of the building. It has been known to topple over when moved to any other location and one account from the 90s claimed that the portait was found floating in the basement.
Another building that is widely known to be haunted is Morrill Hall. Over the years, many students have claimed paranormal experiences in the building. People in the building report feeling eyes watching them and objects mysteriously moving on their own. One ex-staff member even saw the ghost of a woman looking out the window on the top floor during a time when the top floor was supposed to be closed off.
In general, many of UNR's residence halls are believed to haunted. For instance, both Nye Hall and Canada Hall are said to have been built on old Native American burial grounds (and later a Catholic cemetery). It's no wonder people get the creeps from these buildings!
Lincoln Hall is another building with a creepy legend associated to it. It's believed that a student named James Champagne accidentally shot himself while cleaning his rifle in the building in 1906. His ghost is believed to haunt the building, especially the basement, to this very day.
The stories of UNR's haunted campus are truly endless. It's no wonder it's considered the most haunted college in America! Keep an eye out the next time you find yourself on campus and you might just see for yourself what the hullabaloo is about.
