The Definitive Guide To All Things Haunted And Creepy In Mississippi
If you are in Mississippi, you may have heard quite a few terrifying tales stemming from the paranormal. The probability of having a ghostly encounter is high around the state with all its authentic haunted houses, haunted plantations, haunted hotels, and other haunted places. Visit one of these locations and you may feel like you’re part of a Southern gothic novel. Not to mention that this state has one of the scariest haunted houses ever. Are you in the mood for a haunted adventure, one that will give you goosebumps and keep you up at night? Read on to learn some creepy facts behind some of the most haunted places around the Magnolia State.
The Most Haunted House In Mississippi
The McRaven House in Vicksburg was built over the course of three separate time periods, with the first section built in 1797. It was added onto in 1836 and the third addition was constructed in 1849. Throughout the years, the house had several owners and was witness to the violence of the Civil War. The grounds were once used as both a field hospital and a campsite for Confederate soldiers, and, during this time, death was imminent for many. Anyone can see why many ghosts still linger around the property. McRaven opened its doors to the public in 1961 and visitors can tour the home that's furnished with period antiques and a few personal effects from some of the former owners. It's also been a big draw for those seeking out the paranormal as several apparitions have been witnessed. Visit the McRaven home for either a history or haunted tour and maybe you will see the spirits of Civil War soldiers or Mary Elizabeth Howard, the wife of the second owner of the home, who loves to play pranks from beyond the grave.
The Most Haunted Road In Mississippi (And Maybe America)
Nash Road in Columbus, located in Lowndes County has quite the story attached to it. As the urban legend goes, locals have seen the ghost of a three-legged woman along the road. Some believe that a young girl was kidnapped, murdered, and parts of her dismembered were thrown by this road. When the girl's mother went to search for her, she could only find one leg which she then carried, still searching for her daughter. Perhaps the mother is the three-legged lady? Another explanation is that a satanic cult using an abandoned church along the Nash was performing human sacrifices and perhaps one of the victims is the ghost that haunts the road today. Much of the paranormal activity happens by the site where the church, now torn down, once stood. Whatever the explanation, a drive along this road may send shivers down your spine, especially if you see the woman's ghost running alongside your car, which she tends to do. Would you take a drive down Three-Legged Lady Road?
The 3 Most Haunted Places In Mississippi
1. Yazoo City's Glenwood Cemetery is the final resting place for many notable people, including author Willie Morris, a mass grave of Confederate soldiers, and one infamous witch. The witch's grave is perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this cemetery. Only known as the "Witch of Yazoo," she lived along the river and would lure fishermen over just to torture and kill them. The police found out and chased her into the swamp where she perished. Just before she died she vowed to return 20 years later and burn the town down. A woman was then buried in the cemetery, with heavy chains surrounding the grave. Oddly enough, 20 years later, a fire did break out in Yazoo, destroying 300 buildings and it was found that the chains around the grave were broken. Did the witch return to get her revenge? The chains have been repaired, only to be found broken apart again and the headstone has mysteriously fallen over and split in two. Would you pay a visit to the witch's grave?
2. Linden Bed and Breakfast is located in Natchez, a town with deep historical roots and many sites on both the National and State Historical Registries. And we all know how historical places can be a hotbed of paranormal activity. Linden started out as as residence known as "Oaklands" when it was built in 1785 and has since transformed into a lovely bed and breakfast with some unusual sightings. On occasion, a ghostly horse-drawn carriage may appear in the driveway, mysterious tapping noises may been heard throughout the house, and two phantoms seem to have taken up residence here (or maybe they've lived here all along and never left). An apparition of a man can often be seen in one of the bedrooms and a woman has been spotted jumping off a roof on the property, only to disappear before she hits the ground. Spooky! Would you be able to sleep through the night at this historic bed and breakfast?
3. Chapel of the Cross was built in 1852 in Madison. On the property of this beautiful house of worship is a graveyard that's known to be haunted. According to one local story, a woman named Helen Johnstone was engaged to a Henry Vick who was killed in a duel just days before their wedding in 1859. Helen's apparition can sometimes be seen sobbing at his grave located in the chapel's graveyard. At times, a ghostly couple is seen walking together through a locked gate. Could this be the two lovers reunited in the afterlife? The chapel is also not immune to paranormal activity. The organ may play on its own at times, manic disembodied laughter can be heard, and bloodstains sometimes appear on the floor, most likely stemming from a murder/suicide that occurred. Tours of the chapel and grave given by appointment only.
Mississippi's Freakiest Haunted Prison
With its location in one of the oldest and most haunted cities in the Magnolia State, it should be unsurprising that the former prison is thought to be a host to paranormal activity. The Adams County Jail, housed in a Victorian building that is now home to offices, was in operation from 1891-1975. Death row cells lined the second floor where a trap door used for hanging executions was also located. The hauntings began almost as soon as the building was constructed. Cell doors would open and close, and moans, footsteps, and voices by the trap door could be heard, all while no one else was around. Strange things kept happening throughout the years and even now that the building has been transformed into office space, workers in the building have seen an apparition and have witnessed faucets and equipment turning on and off. Would you dare step foot inside the old Natchez jail?
Scariest Haunted House In Mississippi
Tupelo Haunted Castle is one of the South's top-rated haunted attractions. Since 2008, it's been terrifying thrill-seekers throughout the house and at two additional attractions on the property – a frightfully creepy haunted maze called Lost in the Darkness and an interactive heart-pounding horror experience called Delerium. The layout of the castle changes from year-to-year and is open in October. Are you brave enough to visit Tupelo Haunted Castle?
The Best Haunted Corn Maze In Mississippi
During the month of October, the Seward Farms Maze in Lucedale scares up some fun with its Field of Fright. Run screaming and terrified as you twist and turn through a creepy corn maze with witches, zombies, and other sinister characters lurking around every corner. To continue the frightening experience, you can hop aboard the haunted hayride for another ghoulish adventure. Would you make it through the Field of Fright?
5 Creepy Photos From Mississippi
The Shubuta Bridge, aka the "Hanging Bridge," spans across the Chickasawhay River.
The abandoned Hawkins Field Terminal building in Jackson.
The ruins of Prospect Hill Plantation being reclaimed by nature near Lorman.
The creepy decaying interior of the Kuhn Memorial State Hospital in Vicksburg.
This cemetery can be found deep in the woods of the ghost town of Rodney.
5 Creepy Facts About Mississippi
- The small town of Flora, with just 2,000 residents, is known for its petrified forest. However, in February of 1977, it also became known as the site of “one of the most famous UFO sightings in the world.” Dozens of townspeople witnessed a large, strange object floating above the trees by a cotton field. It hovered for at least 45 minutes before it moved and disappeared.
- King’s Tavern was a popular restaurant that occupied one of the oldest buildings in Natchez. In the 1930s, the skeletal remains of two men and one woman were found in a wall along with a dagger, presumed to be the murder weapon. It is believed that the woman was the mistress of the original tavern owner and her ghost has been seen around the tavern.
- You may not want to drive down Johns Bayou Road in Vancleave where creepy things tend to happen. At least five mysterious accidents have occurred in the same exact spot, and each driver reported the same thing – they saw blood in the road right before the accident. Then a van would appear out of nowhere, crash into the car, and disappear.
- Mississippi has had its fair share of notorious serial killers over the course of a few hundred years, but the first ones in the state were a pair of cousins by the names of Micaja Harpe and Wiley Harpe. These men terrorized the southern states for many years in the late 1700s, leaving a trail of at least 40 murdered victims behind them.
- Stuckey’s Bridge in Lauderdale County is the site of some sinister activity. According to local lore, in the 1800s, a man by the name of Stuckey opened an inn by the Chunky River and would stand outside with a lantern to lure weary travelers to stay the night. However, the innkeeper happened to have an evil ulterior motive. He would murder his guests, take their possessions, and then dump the bodies into the river at the site of where the bridge was eventually built in 1850. Sometime after the bridge was constructed, Stuckey was caught and hanged from the bridge. Witnesses have since seen his apparition walking by the river with a lantern and his body hanging from the bridge.
