Haunted Places to Visit in the 315 to Spice Up Your October
Dark Tourism and Real Haunted Locations in the 315
We’ve always enjoyed telling stories about the paranormal and heroes. From Beowulf to the crazed maniac scraping his hook along unsuspecting teen’s cars, we’ve been fascinated at trying to scare each other.
Dark tourism isn’t new. We’ve toured sites for centuries. From shamelessly grinding a grave for fertility, experiencing the insane energy from Civil War battlefields, or seeing Pompei, we’ve loved locations filled with death and despair. We love to be scared.
Where to Find Haunted Locations to Visit
The good news is you don’t need to travel to Hungaria, Japan, or the south to visit haunted locations. Upstate NY is filled with history, both good and bad. Utica was established as a village in 1798, with Syracuse becoming a village in 1825. With over 200 years of history in the region, including the Revolutionary War, you can have ghost adventures in our backyard.
Syracuse Area
Erie Canal Museum
The Erie Canal Museum is inside the last remaining weighlock building in America. Once a stop to assess weight and tolls, now the 150 year old halls boast history and a variety of ghosts. Two men can be heard arguing and stomping around the halls. Also, a woman can be seen, who was killed in the building. Finally, a group of transparent children have been seen playing in the courtyard.
Self-guided tours are available. You can contact Haunted History Trail of NY about their group paranormal group tours.
📍 318 Erie Boulevard East, Syracuse
Split Rock Quarry
If you want to trek to an abandoned site, this is for you. We want to warn you though, don’t go alone and make sure you’re ready for a hike through the forest to get there.
The quarry was the site for a munitions factory, which exploded, killing 50 men in 1918. All that remains is a large rock and crusher machine. Visitors reported voices, footsteps, and something revving the engine of the crusher, which hasn’t run since the accident.
📍 Onondaga Boulevard, 10 minutes west of Syracuse
13 Curves on Onondaga Hill
Tales of haunted road ways are as old as the automobile, even older. “13 Curves” is Syracuse’s most haunted road. According to local legend, in the early 1900s, a bride and groom left their ceremony, taking the narrow and curvy road home. A crash caused the couple to be ejected and pass away.
Since the accident, stories of the bride, endlessly searching for her love have been told. From orbs, to phantom hitchhikers. If you decide to visit late at night, be careful. Some think the bride protects drivers from the same fate, while others have had car accidents with unknown causes.
📍 Cedarvale Rd., Syracuse
The Landmark Theater
Opening in 1928, the Landmark Theater saw a tragedy shortly after opening. Clarissa, said to be an actress, passed away after throwing herself off the balcony after her love died tragically. Since then, stories of a woman dressed in white, roaming the theater have been reported. Others say the scent of flowers and other occurrences that note her presence have been experienced.
The Landmark has guided tours available and group investigation tours can be booked. Both require reservations and availability.
📍 362 South Salina St., Syracuse
The Brae Loch Inn
Nestled by the picturesque Cazenovia Lake, this Scottish inn offers visitors more than luxurious accommodations and delicious dining. First, it’s said the spirit of a girl in a long blue dress offers to escort visitors to their rooms. Lights and orbs have been reported. A man in classic attire has been seen walking through the closet in room 12. If you need more proof, around 2015, a NewsChannel 9 report was interrupted by breaking glass in an area no one was present.
Scheduled ghost tours are available with reservations.
📍5 Albany St., Cazenovia
Utica/Rome Area
The Stanley Theater
The Stanley Theater opened in 1928. While no specific historical events are on record, many people have reported paranormal activity. People have reported a ghost in the women’s room, footsteps, shadows on stage or the balcony, and ghosts sitting during performances. Patrons report harsh cold while seated in specific seats.
Guided tours and ghost hunts are available with reservations.
📍 259 Genesse St., Utica
Woodland Farm Brewery Taphouse at the Hulbert House
Since 1812, the Hulbert House has hosted famous guests, and guests who didn’t want to leave. Children’s voices have been heard, and the image of a girl was captured in a photograph. Wayne, the resident Civil War clad ghost frequents the tap house and can be heard wandering the second floor. Finally, the spirit of an elderly woman can be felt on the third floor, recorded by paranormal investigators.
Visit the Hulbert House and support local business with some great food and drinks.
📍106 Main St., Booneville
The Capital Theater
The Capital Theater has a history of paranormal activity with recorded investigations. Shadowy figures, doors opening on their own, and a defunct organ playing music are some of the occurrences witnessed. An image of a male apparition was captured on the balcony by a board member. Performances have been heard when the theater should have been silent. There is a history of tragedy with deaths in the theater in 1928 and 1946.
📍220 West Dominick St., Rome
Sylvan Beach Midway
The midway at Sylvan Beach made national TV when Ghost Hunters investigated the area. The investigation found three possible spirits habitating the midway. First, Jack frequented the Royal Hotel. Knocks, a voice, and whistling were heard when attempting to contact him. Scottie, one of the past workers, was said to whistle at Treasure Island. Finally, Abby, a child who spends her time at the park.
Visit during regular hours or watch for special ghost hunting tours.
📍Bridge St., Sylvan Beach
Herkimer Area
Beardslee Castle
Beardslee Castle has a long and brutal history, from deaths to a structure fire destroying the castle twice. The castle has a variety of paranormal activity. Motorists report lights shooting towards vehicles. Voices, footsteps, and other sounds haunt the halls. Objects move on their own, and others break with no one around. One spirit, named Abigail, has been seen walking the halls.
The history adds to the legend. Before the castle was built in the late 1800s, the location was a fortified farmhouse. During the French and Indian War, gunpowder was stored in tunnels. A group of Native Americans attempted to steal the gunpowder, setting it on fire, causing an explosion killing them all. Other deaths occurred, such as the hanging of the second owner of the manor.
📍123 Old State Rd., Little Halls
Herkimer Historic Four Corners
The four corners house several historic buildings. Two are rumored to be haunted—the 1834 Herkimer County Jail and 1884 Suiter House Museum. The 1834 Herkimer County Jail was the holding place for two infamous murderers. Chester Gillette, found guilty of murdering his love, Grace Brown, in 1906. Roxana Druse was convicted of murdering her abusive husband and was the last woman hanged in New York in 1887. The jail saw its share of suicides as well.
The Suiter Home Museum is connected to the jail, which served as the courthouse’s medical examiner office.
Tours can be found where you can tour and hunt for these notorious ghosts.
📍 Intersections of N. Main St., Church St., and Court St., Herkimer
Find More Places to Explore in the 315
Spice up your spooky season with a touch of local dark tourism. We ask you respect the locations and the people who passed, or their victims.
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