By: Sandra Scott
Sorry Halloween is over? It is possible to get a Halloween “fix” by visiting one of the many haunted sites in New York State.
Some of the historic haunted places in New York State offer special tours and events during the haunted month of October but others welcome visitors year round. Many of the sites have been featured on paranormal television shows and in writing. Most of the “spirits” are said to be friendly so not to worry about any malevolent experiences.
1. New York State Capitol, Albany: The state Capitol was completed in 1899 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The “Million Dollar Staircase” adorned with carved busts is magnificent. Free tours are offered year round with special haunted tours during October. Learn about the two deceased presidents who still visit and the night watchman who continues to make his rounds even though he died in 1911 during a Capitol fire. See the demon carved in stone. Free Capital Haunting Tours are held in October.
2. Bannerman Island, Beacon: Located on an island in the Hudson River the Scottish-style castle has tales of hauntings dating back to the Native Americans who considered it an “evil” place making it a refuge for early settlers during times of Native American aggression. Washington Irving added to the lore when he wrote about the goblins that inhabited the island. Guided and self-guided walking tours are available from May to October with access to the island by boat or kayak.
3. Otesaga Resort Hotel, Cooperstown: The Otesaga on beautiful Otsego Lake is a member of the Historic Hotels of America. Since it opened in 1909 there have been rumors of paranormal activity. Guests have reported hearing children playing and/or giggling in the third floor hallway. From 1920 to 1954 the hotel was a private school known as the Knox School for Girls. Voices have also been heard in the Glimmerglass Room and apparitions have been seen walking hand-in-hand in period clothing.
4. Rolling Hills Asylum, East Bethany: The sprawling red brick building was built in 1827 as The Genesee County Poor Farm and in the 1950s it was a county home and infirmary. Over the years people reported strange occurrences of the paranormal kind. It was declared the “Second Most Haunted Place in the United States” by Haunted North America and has been featured on many TV shows. Tours and other “experiences” are available year round including a nine-hour “quarantined” tour.
5. Landmark Theater, Syracuse: The theater originally known as Loew’s State Theater is an opulent, historic “movie palace” theater with a sweeping staircase, gilded Oriental-style décor, and large murals. Workers and visitors claim to have seen the spirit of Clarissa who fell to her death from a balcony in 1930. It may have been when she saw her husband electrocuted while working on the stage or, according to another version she was an actress distraught over losing a coveted role. It is just one of the hauntings at the Theater.
6. Fort Ontario, Oswego: Fort Ontario, “The Guardian of the Northern Frontier,” has been rebuilt many times since the first fortress was erected in 1755. According to the TV show “Ghost Hunters” it is one of the most haunted places in the United States. Sightings, smell, and music are often part of the paranormal experience. The fort was a military hospital and later a refuge for Jews during WWII. Ghost tours occur in October but visitors may tour the fort from May to October.
7. Thompson Park Vortex, Watertown: For the uninformed, vortexes and ley lines are places where there are special energy forces. In fact, some say the vortex portal at Thompson Park has sent people into time warps and has transported people to other parts of the park. For more than 100 years there have been reports of people who have “gone missing” only to show up claiming they were transported to the “past.” The park is a Frederick Law Olmstead-designed park so it is special in its own right.
