10 Most Haunted Places in Mississippi: Real Ghost Stories You Can Visit

Mississippi wears its history like a bloodstain that never quite fades. Few states carry so much tragedy packed into so little distance.

The Civil War tore through here in 1863, and the 47 day Siege of Vicksburg alone left tens of thousands dead. Yellow fever epidemics, plantation cruelty, and river disasters piled grief on top of grief.

All of that suffering seems to have soaked into the walls of the state’s grand antebellum homes. If you want the full map, you can browse all haunted places in Mississippi by city and type.

This guide ranks the ten most haunted places in the state, most famous first. Every entry is a real location you can actually visit.

You will find murdered mistresses, unfinished mansions, phantom soldiers, and an entire tribe that still sings from beneath a river. Each story is drawn from documented reports, not invented for effect.

Bring a camera and a level head. If you plan to investigate after dark, our ghost hunting equipment guide covers the gear that actually helps.

1. McRaven House (Vicksburg)

Locals call McRaven House the most haunted home in Mississippi, and the reputation is earned. At least nine distinct spirits are said to share the property.

The house was built in three sections between 1797 and 1850, growing from a frontier cabin into a Greek Revival showpiece. During the 1863 siege it served as a Confederate field hospital.

Owner John Bobb was shot dead in his own hallway by a Union soldier. His wife, Mary Elizabeth, witnessed the murder and died of grief within months.

Mary Elizabeth is the most frequently seen ghost, appearing in a dark Victorian dress with the scent of gardenia. A tour guide once had her arm grabbed hard enough to leave finger shaped bruises in the Empire bedroom.

“Ghost Adventures” filmed here in 2014, capturing shadow figures and scratches on the host’s back. Daytime tours run Monday through Saturday, with special paranormal investigations on select evenings.

2. King’s Tavern (Natchez)

King’s Tavern is the oldest standing building in Natchez, serving travelers since 1769. Its cypress walls are eighteen inches thick and full of secrets.

Owner Richard King reportedly kept a mistress named Madeline while married. Legend says his jealous wife murdered the young woman and hid her body inside the chimney.

In 1930, renovators found three skeletons sealed in the fireplace, one clutching a Spanish dagger. The gruesome discovery turned old folklore into documented mystery.

Madeline still announces herself with a sudden wave of gardenia perfume. Diners report silverware sliding across tables and glasses tipping over on their own.

The tavern operates as a working restaurant, so no ticket is needed beyond your meal. Reserve a table for the upstairs dining rooms, the most active part of the building.

3. Longwood Mansion (Natchez)

Longwood Mansion is the largest octagonal house in America and its most famous unfinished dream. Construction began in 1860 and stopped forever when the Civil War erupted.

Philadelphia craftsmen dropped their tools and fled north, leaving the upper floors as bare brick shells. Only the basement was ever completed.

Dr. Haller Nutt died in 1864, ruined and heartbroken over his lost fortune. His widow Hattie raised eight children in those cramped basement rooms until 1897.

Visitors still hear phantom hammering and sawing from the empty upper floors. Dr. Nutt’s apparition is seen inspecting the abandoned work, and one guide heard him say, “I’m still waiting for them to finish.”

The Pilgrimage Garden Club runs guided tours Tuesday through Saturday. The rotunda beneath the great dome is the most active spot in the house.

4. Waverly Plantation Mansion (West Point)

Waverly Plantation Mansion rises four stories to a striking octagonal cupola in the remote Mississippi countryside. Its isolation only sharpens the eerie atmosphere.

Colonel George Hampton Young finished the home in 1862 after ten years of work. The family suffered repeated deaths inside these walls, and soldiers used it as a wartime hospital.

The most documented spirit is a little girl named Eliza, who died of yellow fever around age eight. Guests hear her giggling and find small handprints on mirrors and windows.

A Memphis investigation team recorded a man’s voice in the master bedroom clearly saying, “This is my house.” A fifteen degree temperature drop hit the exact spot at the same moment.

Waverly opens for guided tours and offers premium after dark paranormal sessions. Call ahead, since hours shift with the seasons.

5. Stanton Hall (Natchez)

Stanton Hall fills an entire Natchez city block with 15,000 square feet of antebellum grandeur. Irish born cotton broker Frederick Stanton spent $83,000 to build it by 1857.

Stanton died suddenly in 1859, barely getting to enjoy his masterpiece. Many believe he never left.

His ghost is seen in the library, examining books near the fireplace before fading into the wall. His widow Hulda is heard weeping in the master bedroom suite late at night.

A wedding coordinator was once trapped in the parlor when every window slammed shut and the doors locked from inside. “Ghost Adventures” filmed here in 2016 and captured a woman’s voice saying, “my house.”

The Pilgrimage Garden Club offers tours Tuesday through Saturday. The on site Carriage House Restaurant has its own reported activity.

6. Merrehope Mansion (Meridian)

Merrehope Mansion has watched over Meridian since 1858. When General Sherman’s troops burned much of the city in 1864, this home survived as a field hospital.

Wounded soldiers died in agony in the elegant parlors and bedrooms. Blood soaked into the wooden floors during those terrible weeks.

The most seen spirit is “The Captain,” a Confederate officer in a blood stained gray uniform who watches from the windows. Staff have held whole conversations with him before he vanishes.

A young woman in white, believed to be Eugenia Gary Howard, appears in the mirror of the Gold Room. That room served as a Civil War surgery and still radiates dread.

The mansion runs daily tours and quarterly evening ghost tours. Book the paranormal sessions ahead, since capacity is limited.

7. Vicksburg National Military Park (Vicksburg)

Vicksburg National Military Park preserves the ground where a 47 day siege ended on July 4, 1863. Roughly 19,000 soldiers died across the campaign.

The 1,800 acre park holds more than 1,300 monuments. Visitors report phantom cannon fire and the screams of wounded men drifting across the fields.

The most famous ghost is the Phantom Drummer Boy near the Iowa Memorial, no older than fourteen. He vanishes when approached but leaves the sound of drumming behind.

The Third Louisiana Redan is the most active spot, where over 500 men died in a single afternoon. A park ranger once heard a voice call his former military rank, which no one at the park knew.

The park is open daily from dawn to dusk with a sixteen mile driving tour. Activity peaks around the May 22 and July 4 anniversaries.

8. The Pascagoula Singing River (Pascagoula)

The Pascagoula Singing River has puzzled witnesses since the first European settlers arrived. A strange humming and chanting seems to rise from beneath the water.

The legend traces to the Pascagoula tribe, who faced enslavement by the more warlike Biloxi around 1730. Rather than submit, the entire tribe chose to die together.

Men, women, and children joined hands, chanted their death song, and walked into the river until the water closed over them. Many believe that song never truly ended.

A riverboat captain logged the singing in 1867, and a fisherman in 1952 described glowing figures rising from the water. The sounds are loudest near the river’s mouth on calm late summer nights.

The riverfront is free and open to the public year round. River Park offers parking and trails along the most haunted stretch.

9. Anchuca Historic Mansion (Vicksburg)

Anchuca Historic Mansion is an 1830 Greek Revival home whose name means “happy home” in Choctaw. Its resident spirits seem far from content.

During the 1863 siege, the family sheltered in the basement while artillery scarred the exterior. A cannonball is said to remain lodged in the structure.

The most seen spirit is an elegantly dressed Archer family woman who lingers in the old parlor. Guests in the master suite wake to feel someone sitting on the bed.

One visitor recorded a woman’s voice saying, “leave us be,” when no women were on that floor. A phantom pianist has been heard in the empty music room.

Anchuca operates as a bed and breakfast, so you can book a room and stay the night. No separate investigation fee applies beyond standard lodging.

10. Witch Dance (Natchez Trace Parkway)

Witch Dance sits at milepost 233.2 on the Natchez Trace Parkway near Starkville. A perfect circle of dead ground refuses to grow anything, even today.

Chickasaw tradition warned that witches gathered here under full moons to perform dark rites. Legend says thirteen dancers burned in a pillar of flame, leaving the barren ring behind.

Soil tests in 1952 and 1978 found nothing unusual about the dirt. Scientists still cannot explain why nothing grows.

In 1941 a woman collapsed after stepping into the circle, later claiming invisible hands clawed at her ankles. Investigators report spinning compasses, drained batteries, and chanting that stops the moment you search for it.

The site is free and accessible during daylight hours, with a short trail and interpretive signs. Watch for venomous snakes and stay on the marked path.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most haunted place in Mississippi?

McRaven House in Vicksburg is widely called the most haunted home in Mississippi. Reports credit it with at least nine distinct spirits tied to murder, war, and disease.

Which haunted places in Mississippi can you stay overnight?

Anchuca Historic Mansion in Vicksburg runs as a bed and breakfast where you can book a room. King’s Tavern lets you dine inside a haunted building, and several mansions offer after hours investigations.

Why is the Pascagoula River called the Singing River?

Witnesses have heard a humming, chanting music rising from the water for centuries. Legend ties it to the Pascagoula tribe, who walked into the river singing their death song rather than face enslavement.

When is the best time to visit haunted places in Mississippi?

October brings the biggest crowds and the most special ghost tours. Evening and overnight hours tend to produce the most activity, and Civil War anniversary dates in May and July are especially charged.

Are Mississippi’s haunted places free to visit?

Some are free, including the Pascagoula riverfront and Witch Dance on the Natchez Trace Parkway. The historic mansions charge tour admission, usually around fifteen to twenty dollars, with higher fees for evening investigations.

Mississippi holds enough restless history to fill a lifetime of ghost hunts. From murdered mistresses to a tribe that still sings, these ten sites prove the past never fully rests here.

Ready to plan your own haunted road trip? Explore the full Mississippi directory for addresses, maps, and dozens more locations.