The Davenport House – Haunted Historic Home in Savannah, Georgia

The Davenport House is an elegant Federal-style mansion where preservationists saved more than just architecture—they apparently awakened the spirits of those who lived and died within its walls over two centuries ago. Built between 1820-1821, this architectural masterpiece became the catalyst for Savannah’s entire historic preservation movement when seven women saved it from demolition in 1955, but their restoration work may have stirred restless spirits who had grown accustomed to the building’s decay and abandonment, creating one of Savannah’s most quietly haunted historic house museums.

Historical Background

Year Built: 1820-1821

Original Purpose: Private residence designed by master builder Isaiah Davenport for his family

Significant Events: Isaiah Davenport himself died in the house in 1827 at the young age of 36, leaving behind his wife Sarah and their children in circumstances that were financially and emotionally devastating for the family. The house witnessed births, deaths, illnesses, and the full spectrum of 19th-century domestic life before falling into disrepair and near demolition in the 1950s—the dramatic rescue and subsequent restoration may have energetically “awakened” the building, with paranormal activity reportedly increasing significantly after the preservation work began.

Paranormal Activity Summary

The apparition of a man believed to be Isaiah Davenport appears throughout the house, particularly in what was once his bedroom and study, described as a distinguished gentleman in early 19th-century attire who seems to be inspecting his home with a builder’s critical eye. Footsteps are heard constantly on the upper floors and staircases when no living people are present, creating the distinct sound of someone walking room to room as if conducting a daily inspection tour.

The sounds of children laughing, playing, and running echo through the house despite it being empty—the Davenport children’s spirits are believed to remain in their childhood home, continuing their games in a dimension that exists alongside our own. Doors open and close on their own with enough regularity that staff members have stopped being surprised, and the scent of period-appropriate perfume, cooking smells, and occasionally pipe tobacco fills rooms without any physical source.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Isaiah Davenport’s spirit is the house’s primary supernatural resident, and his presence is described as benevolent and proud—he seems pleased that his architectural masterpiece has been preserved and appears to be watching over ongoing maintenance and preservation efforts. Tour guides and museum staff report seeing him standing in doorways, walking through rooms examining walls and woodwork, and occasionally appearing near windows as if checking on the building’s exterior—his apparition is so lifelike that staff have initially mistaken him for a visitor in period costume.

Sarah Davenport’s ghost has been encountered less frequently but is believed to haunt the domestic spaces where she managed the household—witnesses describe a woman in early 19th-century dress who appears to be supervising invisible servants or going about household tasks. Some psychics who’ve visited claim Sarah’s spirit carries profound sadness, still mourning her husband’s early death and the financial hardships his passing created for the family.

The children’s spirits are playful and mischievous, with staff reporting toys and small objects moved overnight, the sounds of hide-and-seek being played in empty rooms, and the sensation of small hands tugging at their clothing. These child ghosts seem particularly active during school field trips and youth tours, as if they’re excited to have living children visiting their home again—some young visitors report seeing “old-fashioned kids” who disappear when adults look in their direction.

A female servant’s spirit has been reported in the kitchen and service areas, believed to be one of the enslaved or employed domestic workers who labored in the house—witnesses describe feeling a presence watching them from these work spaces, and some report the sounds of cooking, dishes clattering, and a woman humming work songs. This spirit seems to be replaying her daily routines in a residual haunting, unaware that the house is now a museum rather than an active household.

Most Haunted Spot Inside

The master bedroom where Isaiah Davenport died is considered the most intensely haunted room, where visitors report overwhelming sensations of sadness, the feeling of being watched, and frequent sightings of Isaiah’s apparition standing near the bed or window. The children’s rooms on the upper floors are extremely active with playful paranormal phenomena, and the main staircase—which Isaiah designed and built—shows consistent supernatural activity with footsteps, cold spots, and shadow figures ascending and descending.

Can You Visit?

Open to the Public? Yes—it operates as a historic house museum open for tours

Entry Fee: Approximately $10-$12 for adults; discounts for seniors, students, and children

Tour Availability: The Davenport House Museum offers guided tours throughout the day, typically Monday-Saturday with multiple tour times; tours last approximately 30-45 minutes and cover both the architectural significance and historical context. Special ghost-focused tours and paranormal investigation opportunities are occasionally offered, especially around Halloween.

Photography Allowed? Generally yes, though flash photography may be restricted in certain rooms to protect historic artifacts

Visiting Hours: Typically Monday-Saturday, 10:00 AM-4:00 PM; Sunday 1:00 PM-4:00 PM (hours may vary seasonally; closed major holidays)

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity is reported during normal operating hours, though staff members who work early mornings or late afternoons when the house is otherwise empty report the most frequent and intense encounters. Special evening tours offer the best opportunity for supernatural experiences as the later hours and reduced lighting create conditions where spirits seem more comfortable manifesting—October tours around Halloween are particularly popular with paranormal enthusiasts.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

A museum docent reported in 2017 that while opening the house early one morning, she clearly saw a man in 19th-century clothing standing in the upstairs hallway—when she called out thinking it was a reenactor arriving early, he turned to look at her with a kind expression before fading away, leaving her shaken but convinced she’d seen Isaiah Davenport himself. A visitor in 2019 captured a photograph in the children’s room that shows what appears to be a small, translucent figure of a child near the window, visible in the image but not seen by the naked eye when the photo was taken.

Museum staff have countless experiences to share, including a curator who reported in 2020 that historical artifacts carefully arranged in display cases are sometimes found slightly moved or rearranged overnight despite the building being locked and secured. A school group visiting in 2018 included several children who independently reported seeing “kids in old-timey clothes” playing in the children’s rooms—the teacher initially thought they were confused about the period furnishings until the children described specific details about the apparitions’ clothing and activities.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

The Davenport House occasionally allows paranormal investigation teams to conduct research after hours, and several teams have documented significant evidence throughout the building. Investigators have recorded numerous EVPs, including what sounds like children giggling, a man’s voice saying “my house,” and a woman humming what researchers identified as a popular early 19th-century melody.

Thermal imaging cameras have detected human-shaped cold spots moving through rooms, particularly on the staircase and in the master bedroom, with temperature differentials of 10-15 degrees. EMF detectors show spikes in areas associated with the most frequent sightings, especially near doorways and windows where Isaiah’s apparition is commonly seen—these readings occur in locations with no modern electrical sources nearby.

Full-spectrum cameras have captured shadow figures, unexplained mists, and what appear to be partial manifestations of people in period clothing moving through the house. One investigation team recorded video showing a door handle turning and a door opening slowly on its own in the master bedroom, followed immediately by a spike in EMF readings and a temperature drop, suggesting an intelligent entity entering the room.

Spirit box sessions have produced responses that seem to come from multiple entities, with one session capturing what sounded like Isaiah Davenport identifying himself by name and answering questions about his architectural work on the house. Audio recordings made during quiet investigation periods have picked up the sounds of footsteps, furniture being moved, and what sounds like a family dinner conversation despite the building being empty.

Local Legends & Myths

The most persistent legend claims that Isaiah Davenport’s spirit returned to his beloved house after its 1955 rescue from demolition, awakened by the preservation work and renovation—some believe he was resting peacefully until the restoration began, at which point his attachment to his architectural masterpiece pulled him back to ensure it was being properly cared for. This would explain why paranormal activity allegedly increased dramatically after the house became a museum.

Another popular tale suggests that the Davenport family spirits remain because they’re still processing Isaiah’s unexpected death—caught in a moment of shock and grief that created an energetic loop they can’t escape. Some psychics claim that Sarah’s spirit is trapped by her concern for her children and her fear about their future without their father, her motherly worry binding her to the house even in death.

Local storytellers speak of a “preservation blessing,” claiming that any historic house saved from destruction gains a spiritual guardian—in the Davenport House’s case, Isaiah himself serves as this guardian, watching over his creation and showing approval of the preservation efforts by manifesting to staff and visitors who genuinely appreciate the architecture. This legend suggests his haunting is protective and prideful rather than troubled or trapped.

A charming legend says that the child spirits play with living children who visit the museum, and young visitors who show respect and interest in history are sometimes “adopted” by the ghost children as temporary playmates—some parents report their children describing detailed conversations with “old-fashioned kids” who told them what life was like in the 1820s, information the young visitors couldn’t have known otherwise.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

The Davenport House is a historic structure with original features including steep staircases, low doorways, and uneven floors—visitors should watch their step and follow all safety guidelines provided by staff. The museum operates during specific hours and visitors must stay with tour groups rather than wandering independently, both for preservation of the historic artifacts and for liability reasons.

While the haunting is generally considered benign, some visitors with sensitivity to paranormal energy report feeling emotionally affected in certain rooms, particularly the master bedroom where Isaiah died—anyone feeling uncomfortable should alert their tour guide. The museum asks that paranormal enthusiast visitors conduct themselves respectfully, remembering this is both a historic house museum and a place where real people lived, loved, and died.

Cursed or Haunted Objects

The original staircase that Isaiah Davenport designed and built with his own hands is considered a focal point for paranormal activity—touching the handrail allegedly allows sensitive individuals to receive impressions of everyone who ever climbed these stairs over two centuries. Staff members report that the wood sometimes feels inexplicably warm despite the house being cool, as if retaining heat from hands that touched it long ago.

Period furnishings in the master bedroom, while not all original to the Davenport family, seem to carry residual energy from the room’s history—some visitors report feeling sudden waves of sadness or sensing an invisible presence lying in the bed. A particular mirror in the house is said to occasionally show reflections of people in 19th-century clothing who aren’t physically present, with several visitors capturing photographs that show faces or figures in the mirror’s reflection that weren’t visible to the naked eye.

Children’s toys displayed in the nursery and children’s rooms are reportedly moved overnight by the ghost children, with staff finding them in different positions or arrangements each morning despite the rooms being locked and secured. One rocking chair in the children’s area is known to rock gently on its own, and psychics claim this is one of the ghost children’s favorite spots—several visitors have reported feeling the chair’s energy and sensing a playful, innocent presence attached to this particular piece of furniture.