Wright Square – Haunted Public Square in Savannah, Georgia

Wright Square is one of Savannah’s most historically significant and hauntingly active public spaces, where the spirit of a wrongfully executed man and the souls of those buried beneath the earth still seek justice and peace. Established in 1733 as one of James Oglethorpe’s original town squares, this seemingly peaceful green space conceals a dark history of public executions, a mass grave of yellow fever victims, and the final resting place of Tomochichi, a Native American chief whose burial may have consecrated the ground in ways that continue to affect the living and the dead.

Historical Background

Year Built: 1733 (established as one of Savannah’s original squares)

Original Purpose: Public square for community gatherings, markets, and civic functions

Significant Events: The square’s most infamous moment came in 1820 when Alice Riley, an Irish immigrant servant, was publicly hanged from a tree for the murder of her abusive master—she was pregnant at the time, and legend says she cursed the square with her dying breath, though some versions claim she was innocent and the real curse comes from this terrible injustice. The square also served as a burial ground during yellow fever epidemics, with victims interred in mass graves beneath what are now walking paths and lawn, and it contains the honored grave of Tomochichi, the Yamacraw chief who befriended James Oglethorpe and whose presence may spiritually protect or haunt the square depending on which legend you believe.

Paranormal Activity Summary

The apparition of a woman in tattered 18th-century clothing, believed to be Alice Riley, appears near the center of the square where the hanging tree once stood—witnesses describe her as appearing pregnant and desperate, reaching out to passersby before vanishing or dissolving into mist. The sounds of a woman crying, screaming, or pleading echo across the square late at night when it’s otherwise silent, creating an atmosphere of profound sadness and injustice that sensitive visitors find overwhelming.

Cold spots move through the square despite warm weather, and people report feeling invisible hands touching them or tugging at their clothing, as if unseen entities are seeking attention or help. The overwhelming sensation of being watched by multiple unseen eyes is reported by nearly everyone who lingers in Wright Square after dark, with many visitors feeling distinctly unwelcome or sensing that they’re trespassing on ground claimed by the dead.

Ghost Stories & Reports

Alice Riley’s ghost is the square’s most famous spirit, and her apparition has been seen by hundreds of witnesses over the decades—she appears near the monument at the square’s center, sometimes seeming to search for something or someone, other times appearing to reenact her final moments. Some witnesses report she looks directly at them with pleading eyes, her mouth moving as if speaking though no sound emerges, while others claim to hear her voice crying “I’m innocent” or calling out for her baby.

The spirit of Tomochichi is believed to manifest as a protective presence in the square, with some paranormal researchers suggesting his honored burial has created a spiritual guardian energy that keeps more malevolent entities in check. Witnesses describe seeing a tall Native American man in traditional Yamacraw clothing standing near his burial monument, appearing solemn and watchful before fading away—his presence is described as powerful but not threatening.

The ghosts of yellow fever victims buried beneath the square manifest as shadowy figures that emerge from the ground itself, described as dark masses that rise up through the earth, hover for moments, and then sink back down. Some visitors report seeing entire groups of these shadow figures moving together, possibly the spirits of families or communities who died together during the epidemics and were buried in mass graves.

A phantom hanging tree appears to some witnesses—people report seeing a large tree in the square’s center that’s not actually there in the modern landscape, sometimes with a noose hanging from its branches or even a figure suspended from it. This apparition is so realistic that some witnesses initially think it’s a real tree before realizing it’s translucent or that it vanishes when they look directly at it.

Children’s spirits have been reported playing in the square during evening hours, possibly the ghosts of young yellow fever victims—their laughter is heard when no living children are present, and some people report seeing small figures running between the trees and monuments. Local legend suggests these child spirits are drawn to the square because it’s consecrated ground where they feel safe, protected by Tomochichi’s powerful spiritual presence.

Most Haunted Spot Inside

The center of Wright Square, where the hanging tree once stood and where the monument now sits, is considered the most intensely haunted location—this is where Alice Riley died and where witnesses most frequently report seeing her apparition and experiencing overwhelming emotional energy. The area immediately surrounding Tomochichi’s burial monument is also highly active, with visitors reporting powerful spiritual sensations, temperature changes, and the feeling of being in the presence of something ancient and protective.

Can You Visit?

Open to the Public? Yes—Wright Square is a public park accessible to everyone

Entry Fee: Free

Tour Availability: Wright Square is included on virtually every Savannah ghost tour, with guides sharing the tragic stories of Alice Riley and discussing the square’s layered history of death and burial; visitors can explore independently at any time. The square’s central location makes it one of the most visited paranormal sites in Savannah.

Photography Allowed? Yes

Visiting Hours: The square is technically open 24/7 as a public space, though visiting late at night should be done safely and with awareness of surroundings

Best Time to Visit

Paranormal activity peaks during late evening and early morning hours between 11:00 PM and 4:00 AM when the square is quiet and dark, allowing spirits to manifest more freely without interference from crowds. Foggy nights are particularly active, with witnesses reporting that mist seems to amplify the supernatural phenomena—apparitions appear more solid, sounds carry with eerie clarity, and the boundary between past and present feels dangerously thin.

First-Hand Accounts & Eyewitness Reports

A tourist from California reported in 2018 that while photographing the square’s monument at dusk, she clearly saw a woman in old-fashioned clothing standing about 20 feet away—when she looked up from her camera to wave, the woman had vanished completely despite there being no place to hide in the open square. A local resident walking his dog through the square in 2019 reported that his usually calm pet refused to walk past the center monument, instead pulling desperately toward the exit while whimpering and showing signs of extreme distress.

Multiple tour guides working in Savannah have shared experiences from Wright Square, with one guide named Marcus reporting in 2020 that he’s heard a woman crying on at least fifteen separate occasions while leading groups through the square—always the same mournful sobbing that seems to come from the air itself rather than any specific direction. A paranormal investigator captured video footage in 2021 showing what appears to be a dark, human-shaped shadow rising from the ground near the center of the square, hovering for approximately ten seconds, then sinking back down through the grass.

Paranormal Investigations & Findings

Wright Square has been investigated extensively by paranormal research teams who consider it one of Savannah’s most reliably active outdoor locations for documenting supernatural phenomena. Investigators have recorded numerous EVPs in the square, including a woman’s voice saying “help me,” “remember me,” and what sounds like crying or pleading—audio analysis suggests these voices don’t match any living people present during the recordings.

Thermal imaging cameras have detected human-shaped cold spots moving through the square, with temperature differentials of 20-30 degrees in concentrated areas that move with apparent purpose. EMF detectors show dramatic spikes near the center monument and Tomochichi’s burial site, readings that pulse in patterns some researchers believe indicate intelligent communication rather than random fluctuations.

Full-spectrum cameras have captured shadow figures, unexplained mists that seem to take human forms, and what appear to be partial manifestations of the hanging tree that no longer physically exists. One investigation team recorded video showing orbs of light moving in deliberate patterns around the monument, following a circular path that multiple witnesses confirmed matched the alleged location of the original hanging tree.

Spirit box sessions conducted in Wright Square have produced remarkably clear responses, with entities identifying themselves by names that match historical records of yellow fever victims buried in the square. One particularly chilling session captured what sounded like multiple voices speaking simultaneously, as if dozens of spirits were trying to communicate at once—a phenomenon investigators believe reflects the mass graves containing hundreds of plague victims.

Local Legends & Myths

The most enduring legend involves Alice Riley’s curse—some versions claim she cursed the square and all who gather there with her dying breath, while others insist she was innocent and it’s the injustice of her wrongful execution that created the haunting. According to legend, anyone who stands at the exact spot where she was hanged (now marked approximately by the monument) will feel her desperation and sorrow wash over them, and some claim to experience visions of her final moments.

Another powerful legend centers on Tomochichi’s burial, with some believing the Native American chief’s spiritual power consecrated the ground and bound all the souls buried there into a protected liminal space—this would explain why spirits remain in Wright Square rather than moving on. Some Native American spiritual practitioners who’ve visited suggest that Tomochichi serves as a gatekeeper, deciding which spirits may enter or leave the square, making it a supernatural way station between worlds.

Local storytellers speak of the “Midnight Walk,” claiming that anyone who walks counterclockwise around Wright Square thirteen times at midnight on the anniversary of Alice Riley’s execution (January 19th) will see her ghost materialize in full detail—though most people who’ve tried this report feeling so uncomfortable by the seventh or eighth circuit that they abandon the attempt. A related superstition warns that disturbing the ground in Wright Square will awaken angry spirits, and several construction or landscaping projects have allegedly been plagued by unexplained accidents and equipment failures.

Some believe that children who die in Savannah are drawn to Wright Square after death, protected by Tomochichi’s guardian spirit—this would explain the child ghosts frequently encountered there. A darker legend suggests that some of the shadow figures aren’t yellow fever victims at all but the spirits of enslaved people who suffered and died in the area, their unmarked graves forgotten beneath the square’s commemorative monuments dedicated to others.

Safety Warnings & Legal Restrictions

While Wright Square is a public space and visiting is legal, late-night visitors should be aware of their surroundings and preferably explore in groups for safety reasons—the square can be isolated after dark despite being in a populated area. Some people report feeling physically ill, dizzy, or emotionally distressed in certain areas of the square, particularly near the center monument, and anyone experiencing severe discomfort should leave immediately.

Visitors should be respectful of the fact that Wright Square contains human remains, including the honored burial of Tomochichi—digging, disturbing the ground, or showing disrespect can potentially result in legal issues and, according to believers, might provoke aggressive supernatural responses. The square is actively used by locals for recreation and relaxation, so late-night paranormal enthusiasts should keep noise levels reasonable and avoid disturbing residents in surrounding buildings.

Cursed or Haunted Objects

The central monument itself, while erected long after the hanging tree was removed, is considered by some to be a focal point for paranormal energy—touching the monument allegedly allows sensitive individuals to receive impressions from Alice Riley’s final moments or from the countless souls buried beneath the square. Some visitors report feeling electric shocks or sudden temperature changes when placing their hands on the monument’s stone surface.

The ground itself throughout Wright Square is said to be charged with paranormal energy due to the mass graves of yellow fever victims—psychics warn against sitting directly on the grass in certain areas, claiming that direct contact with the earth can lead to vivid nightmares, feeling drained of energy, or experiencing visions of plague and death. Some locals leave offerings of flowers or coins at Tomochichi’s burial site, believing this shows respect and may result in protection from more aggressive spirits in the square.

Photographs taken in Wright Square often show anomalies, orbs, or unexpected figures—so many cameras and phones have malfunctioned in the square that some paranormal investigators consider it a location where electromagnetic interference from spirit activity is consistently high. Some visitors report that images taken in Wright Square, when examined later, show faces or figures in the background that weren’t visible when the photos were taken, suggesting the camera captures entities existing in frequencies beyond normal human perception.