Halloween is perfect time to raise the dead. While you can creep yourself out at hundreds of manufac...

1. Top 10 scariest places in the US
Halloween is perfect time to raise the dead. While you can creep yourself out at hundreds of
manufactured haunted houses, why not go for the real deal. These truly scary locations are steeped
in history while all are home to legendary tales and infamous spirits. But adventurers beware. From
a former insane asylum to cursed battlegrounds, these spooky sites are not for the faint of heart.
1.&nbspSt. Louis Cemetery
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a town steeped in mythical traditions like witchcraft and vampires. Numerous
cemeteries dot the landscape but the St. Louis Cemetery is the oldest in the city. Here, visitors will
discover ornate above-ground tombs and mausoleums, winding footpaths and crumbling memorials.
While many ghosts are rumored to call this place their home, Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of
New Orleans, reigns supreme.
2.&nbspThe Winchester Mystery House
San Jose, California
With mile-long hallways, staircases to nowhere and doors that open into walls, this mysterious maze-
like Victorian mansion in San Jose boasts160-rooms. The home was originally built by Sarah
Winchester, the wealthy widow of William Wirt Winchester (son of the manufacturer of the
Winchester repeating rifle). Sarah tragically lost both her daughter and husband to illness and later
sought help from a spiritual advisor to overcome her depression. The medium warned Sarah that the
Winchester family had been struck by a terrible curse, and would be haunted by the ghosts of the
many deceased killed by the Winchester rifle. The only way to appease the dead according to the
medium, was to build a house for the lost souls... and never stop building. For 38 years,
construction on the house continued for 24 hours a day, until Sarah died. Today, visitors to the home
will want to look out for the many unlucky number 13's featured in the house design as they roam
the haunted halls.
3.&nbspTrans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
This former state hospital for the mentally insane is part history site, part hotbed of paranormal
activity. Ghosts of Civil War soldiers and former patients are said to be walking through the two and
half miles of hallways. Visitors claim to see things move or feel the presence of spirits. The largest
hand-cut stone building in North America, this mammoth granite structure was constructed in 1858.
The asylum originally housed 250 residents at a time, but at its peak in the 1950s, more than 2,000
patients called this place home. Trans-Alleghany stopped treating patients in 1994, but brave thrill
seekers can roam the halls on any number of special guided tours including a night-time flashlight
ghost hunting experience.
4.&nbspStepp Cemetery
Benton, Indiana

2. Only two dozen or so crumbling grave markers remain in this famously haunted cemetery in Indiana.
Legend has that it was founded by a cult called the Crabbites, who sacrificed small animals and
participated in sex orgies. Another story holds that a mother of an infant who died was so distraught
that she went to the cemetery and dug up the child's body after it was buried. Grieving, she took
her own life. Visitors claim to have seen her ghost, dressed in black, weeping over her daughter's
grave, near the site of an old stump that has since rotted away years ago.
5.&nbspMoundsville Penitentiary
West Virgina Penitentiary
Moundsville, West Virginia
It is estimated that one thousand inmates died while
being incarcerated at this fearsome, Gothic style
prison. Some died of natural causes or from inmate
violence, but over the course of the penitentiary's
history, 94 men were put to death since the first executions began in 1899. Less than 500 inmates
were housed in the facility when it opened in 1866. But by the 1930s, its population was exceeded
2,400. Today, many ghosts are said to be lurking the halls, but the most famous is the Shadow Man.
Visitors have also claimed to see the ghost of a maintenance man who was stabbed to death by
prisoners in the basement for snitching to prison guards about inmate activity. Historical tours
begin just after sun set, leading guests through the haunted prison by nightfall.
6.&nbspGettysburg Battlefield
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

3. As the site of one of the Civil War's bloodiest battles, Gettysburg stands the test of time as one of the
most haunted places in America. Over 50,000 soldiers from the Union and Confederate armies were
killed and their ghosts are still seen and heard today by tourists to the field and town. Visitors also
claim to hear the thunder of canons, gunfire and screams and moans of the battle's victims. Devil's
Den, a rock formation where dozens of bodies and limbs were discovered after the war, is a popular
spot for tourists seeking a ghostly encounter in this historic area.
7.&nbspThe Stanley Hotel
Estes Park, Colorado
As the infamous locale where Jack Nicholson went crazy in "The Shining," this hotel is a hot spot for
paranormal activity. The Paranormal Research Society of 'Paranormal State' fame came for a field
trip, while TAPS from "Ghost Hunters" has experienced phenomena around the hotel site.
Well known spooks include a young boy who makes his presence known in room 1211 and a young
man who just likes to hang out in closets and bedrooms. The hotel's owner, Mr. Stanley, makes his
presence known by appearing to visitors in the lobby and billiards room, while his wife Flora
entertains guests by playing a piano. The hotel offers ghost tours, so next time you visit Colorado,
bring a camera. Who knows? Perhaps a friendly spirit will appear for a picture.
8.&nbspSt. Augustine Lighthouse
St. Augustine, Florida
The ghosts of this haunted lighthouse are rumored to make their presence known by appearing as
creepy shadows and making unexplained noises. Legend has it that the daughters of the
Superintendent of Lighthouse Construction drowned, and continue to haunt the building ever since
their untimely death.Three other people have passed away in the lighthouse from illnesses, while a
keeper named Joseph fell to his death. Visitors have claimed to see shadows high up in the tower,
while others hear the daughters laughing and giggling at night. The eldest girl is also fond of
appearing before guests donned in the clothing she wore on the day of her death.
9.&nbspThe Myrtles Plantation
St. Francisville, Louisiana
Built over an ancient First Nations burial ground, this
plantation is known for its ghostly inhabitants. Rumor has
it that ten deaths have occurred on the site. One of the
most famous involves a slave named Chloe, who was
supposedly killed by fellow slaves after an ill-fated
attempt to poison another house mistress. Visitors have
reported seeing ghostly children on the verandah, a
curly-haired woman who mysteriously appears and
disappears, and odd hand prints that mysteriously appear
in mirrors. One visitor reported a cold spot hovering over
her bed while a rattling closet door kept her awake. If you want to get some sleep while visiting
Myrtle Planation, you might have to tell the ghosts to keep it down.

4. 10.&nbspBell Witch Cave
Adams, Tennessee
The site where John Bell and his family
were tormented by a ghost now known as
the Bell Witch is open to brave visitors
who wish to explore the spirit world. The
legend varies, but most accounts claim
that Kate Batts, a neighbor of the Bell
family, believed she was cheated out of
property in a land purchase. Kate
continued to torture the entire Bell family,
physically abusing the youngest daughter Betsey, and cursing John. Visitors claim that any object
taken from the site is cursed, while many have reported encountering a violent force while on the
property. Technology doesn't work there either, with cameras mysteriously malfunctioning when
users try to capture an image.