The Most Haunted Houses In America

If you're a fan of all things macabre, you can rest easy. According to The Washington Post, enjoying the spookier things in life is normal and exciting. In fact, there is a clear scientific reasoning behind wanting to seek out experiences that might be a little bit scary, like books, movies, or even haunted houses. "When we're in a safe place, and we know it, it takes less than a second for us to remember we're not actually in danger. Then we switch over to enjoying it," Margee Kerr, a sociologist, told the newspaper. "It's a kind of euphoria. That's why you see people go right from screaming to laughing."

We are wired to love the tingle in our toes when we hear a particularly spooky story — or visit a particularly haunted house. And we are lucky because we have some of the scariest and most ghastly pieces of real estate in the world right here in the United States. There have been horrific murders, sightings of past residents, and things that go bump in the night. Here are the stories of the scariest houses in the USA. Read on ... if you dare.

In rural Tennessee, far enough into the country where no one could hear your screams for help, there is a spooky story that stretches over an entire farm. According to the Historic Bell Witch Cave, the trouble began in 1804. This was when John Bell and his family moved to the area from North Carolina. Things were normal at first, but then the family started to experience hair-raising events in 1817, exactly 13 years after moving. Was this unlucky amount of time just a coincidence?

First, they started seeing strange animals darting in and out of the shadows around the farm. Was it just a black cat, or something more sinister? Then, these otherworldly visions began making sounds, and these sounds, in turn, became whispers. Whispers that turned into a clear voice that wouldn't leave the family alone. The voice somehow physically manifested within the home, preying on young Betsy Bell and beating her unconscious. News of these evil events spread throughout the community, and locals began to gather at the farm, hoping to experience it for themselves. It is said that the Bell Witch killed John after tormenting him and his family for years. Because of this, Tennessee is the only state to officially recognize an unseen force as lethal.

Is there a house that isn't haunted in Salem? According to the Salem Witch Museum, the owner of the house, George Corwin, worked as the High Sheriff during the famous witchcraft trials of 1692. He was known at the time for his strict adherence to the law and punitive way of carrying out punishments. At only 25 years old during the height of the witch hunt, it's quite clear that he didn't come into power because of his life experience or education. Instead, he just had good family connections. He had two very powerful uncles: Judge Jonathan Corwin and Judge Wait Winthrop, as well as an important father-in-law, Judge Bartholomew Gedney. Corwin oversaw the gruesome deaths of many townsfolk, including Giles Corey, who was crushed by stones.

After his reign of terror, his house at 148 Washington Street fell into disarray and was eventually replaced by the home of Joshua Ward, which still stands to this day (via Spellbound Tours). Many believe that Corwin's ruthless, murderous spirit still lingers on the property, as the home has been subjected to many paranormal investigations.

One of the most haunted houses in America is the home that inspired the 2013 movie "The Conjuring." It earned its terrible reputation when multiple children died on the property over the years. According to the Sun Journal, the farmhouse was built in 1736. In the 1970s, a family by the name of the Perrons lived in the home, but they weren't the only ones there. There was a spirit, and it "was playful at first, but then it started to become more sinister, more dark," said Cory Heinzen, the current owner of the house. "[There were] physical attacks, mystery illnesses."

The Heinzens are paranormal investigators, so it makes sense that they would be drawn to purchasing the property. However, they are not sure that the spirit that tormented the Perron family, and later famous ghost hunters Ed and Lorraine Warren, is still around. "We had doors opening, footsteps and knocks," Heinzen said, "I've had a hard time staying there by myself. I don't have the feeling of anything evil, (but) it's very busy. You can tell there's a lot of things going on in the house."

This empty Pennsylvania mansion has a tragic Titanic connection. According to Coffee & Mystery, construction on the building was finished in 1900. Owner Peter Widener built the home after his beloved wife, Hannah, tragically died during a yacht trip off the coast of Maine (via Love Property). But that's not the only death at sea for the Widener family. In fact, Hannah Widener's death was just the first of many associated with the family and home, and they all occurred under tragic circumstances.

Unfortunately, Peter invested heavily in the Titanic. He must have bought into the idea that it was the world's first unsinkable ship. So much so that when it set sail in 1912, Peter's oldest son George and George's son Harry were both on board. It is said that George threw a big party on board to celebrate his father and the maiden voyage. They both lost their lives when the ship sank. The home was eventually abandoned and fell into disrepair, but it's said that the spirits of the Widener family are still there.

Molly Brown is a famous survivor of the Titanic disaster in 1912. She is often touted as unsinkable, as she rowed a lifeboat for almost eight hours before ensuring everyone on board was safely on the Carpathia. However, her house in Denver, Colorado, is definitely haunted. According to Hampden Dentistry, Molly's full name was Margaret Tobin Brown. She owned the house at 1340 Pennsylvania Street with her husband, J.J. Brown, who made his fortune in mining.

Guests of the mansion, now a museum, have made reports over the years of strange occurrences. Often, you can smell the smoke from the pipe that J.J. used to smoke wafting through the house. There have also been apparitions of deceased servants scurrying down the back staircase of the house, as well as the outline of a cat playing in the hallways (via Denver7). Some may say this house only has these stories because it's old, but those who saw these ghosts would beg to differ. They insist that something spooky really is happening on the property. 

If you're a big fan of horror films and want to explore the story behind "The Amityville Horror," just head to New York. According to ABC News, the house is located at 112 Ocean Ave and cost George and Kathy Lutz just $80,000 in December 1975. Its low price could have been that one year before, a young man named Ronnie DeFeo lived in the house with his family. One night, as his siblings and family slept, he took a gun and murdered them. As a precaution, the Lutz family had local priest Father Ray Pecoraro bless the house. However, the priest became very ill during the blessing and began to bleed from his hands.

The family agreed to no longer live in the house, but the horror followed them. "There were ... odors in the house that came and went," George Lutz said. "There were sounds. The front door would slam shut in the middle of the night ... I couldn't get warm in the house for many days." The family eventually fled the house and wrote a book about their experiences, which was then turned into one of the most popular horror franchises of all time.