Most Haunted Places in Saint Paul
The area now known as Saint Paul has a long and storied history, dating back at least 2,000 years. It has been populated by Native tribes, including the Hopewell and Mdewakanton Dakota, as well as Europeans, Africans, and Asians. Since the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, it has been considered American soil, and the city was officially incorporated in 1854.
After all that time and all those people, a city is bound to pick up a few ghosts and witness some unexplained occurrences. This city of sinners and saints is said to be a hub for unearthly activity and a center for spirits trapped between worlds. From ancient burial grounds to friendly neighborhood ghosts, we break down the most haunted places in Saint Paul, Minnesota.
Griggs Mansion
Chauncey and Martha Griggs built this home in 1883. The building has been inspected by professionals and is known to house at least six paranormal entities. In 1915, a young girl hung herself off the fourth-floor landing over a failed romance; her ghost is the most frequently seen at the mansion. Another popular spirit at the Griggs property is that of Charles Wade, the one-time property manager and gardener.
His apparition has been seen lingering in the library, and there have been reports of rustling pages of a book when no one else was said to be in the room. When he died, he was in the middle of a project in the garden. Some feel his spirit is trapped between worlds due to this unfinished business. The ghosts of an old, thin man and a young child are also known to inhabit the mansion, as well as an array of others that only occasionally make themselves known. Suffice it to say, this haunted house is one of the creepiest spots in St Paul.
Forepaugh’s Restaurant
In the 1870s, Joseph Forepaugh built a three-story mansion for himself and his family with the money he made from selling dry goods. Joseph had an affair with the maid, Molly, and when Mary discovered his infidelity, he ended the matter, and the family moved to Europe. Shortly thereafter, Molly found she was pregnant. With a broken heart and no foreseeable way to support herself or her child, Molly hung herself on the mansion’s third floor.
Joseph returned in the 1890s and bought a home on Summit Avenue, but grief over Molly and their unborn child got the better of him, and he shot himself in a nearby park before the decade was out. Joseph and Molly are rumored to haunt the mansion, making numerous appearances at weddings and receptions. They are said to be quite pleasant spirits and show themselves often. Because of the building’s tragic past, many locals believe it to be the most haunted restaurant in the area. Unfortunately, it is permanently closed, but that doesn’t seem to bother the ghosts inside.
Mounds Theater
Located in St Paul’s Dayton Bluff neighborhood, this theater dates back to 1922 and was one of the first theaters to show “talkies.” Initially meant for silent movies and vaudeville acts, the Finkelstein & Rubens chain operated the Mounds for over forty years. Several known ghosts reside at the Mounds. There’s “ Red,” an old projectionist who passed away after decades of working in the projection room. Then there’s Jim, a former usher at the theater whose ghost is seen walking up and down the auditorium’s aisles to this day.
These two ghosts have been known to pull staff members back inside the building if they haven’t finished cleaning for the night. Finally, a little girl roams the theater lobby around closing time most nights. It’s no secret that this building is haunted, and the Mounds offers after-hours tours on the weekends in October for some extra spooky fun. For fans of horror films and the otherworldly, this is a must-see stop in St Paul.
Landmark Center
St. Paul’s historic Landmark Center was completed in 1902. It originally served as the United States Post Office, Courthouse, and Custom House for Minnesota. This castle-like building was home to countless trials of St. Paul’s most infamous Prohibition-era outlaws. One of the more famous characters convicted there was Jack Peifer, owner and operator of the notorious Hollyhocks Speakeasy. Peifer made his way up the gangster ranks and, with the help of his gangster friends, became the saloon keeper.
He owed his “friends” favors, and he was convicted and sentenced to thirty years in prison for his role in kidnapping William Hamm Jr, a local brewer. Peifer hung himself in his cell right here in this building rather than face decades behind bars. His ghost is said to haunt this place; people have seen him for years, and he was even photographed at a wedding. Whether or not one believes in the photograph’s authenticity, there is little doubt that Landmark Center is one of the creepiest and most haunted buildings in St Paul.
Fitzgerald Theater
Opening in 1910, The Fitzgerald Theater is the oldest active theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota. It was one of many theaters built by the Shubert Theatre Corporation and was initially named the Sam S. Shubert Theater. In 1933, it became known as the World Theater for Movies. Then, in 1980, it was purchased by Minnesota Public Radio. During 1985 renovations of this old theater, workers demolishing a false ceiling discovered a note addressed to a stagehand named Ben. Shortly after that, strange things started happening.
Workers started reporting items going missing and empty bottles of Muscatel wine inexplicably found in their place. Some even claimed to have heard eerie, unexplained singing. Ben is still supposed to haunt the theater’s catwalks and corridors, causing theatergoers to feel an occasional chill. Veronica is the theater’s other resident ghost, a former actress who never got her big break. Staff members often report hearing her eerie singing in the auditorium after closing. This spooky theater even has a theater organ made by Wurlitzer, which just helps the Fitzgerald maintain as one of the most haunted and creepy places in St Paul.
Hamline University
Founded in 1854, Hamline is the oldest university in Minnesota, the first coeducational university in the state, and one of five Associated Colleges of the Twin Cities. The University doesn’t shy away from the fact that it’s haunted—its “About Us” section has a page dedicated to the campus’ most haunted halls.
They are Manor Hall, Bridgman Hall in the Old Main Building, where a portrait of the school’s founder follows you with his eyes and comes to life at night, and Drew Hall. Every year, the same stories of strange sounds, moving objects, and ghostly apparitions pop up among staff and students. In 2010, residents reported what sounded like a gunshot followed by a loud thud on the third floor. The police were called, but no evidence of a shooting was found. The event was reported by multiple people living in different parts of the building.
Old Main is haunted as well. A few years back, an ABM worker saw something while cleaning. At first, he thought it was a student but realized that the person wasn’t walking – it was floating, and a noose was around its neck. In addition to the hanging man, there have been reports of everything from goblins to ghostly pianists roaming the halls. It’s easy to see why Hamline University is one of the most haunted places in St Paul, Minnesota.
Moonshine Saloon
Built in the early 20th century, this establishment has been known as The Noose Bar and the Moonshine Saloon. While operating as the Noose Bar, it was rumored that the place was haunted. Patrons reported seeing a beer mug fly off the bar and shatter against the wall. A neon sign once fell and nearly hit a patron who had been banned already as he tried to enter the building. When the bar was purchased in the early 2000s, new ownership reported jukeboxes and water faucets occasionally turned themselves on. Penny Yauch (the owner) even claimed the ghost once opened a door for an employee carrying several cases of beer.
Regulars have reported seeing the back door open and close of its own accord on numerous occasions. The Moonshine stayed open as long as it could, but between ghosts and live shootings, it was only a matter of time. They’ve been closed for several years, but that doesn’t bother the ghosts that still haunt the place. Make no mistake; the Moonshine Saloon is still one of the most haunted sites in St Paul.
James J Hill House
Built by railroad magnate James J Hill and completed in 1891, this house is near the eastern end of Summit Avenue near the Cathedral of Saint Paul. The home, for its era, was huge and was considered the “showcase of St. Paul” until Hill died in 1916. While the Society’s official stance is that the building is ghost-free, St Paul researcher and ghost expert Cynthia Schreiner Smith says the house is haunted by Maude Hill. Maude was the estranged wife of James Hill’s son Louis. Smith says Maud routinely attends musical performances at the mansion.
The third floor is reportedly inhabited by the ghost of a small dog once a pet to the Hill children. Why is a dog trapped between worlds? Likely, we will never know. Nonetheless, there are enough spooky happenings and ghost stories focused on this mansion to make it one of the most haunted (despite what the Minnesota Historical Society will tell you) places in St Paul.
St. Paul City Hall and Courthouse
Built between 1930 and 1932, this location is said to be haunted by apparitions wearing old-style clothing. They have been heard laughing in empty rooms, and high heels have been reported walking down empty hallways. The phantom of a shoeshine man has been seen in the lobby, while a man, believed to be a convict who was executed here long ago, has been seen hanging from a noose. Courthouse employees have reported some very odd occurrences over the years. The most bizarre happening reported was the mysterious daily phone call.
One former employee said, “The phone would ring at the same time every day; on the other end was a woman who asked for the same person, who no one knew. The call came from the conference room, but no one was there; we could see the room was empty!” No one likes going to court, especially in St Paul, where the courthouse is one of the most haunted buildings in the city.
Wabasha Street Caves
Throughout history, The Caves have been used for several activities, including growing mushrooms, storage, music, and dancing. During Prohibition, the former mining caves were transformed into a speakeasy. It became a hotspot for gangsters—even John Dillinger—and experts of the otherworldly claim that nearly thirty apparitions haunt the former speakeasy today. One ghost often seen is a man who straightens his tie in front of the mirror outside the men’s room. He wears a navy blue, double-breasted suit and is believed to be a gangster, most likely from the prohibition era.
Employees at The Wabasha Caves have reported seeing ghastly faces looking back at them from the mirror in the employee bathroom. The venue is a hotspot for ghostly activity and is the perfect atmosphere for otherworldly fans. The ghosts that inhabit this place continue to party as if the night they came here lives on indefinitely, and there are dozens of them. All those ghosts and ghastly faces make The Wabasha the most haunted place in St Paul, Minnesota.
Haunted St. Paul
Saint Paul is one of the best cities in the country for ghost hunting, experiencing the otherworldly, and touring historical sights. You can take in a show, experience fine dining, and stay at top-tier hotels, all while being surrounded by ghosts and the unexplained. US Ghost Adventures offers the most authentic ghost tours in Saint Paul, featuring the most haunted locations in the Twin Cities.
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