Top Haunted Places In Minnesota
From the Twin Cities’ most famous haunted venues to creepy legends from Minneapolis’ past, we’ve found some of the most haunted places in town for your viewing pleasure. So are you itching for your next fright? Get ready for terror with our list of ridiculously frightening haunts. Here are some of the Top Haunted Places In Minnesota.
Palmer House Hotel
Tucked into the quaintly charming Lakeside neighborhood in South Minneapolis is the Palmer House Hotel. This hotel was originally built in 1905 for a Minneapolis businessman named John D. Palmer, from whom the name came. In 1942, the place became a branch of the Palmer House and Suites chain of hotels.
According to local lore, the Palmer House and its surroundings were never the peaceful sanctuaries today during the 1890s. On the contrary, it was home to several shady business leaders, con men, and bootleggers at the time. In one particular instance, a pair of bandits hid in a room while trying to rob the hotel’s vault.
Up until this day, plenty of ghost-busters and paranormal enthusiasts visit the Palmer House Hotel. This is because so many stories and legends about this hotel are popular with residents and people across the state.
Soap Factory
Designed and established as a factory for soap-making in the 1800s, this building has been featured in over 300 movies. Such movies include Blood Simple, Invasion of Body Snatchers, The Thing, Mars Attacks! And the Amityville Horror. The legendary venue has captured the country’s imagination, becoming known as one of the most haunted buildings in Minnesota.
During the Halloween season, many people would go to this old factory because of its annual gallery. This event primarily takes place in the factory and is called the yearly Halloween Haunted Basement. Many paranormal enthusiasts and exorcists also visit this old factory and say they can feel a lot of soul energy in the area.
Schmidt Brewery
If you’ve ever been to Minnesota, the Schmidt Brewery is genuinely one of the most visited places in Minnesota. This former brewery at the Historic Oakland Park is reportedly home to the spirit of a heavy-set man in a white t-shirt. He can be seen standing around a corner in the dark in the brewery. However, it’s said that he only seems to appear when photographers are apparent.
However, on October 28, 2010, about 30 people took some photos during a ghost tour. The creepy part was that no such mas was ever seen during the trip, but he was in almost every shot the visitors had.
Chase on the Lake
Located near the shores of Lake Minnesota, Chase on the Lake is an indoor funhouse attraction that is a must-visit during the Halloween season. If you plan on visiting this haunted place, you must be sure you’re brave enough to take a step. It is best to see the site early during the week as the line can be quite long on the weekends.
According to some legends, Chase on the Lake was formerly a morgue for dead people. Most of the dead sent to this morgue were soldiers from the 1898 Battle of Sugar Point. Also, the son of the original hotel founder, Lewis Woodruff Chase, died of pneumonia in the place. This happened 11 days after the grand reopening of the hotel.
Mounds Theatre
The Mounds Theatre was once a trendy place that Minneapolis residents visited to have some fun and entertainment. This building was initially built in 1922 for all sorts of live entertainment and movie screenings. From 1933 to 1950, the place was renovated, and it officially closed in 1967. Since then, it became a warehouse until the year 2001.
The 86-year old movie house still is one of the most famous haunted places to visit in Minneapolis. Visitors would describe the place as a lonely, silent, and genuinely creepy theatre house. Many rumors also say that the place has been home to spirits and ghosts of people who have always visited the place back in the day.
Minneapolis City Hall
Founded in 1866, the old City Hall building in downtown Minneapolis had a long and turbulent history. It is also known for being extremely haunted. It’s reported that you can hear a ghostly young girl sobbing and wailing from a room where she is rumored to have killed herself with a razor.
Ghosts of unhappy young black girls have been seen as well, with some women claiming to see black ghosts leaning over their bed and choking them. In addition, city employees and employees of the local firm who used the building have reported hearing phantom footsteps and the feeling of someone tugging on their clothes.
Greyhound Bus Museum, Hibbing
Greyhound Memories is located in downtown Hibbing. It is a famous museum that takes visitors on a fascinating journey through the transportation of history in Minnesota. Their tour takes you all around the grounds, including the garage and repair shop, where you can take a trip down memory lane and see cars from the past years. Unfortunately, some of these cars were involved in accidents or other accident-related mishaps.
Several stories and allegations were reported from staff members of the museum about paranormal activities and haunted tales. A lot of paranormal investigators and ghost-busters have visited the place to check if the rumors were true. Plenty of strange noises and shadows were said to be seen around the place.
The most famous haunted story in this museum was the story of a little girl. According to witnesses, a little girl of age eight or ten would depart from one place of the museum to another. They also say that the girl was most active around five in the morning. Some paranormal investigators also say that they have encountered and interacted with the spectral little girl.
St. James Hotel, Red Wing
The St. James Hotel, located in downtown Red Wing, has been a prominent location for many significant events in the past. Such events include the election of President Chester A. Arthur in 1881, the Civil War, and other essential battles and murder investigations.
This hotel is haunted by several different spirits, including the ghost of Gen. Thomas Hart Benton and his victim’s spirits. St. James is said to be the most haunted building in Red Wing. If you are in the area, you cannot deny the fact that it is spooky.
While touring the hotel, tour guides say that most of the spirits connected to such tragic events in the hotel wander around all day. Some stories include murder in 1902, the Benton shooting of U.S. Grant in 1876, and the suicide of John Kelly’s daughter in 1892.
Nopeming Sanatorium, Duluth
Many believe that the Nopeming Sanatorium was built as a quarantine and treatment facility for tuberculosis patients and sufferers. This place is said to be haunted by the ghosts of those who die inside its walls. After being abandoned for decades, paranormal investigators have discovered that the spirit of a bit of child haunts Nopeming’s crumbling buildings.
Some visitors have reported seeing Native American spirits on the grounds, while others have reported a 1940 murder-suicide on Mother’s Day. This story takes place where a man murdered an orderly before taking his own life. The town authorities have documented both incidents.
Another show that paid a visit to Nopeming was “Ghost Adventures,” a travel channel show about haunted places. During their research, the crew came across many recordings of strange door knocks and pulls, as well as disembodied noises.
Wendigo Territory
Wendigo sightings in Roseau have been documented since the 1800s and have persisted into the 20th century. Unfortunately, a premature death happened due to each sighting, giving the sightings the reputation of being an omen of death and disaster.
According to Native mythology, an evil spirit that devours humanity lurks around the place. It is said to wander the cold forests of Minnesota, the Great Lakes region, and central Canada in search of flesh to ingest. The monster was then referred to as the evil spirit that devoured humanity.
As reported by many sources, the Wendigo is at least 15 feet tall and is very emaciated. It is covered with flaming eyes and lengthy claws. They are said to have an insatiable hunger and are always on the hunt for their next victim.
Glensheen Mansion
Glensheen Mansion, a historic home on the shores of Lake Superior, is a popular tourist attraction in Duluth. It is most visited by many tourists and residents alike since it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
A wealthy family funded the construction of this house called the Congdons in 1905. Unfortunately, one of Elizabeth Congdon’s adoptive children killed her and her caregiver when they lived at the mansion during that time.
Residents have reported seeing Elizabeth’s spirit roaming around the grounds. Light has been observed flickering on many occasions as well. The University of Minnesota maintains the house every week. They also open the place for public viewing and tourists every day.
Mary’s College
An unsolved murder occurred at St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota’s Heffron Hall. This served as a residence hall a few years ago, raising suspicions to many. In 1915, a priest tried to assassinate Bishop Heffron, but he was miserably unsuccessful.
No other evidence was found until the Reverend Edward Lynch was discovered dead from electrocution in 1931. It was impossible to determine where the electricity had come from. Residents of the hostel have reported seeing ghosts and hearing strange sounds in the area as well.
Furthermore, although the windows and doors have been tightly closed, chilly drafts have been discovered.
Final Thoughts
Are you feeling a little frightened? Then, we’ve got you covered! This list of the top haunted places in Minneapolis, Minnesota, will have you jumping in fright. So, when it comes to Halloween, if you want to get your scare on, these are the places you must visit.