Iconic Historic Locations That Any Ghost Hunter Can Investigate
Friday, November 16, 2012 at 3:38PM 
When it comes to paranormal investigations, every team has their own unique methods, technology and credentials that they bring with them. Many teams seek to document paranormal claims of the paranormal or experience it first-hand.
It is that desire for experience or even credentials, résumé-building that drives many to strive for the experiences that they see on shows like Ghost Adventures or Ghost Hunters. Many teams do not have consistent access to a location that is known to be haunted. So, while TAPS are investigating Eastern State Penitentary and Zack and the Ghost Adventures Crew are exploring the Sloss Furnaces most teams desire to have those experiences. They want to investigate a location that is so haunted that they are bound to get activity.
No matter the reason, Paranormal Tourism, Para-Tourism, is becoming the norm for these haunted iconic sites. Many sites offer up ghost tours and ghost walks but the sites here are all ones that allow you and your team to do an actual investigation, ghost hunt. You can pay to investigate these iconic and renowned haunted locations.
Of all things, a large majority of locations that Ghost Adventures have featured are actually available for Para-Tourism and the more recent seasons of Ghost Hunters are now showcasing a number of these sites as well.
The most Iconic and renowned sites that allow you to pay to investigate, pay to for a private ghost hunt are...
Eastern State Penitentiary
Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, but stands today in ruin, a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers.
Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, this was the world’s first true “penitentiary,” a prison designed to inspire penitence, or true regret, in the hearts of convicts.
Its vaulted, sky-lit cells once held many of America’s most notorious criminals, including bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and Al Capone. Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 1 and 2, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 2.
Investigate - Tours are available from $15-30 but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $500. [More Info...]
"...The minimum cost to conduct a paranormal investigation at Eastern State Penitentiary is $500. Groups are charged $25 an hour for each person in the group. Each group must have at least five people at the Penitentiary for a minimum of four hours."
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum located in Weston, WV. Formerly known as the Weston State Hospital, this West Virginia facility served as a sanctuary for the mentally ill in the mid-1800’s. The history of the building holds fascinating stories of Civil War raids, a gold robbery, the "curative" effects of architecture, and the efforts of determined individuals to help better the lives of the mentally ill. Tour this nationally recognized landmark and see how it left a lasting impression on local and national history.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 4, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 3.
Investigate - Tours are available from $40 but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $1,500. [More Info...]
"...Spend the night roaming the building undisturbed by other investigators. Bring all the equipment that you have and investigate your favorite hot spots. Your Asylum check in time is 9:00 p.m. and you will be released at 5:00 a.m. the following morning. Are you brave enough? Cost is $150.00/person, minimum 10 people..." Insurance Also Required**
Moundsville Penitentiary - West Virginia Penitentiary
The prison at Joliet provided the prototype for the West Virginia Penitentiary. It was an imposing stone structure fashioned in the castellated Gothic architectural style (adorned with turrets and battlements, like a castle). Only the dimensions of West Virginia's facility would differ; it would be approximately one-half the size of Joliet. No architectural drawings of the West Virginia Penitentiary have been discovered, so an understanding of the plan developed by the Board of Directors must be obtained through their 1867 report.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 3, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 1.
Investigate - Tours are available from $25 but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $800. [More Info...]
"...Wednesday nights beginning at 11:59pm! Include up to twenty (20) of your fellow ghost hunters and seek out the spirits that live here. Reservations must be made online with a $150.00 non-refundable deposit. One (1) person must be responsible for the booking and supplying a valid mailing and email address. An invoice for the remaining balance will be sent within five (5) business days. Payment is due sixty (60) days from billing or two (2) weeks before the event date, whichever occurs first. MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER 6 hours (11:59pm – 6:00am) $800 Up to 20 people PRIVATE*..."
Ohio State Reformatory - Mansfield Reformatory
The cornerstone laid on November 4, 1886 evolved into this magnificent Chateauesque structure. Cleveland architect Levi T. Scofield designed the Ohio State Reformatory using a combination of three architectural styles; Victorian Gothic, Richardsonian Romanesque and Queen Anne. This was done to encourage inmates back to a "rebirth" of their spiritual lives.
The Reformatory doors were opened to its first 150 young offenders in September 1896. After housing over 155,000 men in its lifetime, the doors to the prison closed December 31, 1990.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 2, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 3.
Investigate - Tours are available from $70 for an overnight investigation but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $1200. [More Info...]
Waverly Hills Sanitorium
Originally, Waverly Hills Sanatorium was a two-story frame building, with a hipped roof and half timbering. Construction on this building began in 1908, and opened for business on July 26, 1910. The building was designed to safely accommodate 40-50 tuberculosis patients. At the time, tuberculosis was a very serious disease. People who were afflicted with tuberculosis were isolated from the general public and placed in an area where they could rest, stay calm, and have plenty of fresh air. Sanatoriums were built on high hills surrounded by peaceful woods to create a serene atmosphere to help the patients recover.
The massive, collegiate, gothic style Sanatorium that you see in the 1926 photo (left), remains standing on Waverly Hill, today. It could accommodate at least 400 patients and was considered one of the most modern and well equipped facilities at the time. Construction of this Sanatorium began in March 1924 and opened for business on October 17, 1926. The facility served as a tuberculosis hospital until 1961, when the discovery of an antibiotic that successfully treated and cured TB rendered the facility obsolete.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 2, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 4.
Investigate - Tours are available from $50 for an overnight investigation but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $1000. (10 People) [More Info...]
Investigate - Tours are available from $70 for an overnight investigation but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $1200. [More Info...]
Hillview Manor
1925 as the Lawrence County Poor farm built by Architect A. L. Thayer to be a working farm unlike any of its kind, housing the county’s homeless and indigents. The building was equipped with a kitchen, hospital, laundry, separate living quarters for men and women, a cemetery, bomb shelter and an extra wing for employees and officers. It officially opened the doors to those in need in 1926.
A few decades later in the 1970s, a skilled care wing was added along with a new name, Hill View Manor, turning it in to a nursing facility. Unfortunately, the home faced financial strain and was forced to close in February 2004. While the building appears to be empty, minus a few things including medical equipment left behind, some people believe former residents still call Hill View Manor home.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 7, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 4.
Investigate - Tours are available from $65 for an overnight investigation but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $650. (10 People) [More Info...]
USS Salem
Ordered by the US Navy on 14 June, 1943, USS Salem (CA 139) was laid down on 4 July, 1945 at the Bethlehem Steel Company's Quincy Yard in Quincy, MA and launched on 25 March, 1947. She was commissioned at the Boston Navy Yard on 14 May, 1949.
USS Salem served a distinguished 10 year career as flagship of the US Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean and the Second Fleet in the Atlantic. During her career she served as host to such notables as the US Ambassador to Spain, John D. Lodge; the Honorable Thomas S. Gates, Undersecretary of the Navy; Admiral Arleigh A. Burke, USN, Chief of Naval Operations; the Shah of Iran; the President of Lebanon and the King and Queen of Greece.
Although Salem never fired her mighty guns in anger, her very presence served as a stimulus for peace during those troubled times that came to be called the Cold War. She served as a Lady of Diplomacy, rather than as a means of exerting brute force.
Imagine a small city placed in "mothballs", stored for 35 years, and then reopened and restored to it's former glory.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 5.
Investigate - Tours are available from $15 for an overnight investigation but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $250. (10 People) [More Info...]
Sloss Furnaces
Sloss Furnaces holds a very special place in the hearts and minds of the people of Birmingham. The original blast furnaces constructed by James Withers Sloss in the early 1880's served to propel the fledgling city of Birmingham into the pre-eminent industrial center of the South. For this reason Sloss Furnaces is a rich source of local pride and an invaluable part of our collective identity. But the Sloss Furnaces story doesn't end there. We are now looking to the future with plans to preserve Sloss Furnaces and expand on it's base as a cultural icon. You'll find these plans are big and bold, much like the towering smokestacks and enormous furnaces that made Sloss the stuff of legend.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 6, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 1.
Investigate - Tours are available from $2 for a self-guided tour but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $200. + Security Deposit (5 People) [More Info...]
Old Idaho Penitentiary
Nestled at the base of the foothills off Warm Springs Avenue in Boise, the Old Idaho Penitentiary is available to rent as a unique venue for your next gathering. Built in 1870, the “Old Pen” was home to some of the most desperate criminals in the West. The site began as the territorial prison and grew to a complex of several distinctive buildings that was placed on the National Register of Historic Placesin 1973. Your guests can imagine life in the sandstone cell houses, see the contrasting beauty of the historic rose gardens, and view Solitary Confinement, Death Row and the Gallows.
Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 1.
Investigate - Tours are available but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $300 per hour and the site is divided up into three separate sections that must be rented separately. [More Info...]
Preston Castle
In 1890, the 230 acre parcel of land where the Preston Castle stands was purchased from the Ione Coal & Iron Company for $30 per acre with 100 acres donated. The land was purchased to house the Preston School of Industry, established by the State Legislature as a progressive action toward rehabilitating, rather than simply imprisoning, juvenile offenders.
The Preston School of Industry remained open until 1960 when new facilities for the school were completed. The building remained vacant and fading into disrepair until September 10, 2001 when The Preston Castle Foundation received a fifty-year lease for the property. The Preston Castle has also been named a California State Historical Landmark (#867) and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NPS-75000422).
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 6, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 2.
Investigate - Tours are available from $100 a person but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $1000 a day. [More Info...]
PennHurst Haunted Asylum
Pennhurst State School opened in 1908 and flourished for almost 60 years until allegations of mistreatment of residents surfaced. Over the next decade, these allegations were proven to be true and by 1986 the entire complex was abandoned, and left to rot. As nature began to reclaim the property, an effort was launched to see if there was any feasible use for these buildings. Nothing was found until now..
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 7, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 3.
Investigate - Tours are available from $15 a person [More Info...]
Rolling Hills Asylum
Originally, a carriage house and tavern servicing stage coaches stood there from 1790 until December 1826, when it was sold to Genesse county. The carriage house still stands on the property today. The tavern serviced travelers from Batavia, NY to Warsaw, NY traveling along what is now known as US Route 20. At that point, the facility took in paupers, unwed mothers, the insane, and orphans.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 2, Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 4.
Investigate - Tours are available from $35 a person but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $875 + Tax. [More Info...]
***Warning Read About Our Experience With the Site [HERE...] Before Considering This Site***
Villisca Axe Murder House
The Villisca Axe Murders occurred during the night of June 9–10, 1912 in the southwestern Iowa town of Villisca. The six members of the Moore family and two house guests were found bludgeoned in the Moore residence. All eight victims, including six children, had severe head wounds from an axe. A lengthy investigation yielded several suspects, one of which was tried twice and acquitted. The crime remains unsolved.
Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 4.
Investigate - Tours are available from $10 a person but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $400 (6 People). [More Info...]
Tooele Hospital (Asylum 49)
In 1873. Samuel F. Lee constructed a home for he and his family to live in Tooele, Utah. After living there for forty years, the Lee family moved out in 1913. The structure, then, was turned in to a home for the elderly. Many locals dubbed it the “County Poor House”. It was later seen for its hospital potential.
With a few minor adjustments, the new hospital opened in 1953 for the Tooele Army Depot. It provided better accommodations for visitors including individual restrooms and a morgue as the old one had only but a designated room to hold the bodies until a local mortuary could pick them up. After the new state-of-the-art hospital was built in the county and the Old Tooele Hospital reverted back to an elderly home (This portion of the history is rather conflicting. I've found two different versions that are too similar to tell at this point which one is correct. I welcome any clarification from anyone who knows or has visited this location). While Ghost Adventures may have reintroduced Old Tooele Hospital to the public, it did initially achieve fame as the film site for two movies: The Fastest Indian and Stephen King’s The Stand. Then, officially closing in 2001 and remained empty until 2006. Today, it is the site of the Asylum 49 haunted attraction every year and numerous ghost hunts.
Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 4.
Investigate - Tours are available from $20 a person but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $1600 (8 People). [More Info...]
Rochester Main Street Armory
The Main Street Armory, built in 1905 as headquarters for western New York’s 3rd Battalion, is also historically significant for its association with American military history. The volunteer militia (ie: the National Guard) has been and to an extent still is the backbone of the American military system since the colonial era. The Main Street Armory, like virtually all other National Guard armories, remains a prominent visual reminder and monument of the pivotal role played by the volunteer militia in American military history.
Investigated by Ghost Adventures in Season 7.
Investigate - Tours are available from $35 a person but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $500 (6 People). [More Info...]
Old Jail Museum
Resembling a fortress standing guard over the town of Jim Thorpe (formerly known as
Mauch Chunk), the historic Old Jail Museum is a beautiful two-story stone structure.
Completed in 1871 it was used as the Carbon County Prison from 1871 until January
1995 when it was purchased by Tom McBride and his wife, Betty Lou, of Jim Thorpe.
The building is best known as the site of the hanging of seven Irish coal miners known as Molly Maguires in the 1800s. On June 21, 1877, today known as the Day of the Rope, Alexander Campbell, Edward Kelly, Michael Doyle and John Donohue were hanged at the same time on gallows erected inside the Old Jail Museum cell block. On March 28, 1878, Thomas P. Fisher was hanged here, and on January 14, 1879, James McDonnell and Charles Sharp were hanged on the same gallows.
Investigated by Ghost Detectives Season 1.
Investigate - Tours are available from $10 a person but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it requires personal inquiry. [More Info...]
Shanley Hotel
newspaper to be, "one of the area's best with fine food and new furnishing." In 1851 it became Hungerford's Hotel, "one of the most beautiful and commodious public
houses to be found in any section of the country."
January of 1887. On March 18, 1895 trouble came when a nearby house caught
fire. It spread to the hotel, burning it down to the foundation. By September, the new frame was up and in November it was open to the public once again.
There have been many owners since then but the one who seemed to have placed The Napanoch Hotel on the map was James Louis Shanley. He was born in Ireland on October 31 (Halloween), 1874 and moved with his family to New York City. James and his brothers were successful business men, opening many elegant restaurants and Hotels across the country. He moved upstate and purchased the hotel on October 1, 1906. In 1908 he added a bowling alley, billiard room and barber shop to the building.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 7
Investigate - Tours are available from $85 a person but for a formal investigation as a 'site rental' it starts at $1200 [More Info...]
Dunkirk Lighthouse
The light was first established on Point Gratiot in 1827. This light acted in tandem with a pier head beacon to guide ships to the safety of the Dunkirk Harbor.
In 1875-1876, a 61-foot stone tower and a beautiful Victorian residence were constructed to replace the original tower, which was threatened by erosion. These structures still stand today.
Bricks from the original keeper's house formed the foundation for the new house. The old cylindrical tower was moved adjacent to the new keeper's residence. A square tower was built around the old tower "to be more compatible with the keeper's house." (Tinney, Burdett-Watkins, p. 13; Seaway Trail Video) . Military Parade Reservation Grounds - The Dunkirk Light ship is located on these grounds.
War of 1812 - The first shot of the 1812 War was fired near the west bank of the lighthouse.
The waters of Lake Erie off Dunkirk have been the site of several notable shipwrecks.
- The lake's first steamboat, the Walk-on-Water, was lost to a storm in 1818.
- 1841 the Erie burned with the loss of 141 lives. The fire was blamed on painters who stored turpentine and varnish on the deck above the ship's boilers.
- In 1893, the steamboat Dean Richmond, which carried sacks of meal, flour, copper sheet, and gold and silver bullion, sank off Dunkirk. Dunkirk residents salvaged hundreds of bags of damp flour after the wreck.
- 1897, the freighter Idaho was lost. Some of its cargo of Christmas items, including slabs of chocolate, were recovered by the locals. (Roberts, Jones pp.29-30)
Investigate - Tours are available from $15 a person [More Info...]
The Naples Hotel
In 1895, Jeff R. Brown built the finest brick hotel in Ontario County. The Naples Hotel and Restaurant soon became an impressive landmark, the center for dinners, weddings and banquets. Many speeches by prominent politicians, including Robert Kennedy, were delivered from the spacious front porch. The foundation of the building is three feet thick and the walls are five bricks thick.
Today, the Naples Hotel and Restaurant strives to maintain a lively and entertaining combination of the present with days gone by. The federal period architecture of the building is virtually as it was built.
Investigated by Ghost Hunters in Season 8
Investigate - Tours are available from $30 a person [More Info...]
The Buffalo Naval Park
The construction of the Buffalo Naval and Servicemen's Park (later named the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park) started in 1977. The park was opened to the public on July 4, 1979. TheCleveland-class cruiser USS Little Rock, the Fletcher-class destroyerUSS The Sullivans were part of the original display. In 1988 the Gato-class submarine USS Croaker was added. In 1989 the Croaker underwent a refit.
Investigate - For a formal investigation as a 'site rental' contact Beyond Ghosts [More Info...]
The Buffalo Terminal
The New York Central Terminal in Buffalo, New York, USA, was a key railroadstation from 1929 to 1979. The 17-story Art Deco style station was designed by architects Fellheimer & Wagner for the New York Central Railroad. After years ofabandonment, it is in derelict condition, but is now owned by the non-profit preservation group Central Terminal Restoration Corporation.
Investigate - For a formal investigation as a 'site rental' contact Beyond Ghosts [More Info...]
Additional Sites:
Pythain Castle - http://www.pythiancastle.com/ghosts.html
Hulbert House
Madison Seminary - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Madison-Seminary/180590777832
Old Stone fort - http://theoldstonefort.org/index.html *Ghost Hunters*
Cooper inn - http://www.cooperinn.com/ *GH*
Reader Comments (1)
One word....PHENOMENAL! Love all the info you pulled together. Very, very, VERY well done!