Buzz
Ever wonder what happens to world leaders after death? Specifically, U.S. presidents? Ghost believers might have answers to where they go. Across the U.S., numerous places are said to house the spirits of past presidents. The White House, for example, is believed to hold the ghost of Abraham Lincoln. George Washington’s spirit is rumored to wander his Mt. Vernon estate. Let’s take a chilling journey through ten other places where presidential ghosts are said to linger.
10. Monticello
Thomas Jefferson, the third U.S. president, was not only a statesman but also an architect who designed his Virginia home, Monticello. Meaning ‘little mountain’ in Italian, it became his residence for his final years after leaving the presidency, where he passed away on July 4, 1826. Many believe his spirit never truly departed.
Visitors to Monticello have claimed to hear Jefferson’s familiar whistling as he roamed the halls. His calm, fatherly apparition has been spotted by his writing desk, in the entrance hall, and even with his wife, Martha, in the dining room. Psychic researcher Hans Holzer, an enthusiast of the paranormal, reported sensing Jefferson’s presence in his bedroom, dining room, and South Pavilion—areas where Jefferson spent much of his time during his life.
Interestingly, there have been no reports of spirits from any of the slaves Jefferson enslaved at Monticello, not even that of his mistress, Sally Hemmings. This is particularly striking given that their burial ground was recently discovered just 2,000 feet (610 meters) from the main house.
9. Hollywood Cemetery
Hollywood Cemetery, located in Richmond, Virginia, is known for its spectral visitors. Haunting whispers and groans from Confederate soldiers, a phantom dog, and even a vampire are said to haunt the grounds.
Two U.S. Presidents rest in the cemetery: James Monroe and John Tyler, alongside Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Monroe’s remains were moved to Richmond from the family crypt in New York. The transition confused his spirit, and it is said he was first seen near his original resting place before disappearing and reappearing in Richmond. Since then, his ghost has been sighted by his grave, where he sits in quiet reflection, clutching his shoulder where a musket ball from the Revolutionary War once lodged. Occasionally, he’s also seen standing, tall and strong as he was in life, inside his gothic tomb.
8. U.S. Capitol
The Capitol is steeped in unsettling stories, with an eerie vibe enhanced by the presence of a crypt intended for George Washington within its walls. Among the many legends are those of a demon cat, which is said to bring ominous warnings of calamities, as well as the spirits of a Civil War soldier who wanders Statuary Hall and William Taulbee, a former congressman, who was fatally shot in a Capitol stairwell.
Taulbee wasn't the only one to meet a tragic end at the Capitol. Former president John Quincy Adams, a staunch opponent of the Mexican War—deemed an unjust conflict that would lead to the spread of slavery—fell victim to a stroke during a House vote. As the House prepared to honor military officers, Adams shouted “No!” before collapsing, passing away two days later. Since then, his disembodied voice saying “No!” is said to echo through the halls of the Capitol.
7. Hermitage
Located twenty miles east of Nashville, Tennessee, lies the grand Hermitage estate, built by Andrew Jackson for his beloved wife, Rachel, on a peaceful meadow of her choosing. In 1819, Jackson hired an English gardener to create a serene garden where Rachel could relax. She found comfort among the blooming flowers, and when she passed away in 1828, Jackson had her buried in the garden. Every afternoon after her death, he would visit her tomb, smoking his cigar and speaking to her. Jackson once said, “Heaven will be no heaven to me if I do not meet my wife there,” and upon his own death, he was buried near her.
Since then, numerous reports tell of footsteps in the garden, accompanied by the scent of cigar smoke near Rachel's grave. The garden gate is said to open on its own, and visitors often feel Jackson's presence. In addition, the sounds of a galloping horse through the house and mysterious whispers have been heard. Could this be Jackson, riding as he did in his military days?
6. Lindenwald
Before it was named Lindenwald, the two-story Federal-style mansion in Kinderhook, New York, had been visited by notable figures like author Washington Irving and Vice-President Aaron Burr. Irving was particularly inspired by the area’s legend of a headless horseman, which heavily influenced his iconic story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
The mansion was rechristened Lindenwald by Martin van Buren after he purchased the property in 1839 and moved there in 1840 following his presidency. He transformed the home into an Italian Gothic-style mansion, where he lived with his wife and son, John. Unfortunately, it was also the place where Van Buren passed away in 1862. Later, John Van Buren lost the property in a gambling bet, with Winston Churchill’s grandfather, Leonard Jerome, acquiring it.
Lindenwald is said to be haunted by multiple spirits. The ghost of Aaron Burr has been seen walking through the orchard, and what is thought to be his footsteps can be heard in the upper floors. Additionally, the orchard is haunted by Van Buren’s butler, who took his own life there, and the spirit of a woman, who was murdered, is said to walk among the apple trees.
Van Buren’s ghost is often seen in the dining room with his son, John. They appear as if they are enjoying a meal and conversing with guests. The former president is sometimes observed loosening the corset under his waistcoat, which he wore to conceal his belly, just as he did in his later years.
5. The Willard Hotel
Built in 1818, the Willard Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., boasts a remarkable history. Its guest list has included figures such as Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Walt Whitman, and Harry Houdini. Even its ghosts are notable: One such spirit is that of First Lady Jane Pierce, who stayed at the Willard after the heartbreaking death of her 11-year-old son in a train accident. Though she passed away in Andover, Massachusetts, her spirit is said to still roam the hotel’s corridors.
It was a common practice for President Ulysses S. Grant to stroll over from the White House to the Willard Hotel, just two blocks away, in the evenings. There, he would relax in the lobby, drinking and enjoying his favorite Cuban cigars. Grant became such a frequent presence that people seeking favors would approach him, and this led to the term “lobbyists” being coined.
And it seems Grant never truly left the hotel. His apparition has been spotted walking down a corridor known as Peacock Alley. Both employees and guests report smelling cigars in the lobby and certain areas, particularly late at night. Since the hotel operates as a completely smoke-free zone, the scent has no physical source—at least, none that can be identified.
4. The Menger Hotel
The Menger Hotel, located near the Alamo in San Antonio, is notorious for its paranormal activity, particularly in its bar. The hotel’s spectral residents include a Lady in White, children, cowboys, and even a ghostly playboy who lurks at the bar, waiting to pick up a living date. These spirits are believed to be behind the hotel’s many poltergeist occurrences, electrical disturbances, strange shadows, electronic voice phenomena (EVPs), and eerie spectral photobombs.
However, the most well-known ghost at the Menger Hotel is Theodore Roosevelt. During the Spanish-American War, Roosevelt used the bar as an impromptu recruitment office, encouraging cowboys who entered to join his Rough Riders. On one occasion, Roosevelt even rode his horse into the bar to excite his recruits.
Staff and guests have reported seeing Roosevelt’s ghost sitting at the bar, dressed in his old military uniform and enjoying a drink, just like he did during his recruiting days. His appearance once startled a new janitor late one night, causing the terrified young man to quit his job. An EVP captured a voice saying, “Get your horses,” a reference to Roosevelt’s horse-riding recruiting stunt.
3. Nixon Library
The Nixon Library and Museum, located in Yorba Linda, California, features archives and exhibits chronicling Richard Nixon’s life and his presidential legacy. It’s also the place where visitors can see his birthplace and final resting place. However, visitors may encounter more than just his legacy through artifacts, films, and documents. Nixon’s ghost is said to make an appearance as well.
A night watchman has reported witnessing a spectral figure pass through the locked door of Nixon’s birthplace. A mysterious green mist has been seen hovering above his grave. In the Watergate exhibit, machinery often malfunctions, and odd tapping noises are heard. A psychic suggested that these disturbances might be Nixon’s way of distracting people from the Watergate materials. Visitors on ghost tours have reported sudden chills in the dim exhibit halls, as well as strange odors and buzzing sounds in various areas. These activities seem to unsettle Nixon’s spirit.
A medium revealed that Nixon’s spirit is particularly fond of exhibits showcasing his early life—his school essays, old photographs, love letters to Pat, and his naval service records. The spirit also shared that he visits his birthplace each night.
2. Driskill Hotel
Jesse Driskill, a wealthy cattle baron who made his fortune by supplying beef to the Confederate army, used his war profits to build a Romanesque Revival hotel in Austin, Texas, in 1886. The Driskill, perhaps due to its blood money origins, is haunted by numerous spirits, making it one of the most haunted hotels in America.
Among the many spirits haunting the Driskill Hotel, the most notable is Jesse Driskill himself. On one occasion, a hotel guest woke up at 3 am to find Driskill standing by the window, smoking a cigar. Other apparitions include the ghost of a jilted bride who took her own life, the laughter of a child who tragically fell down the stairs, and even a haunted painting.
The most famous ghost associated with the Driskill Hotel is President Lyndon Johnson, who once courted his wife, Lady Bird, at the hotel. Johnson hosted many post-election parties and strategy meetings there, and it’s said that his ghost can still be spotted sitting in a chair near where he once watched election returns. Guests might also notice the reflections of LBJ and Lady Bird in the ballroom mirrors. It seems the former president is not ready to leave his beloved Austin haunt.
1. Wilson House
Situated on Embassy Row in Washington, D.C., is the Georgian Revival house where former President Woodrow Wilson moved after his time in office in 1921, seeking to recover from the debilitating stroke that affected his final years. Wilson had hoped to start a law practice and engage in scholarly pursuits, but those plans were never realized. The former president passed away in his bedroom in 1924.
Since then, Wilson House has developed a reputation as one of the most haunted locations in the capital. Wilson’s restless spirit is said to still wander the halls, and the sound of his cane tapping as he ascends the stairs can be heard. From his old bedroom, mournful sobs echo. A translucent figure in a dress shirt, tie, and jacket appears seated at the desk, with a lap robe or blanket covering the lower half of his body. His face, marked by the disfigurement of his stroke, bears a sorrowful and distant expression.
In 1969, a caretaker left, unable to cope with the growing unease. A staff member from the National Trust for Historic Preservation, an organization not known for embracing the supernatural, reported hearing Wilson’s Steinway piano playing in the drawing room, despite the room being empty at the time.
