Buzz
New York City, renowned for its lively Times Square, stunning skyline, and Broadway performances, has a deeper, more sinister past. Beneath the grandeur of its architecture, several buildings carry a legacy of tragedy and misfortune, making them more infamous for their eerie histories than their architectural beauty.
A number of ghost hunters and those intrigued by the supernatural are drawn to these mysterious spots, eager to explore their haunting secrets. It seems there’s more to the nickname ‘the city that never sleeps’ than meets the eye. Here are ten buildings that contribute to this reputation.
10. The Dakota
The Dakota, located at 72nd Street and Central Park West, stands as one of Manhattan's most coveted properties. Completed in the 1880s, the building's owner, Edward Clark, the founder of the Singer Sewing Machine Company, passed away at 70, just two years before the structure was finished.
Overlooking Central Park, the Dakota is renowned for its striking Gothic design and eerie reputation. Horror enthusiasts will recognize its exterior as the setting for scenes in Roman Polanski’s 1968 film Rosemary’s Baby. During renovations in the 1960s, workers reported seeing the ghost of a blonde-haired girl wandering the hallways.
In a tragic twist, on December 8, 1980, Beatles legend John Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman outside the Dakota. His widow still resides there and has claimed to have encountered his ghost one night, with him reassuring her, saying, “Don’t be afraid. I am still with you.” Before his death, Lennon also told her about a “crying lady ghost” that roamed the hallways at night.
9. The House Of Death
Located in Greenwich Village, 14 West 10th Street was the residence of author Mark Twain from 1900 to 1901, and it is believed that his ghost is among the 22 spirits that haunt the building, each tied to the residence either by life or death.
One former tenant reported seeing a man with ‘white, wild-like’ hair sitting in a chair, gazing out the window. When she asked what he was doing there, he responded, ‘My name is Clemens and I got problems here I gotta settle.’ Additionally, actress Jan Bryant Bartell, who lived at number 16 West (next door), spoke of hearing unsettling noises, experiencing eerie visions, and feeling overwhelming dread. She later moved to number 14 West, but the sensations persisted, leading her to believe it was the ghost of Mark Twain.
In 1987, wealthy lawyer Joel Steinberg tragically murdered his adopted daughter at number 14. The building has since earned the ominous nickname ‘The House of Death’ among those familiar with its dark past.
8. The Campbell Apartment
The Campbell Apartment, a cocktail bar located in Grand Central Terminal, was once the office of financier John W. Campbell. After his death in 1957, the space briefly became a small jail before being sold and restored. The historic architecture now coexists with modern design, offering a cozy spot to enjoy a drink near the bustling terminal. However, the building’s history of paranormal activity also draws many ghost hunters.
In 2010, Mark Grossich, the owner, shared that ‘Over the last few years, staff have experienced strange occurrences, like feeling someone push them from behind while walking across the floor, despite no one being there. They’ve felt sudden gusts of cold air coming from nowhere. My team has even seen the ghostly figures of an old couple, dressed in period clothing, sitting and having cocktails on the balcony when the place was completely closed.’ He further mentioned that these supernatural events are so common that many employees refuse to work alone at the location.
7. The Conference House
The Conference House, located on Staten Island, became a National Historic Landmark in 1966. On September 11, 1776, figures such as Lord William Howe, Benjamin Franklin, Edward Rutledge, and John Adams met here for a failed peace treaty discussion during the Revolutionary War.
In 1676, Christopher Billop, an officer in the English Royal Navy, purchased the land and built Bentley Manor, which was later renamed the Conference House. It is rumored that Billop murdered the manor’s maid by stabbing her on the stairs and throwing her body down, believing she had been signaling the enemy. Her ghost is said to still haunt the building. Additionally, the spirit of Billop’s fiancée, who died of heartbreak after he abandoned her, is said to wail in the house.
The building stands atop the largest Lenape burial ground in New York City, known as Burial Ridge, which may provide an explanation for the frequent hauntings reported in the area.
6. The Lefferts-Laidlaw House
If the idea of hearing persistent knocks on your door in the dead of night, only to find nobody there, unnerves you, then the Lefferts-Laidlaw House at 136 Clinton Avenue near the Brooklyn Navy Yard is one place you might want to steer clear of. In December 1878, the then-owner, Edward F. Smith, heard loud knocking at his door and rattling windows throughout the night. The disturbances persisted until he called the police. While officers surrounded the building, a brick was inexplicably thrown through a dining room window, despite the presence of numerous law enforcement outside. A search of the area revealed no one else in sight.
Numerous psychics have attempted to unravel the mystery of the evil spirit said to haunt this location, even conducting ‘semi-seances’ on the sidewalk outside. Despite their efforts, the true nature of the haunting remains unsolved. The mansion, built around 1840 in a temple-fronted Greek Revival style, features six bedrooms and was last listed for sale in 2016 for $4.5 million.
5. 85 West 3rd Street
Author Edgar Allan Poe is renowned for his eerie Gothic tales, such as “The Tell-Tale Heart,” “The Black Cat,” and “The Fall of the House of Usher.” However, he may have drawn inspiration for his iconic poem “The Raven” from his time living at 85 West 3rd Street. Poe resided at this address from 1844 to 1845, the very period when the famous poem was published. According to recent residents of the building, Poe's presence still lingers there.
The original structure was demolished by New York University and replaced with Furman Hall, although some elements of the old building remain, including the facade facing the street and an original banister. Students living in the hall have reported seeing a ghostly figure near the banister that eerily resembles Poe. Poe died mysteriously in 1849 at the age of 40. He was found in a delirious state in Baltimore, Maryland, and the exact cause of his death has sparked numerous theories, including alcohol poisoning, suicide, cholera, and even murder.
4. 84 West 3rd Street
Directly across from Edgar Allan Poe’s former home is a building with a tragic past. At 84 West 3rd Street stands a former Fire Patrol station, built in 1906. In 1930, a firefighter, devastated after discovering his wife’s affair, tragically hanged himself in the building. His heartbroken spirit is said to haunt the site, with past firefighters reporting eerie noises and even sightings of the ghost floating in mid-air, as if hanging from the rafters. The station has since been converted into a private residence.
This street is steeped in history, and a short walk away leads you to Hangman’s Elm in Washington Square Park, where public executions once took place. Local lore claims that the final hanging occurred in 1820, when a slave named Rose Butler was executed for setting fire to her master’s home.
3. 57 West 57th Street
While haunted houses are common, at 57 West 57th Street, it’s the haunted penthouse that has caused shivers among its visitors. Local legend says that those who resided in the penthouse quickly descended into madness and even violence. Edna Crawford Champion, once married to an inventor, saw her life turn tragic when her French lover, Charles Brazelle, murdered her husband. After lying to the police and falsely claiming her husband died of a heart attack, she purchased the penthouse as a love nest. But one fateful night, Charles turned on Edna, fatally beating her with a telephone. Her bodyguards, in turn, threw him out of a window, ending the violent saga.
The apartment was later sold to a man named Carlton Alsops, who became deeply disturbed by the sounds of high heels clicking across the floor. This constant unnerving noise caused him so much distress that his marriage fell apart, and he eventually ended up in a mental asylum, abandoning the apartment altogether. It’s likely that the current residents of the penthouse have either heard similar unsettling sounds or been warned of its haunted history.
2. 12 Gay Street
12 Gay Street, a three-story brick townhouse in the West Village, was built in 1827 and appears unremarkable to the casual observer. However, the house is said to be haunted by a restless spirit that roams the halls at night. A neighbor who has lived nearby for over 20 years remarked, “I wouldn’t go in there now—it’s well-known that ghosts haunt the place. Living there would be like moving into The Shining.”
Those who have ventured inside claim to have felt the presence of others when alone, heard footsteps on the stairs during the night, and seen the apparition of a man in a top hat appearing in doorways. The basement, once a puppet theater for a previous owner, is said to be a hotspot for paranormal activity. In 2009, the house was listed for sale at $4.2 million, offering the new owners a real-life Stephen King experience.
1. The Manhattan Well Murder
The basement of the former Manhattan Bistro, located in SoHo, became the grim scene of a notorious murder. In late December 1799, a young woman named Gulielma Elmore Sands was set to meet her lover, Levi Weeks, as they planned to elope. That night marked the last time anyone would see her alive. Eleven days later, her body was discovered in the basement’s well, her neck bruised, indicating she had been strangled.
Weeks was arrested and tried for what became known as the “Manhattan Well Murder.” However, he was acquitted, thanks to his powerful legal defense. Since then, the well where Sands' body was found has become a point of interest for ghost hunters and history enthusiasts. Maria DaGrossa, whose family once ran the Manhattan Bistro, recalled, “People are always asking to come down here [to see the well].” After the bistro closed, the basement was repurposed into a clothing store.
