They are many reportedly haunted places in the United States. Some are abandoned mental institutions, some are old wartime hospitals. Some are ancient burial grounds and cemeteries. Then there are colleges and universities.
There have been ghost stories surrounding colleges as long as colleges have existed. Some began as fraternity house initiation pranks went wrong. Some stories stem from horrible accidents. Others come from documented tragic events like murders and suicides. There are many stories that have even become urban legends. These legends usually stem from a real event but have been blown out of proportion over years of being recounted.
Among these reportedly haunted education destinations, there are several that command particular attention. These are considered by many, to be the most haunted of the colleges and universities. If you are a college student, you may want to make sure your school is not on the list. That is unless you are a thrill-seeker or skeptic.
Penn State University
One of the reported ghosts of Penn State is Betsy Aardsma. Betsy was a student in 1969. She was doing research for her English class and was stabbed in one of the aisles of books in the Pattee Library. Betsy died as a result of the stabbing. Her murder case remains unsolved to this day. Her ghost is said to wander the library late at night.
One student who was looking at books in the aisle where Betsy was murdered, claimed to wake that night with the feeling of being strangled. The strangling sensation was so strong, she couldn’t call out to her roommate. The roommate was sleeping in the same room. There are also reports of an ax murderer who haunts the Brumbaugh Hall on Halloween night.
Bradford College-Haverhill, MA
Bradford College is now closed and has been abandoned. One of the most popular ghost stories is that of a student who had a relationship with a priest at the school. When she found out she was pregnant, she either committed suicide or was murdered.
Both of the spirits of the student and the priest are said to haunt the old Academy building. Ghost hunters have recorded numerous voices, screams and images on the campus.
University of Notre Dame
George Gipp, legendary Notre Dame football star, is said to haunt the university. Gipp is known for supposedly making the famous “Win one for the Gipper” speech to his coach before Gipp passed away. Gipp is said to be seen huddling over students’ shoulders and even giving them a friendly pat on the back. He vanishes when they turn around.
Another story is that Columbus Hall is built on a Patawatami Indian burial site. Warriors on horseback have been reportedly been seen riding up and down the steps to the Hall. There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of information regarding these warriors.
University of Georgia
Stories here range from sightings of confederate soldiers to murders and suicides. One story says that the Phi Mu Sorority house is haunted by Anna Hamilton. It is said that Anna saw her boyfriend murdered and buried under the building’s front steps. Students speak to her through the Ouija board. Her crying is said to be heard through the empty rooms of the house.
The Alpha Gamma Delta house is also said to be haunted by the daughter of the founder. She was stood up on her wedding day. She was so heartbroken, she hung herself in the attic of the house. There have been reports of a woman glaring at students and visitors from the attic windows.
Montclair State University- Upper Montclair, NJ
The stories here are focused more on Clove Road Apartments. Tenants report feelings of dread and fights breaking out for no apparent reason. It is said that the apartments are built on Indian burial grounds. Doors and windows slam and lock unexpectedly. Lights go on and off by themselves. The building is said to be cold at all times.
Reports tell of a man dressed in 19th-century attire who hovers over beds and vanishes when the tenant screams. There are reports of figures darting through the trees in the forest. These figures are believed to be Native American spirits.
St. Joseph’s College
This used to be a field hospital during the Civil War. There are reported sightings of nurses carrying buckets with arms and legs in them, away from the old surgery wards. Screaming and hospital smells have also been reported here. Students have reported walking into a ghostly hospital, instead of the school.
There is said to be one friendly ghost among all the ghostly gore, Mother Seton. She was the founder of the American Sisters of Charity. She smiles at students and rushes to aid eternally injured ghost soldiers.
Drew University- Madison, NJ
A misty apparition is said to haunt Asbury Hall. This is believed to be the ghost of a student who hung himself from the rafters of the Hall.
Roxanna Mead Drew, the wife of the founder, is said to haunt the campus also. There was a fire that broke out in Mead Hall, and firefighters saw a woman trapped inside. Two firefighters went in to get her and she glanced at them and then disappeared.
Cal State University- Channel Islands (Camarillo, CA)
Cal State opened its doors in 2002. It was built on the grounds of an old mental hospital. Many people believe that hospitals and asylums hold energy from the trauma and suffering that happened in these places. This energy apparently can take root in the grounds as well.
There are reports of seeing old patients wandering the campus, halls, and streets of Cal State. Patients have been seen going into rooms, and are gone upon investigation. Students have been knocked over, objects thrown and empty classrooms vandalized.
University of Illinois- Urbana, IL
This one has many stories. One is about a sister of Alpha Phi Omega sorority returning to the house after a night of drinking. She realized she was being watched by a man in a gray uniform. She said the man had no face. Scared, she ran to tell her friends. The building was searched, and no one was found.
Years ago, in Crampton Hall, a student was found hanging in his closet. It was determined the student was a victim of foul play. The killer still hasn’t been found. In 2007, a student was found, bound and hanging upside down in his closet. He was alive but terrified.
Ohio University
Many people consider this to be one of the most haunted places in the United States. Reports here range from ghost teachers talking with students, to an entire ghost basketball team. Most buildings on the campus have at least one ghost associated with them.
One building does manage to stand out from the others. Wilson Hall has been featured on “Scariest Places on Earth“. The story goes: A female student was practicing satanic rituals in room 428. Supposedly, she died a violent death in that room. There is no solid proof of the story. What is known is that the room has been closed and sealed up. No student could live peacefully in that room. Throughout Wilson Hall, voices can be heard. Doors lock and unlock, open and close, by themselves. Ghostly figures are seen walking the halls.
It is a mystery why hauntings are so closely associated with institutions of higher learning. The fact remains that as long as people roam the halls of colleges and universities, there will be ghost stories and reports of haunted campuses.
If you are considering which college to attend you might want to do some research into the history of each candidate. Along with making sure each college offers courses you need, do some background searches into the history of the buildings and campuses. You never can tell when you might end up attending one of the most haunted education destinations!
