Copyright US Ghost Adventures
Washington, D.C., is the site of political assassinations, deadly battles, and unfortunate tragedies. It is haunted by the spirits of war criminals, political prisoners, foreign spies, and past politicians and government officials.
It is also reportedly haunted by the “Demon Cat,” a black cat often spotted before elections or during political upheaval. This cat, first allegedly seen in the 1800s, is said to roam the halls and grounds of the Capitol, the White House, and other government buildings and grounds.
If you’re in town this Halloween, you need to check out some of DC’s most terrifying and spookiest haunted houses.
The Decatur House
The Decatur House – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
One of the first places you will likely stop at if you book a DC ghost tour is the Stephen Decatur house, formerly owned by Commodore Stephen Decatur, who purchased the house with the prize money he won from the war in 1812. It was the first private residential house in the White House neighborhood.
His life ended with a bloody duel, during which he was shot in the hip. Over the next 12 hours, he bled to his death in this house. People thought that was the last they would see of him, but they were wrong. Frightened residents reported seeing him peeking out of his windows at night when passing by. Perhaps he came to seek revenge for his lost duel?
Lafayette Square
Another of DC’s most haunted locations is Lafayette Square, just north of the White House. The site of many tragedies, there’s no wonder it contributes to DC’s reputation of being haunted. In 1859, US District Attorney Philip Barton Key was shot dead by Daniel Sickles, a representative from NY, in broad daylight here.
The son of Francis Key Scott (the author of The Star Spangled Banner), his death shocked the nation at the time, mainly due to the motive of the crime. It wasn’t a political assassination, as you may think. Rather, Sickles’ wife was having an affair with Key, whom he considered to be a friend.
The Woodrow Wilson House
The Woodrow Wilson House was the home of former President Woodrow Wilson. Wilson was largely incapacitated during the last year or two of his presidency. Perhaps he feels that he has unfinished business to take care of because the house staff has reported ghostly apparitions haunting the place. His rocking chair creaks at night, rocking back and forth with nobody in it, while the shuffle of a man and the clicking of a cane is heard when the rocking stops.
The Blair House
The Blair House is another famously haunted location in DC. As an official guest house for the sitting president and vice president, President Tubman stayed there while renovations were happening in the White House. An assassination attempt took place in 1950. Although President Tubman slept through it all, one of the officers guarding the place was shot and later died. In addition, the two would-be assassins, gunmen from Puerto Rico, were shot dead on the spot. Their spirits have been trapped in the house since.
The National Theater
The National Theatre – Copyright US Ghost Adventures
The National Theatre is located on Pennsylvania Avenue. The innocent, unassuming facade of the oldest operating playhouse in the nation hides the fact that there is something seriously dark and shadowy about this place. The ghost of actor John McCullough haunts it. At the time, he was earning $50,000 a year for his role in Shakespearean plays such as Hamlet, which was a massive amount of money at the time.
In 1885, he was shot and killed during a fight with another actor – over a woman. He was buried in the dirt floor under the stage. Today, his spirit often appears at the theater dressed and ready for his old Shakespeare roles.
However, the theater was haunted long before that. In the 50 years between its opening and John’s shooting and death, the building suffered no less than five mysterious fires.
Independence Avenue Southwest
The corner of Independence Avenue SW and 7th Street SW, the site of a former slave market, is also said to be haunted. Late at night, the sound of clinking chains can be heard, as well as the muffled groans and screams of the ghosts of formerly enslaved people.
Many houses in the Georgetown area are said to be haunted by the ghosts of formerly enslaved people who were enslaved in those houses and often beaten.
If you’re willing to venture out of DC, there are plenty of haunted attractions nearby that make for a great Halloween day (or night) trip. If you have the courage, go on an adventure down the Kindred Hills Haunted Trail in Frederick, Maryland. The 301 Devil’s Playground features several haunted attractions in Galena, including its infamous Barn of Torture.
