As the summer light fades and the leaves turn for fall, it is the perfect ambiance to explore Atlanta’s many haunted places. Whether you are throwing a spooky season gathering or simply want to discover eerie places nearby, this list of haunted places will be sure to keep you on your toes.

5 haunted places in Atlanta

Ellis Hotel (formerly Winecoff Hotel)

176 Peachtree St. NW

On December 7, 1946 a fire tragically claimed 119 lives here in the deadliest hotel fire in US history. 

The then-Winecoff Hotel advertised itself to be “absolutely fireproof” due to the steel materials used to construct the hotel. Unfortunately the interior materials were quite flammable and combustible. When a fire ignited at 2:48 a.m. on the third floor, all the occupants on the floors above the fire were trapped since the only exit was a single stairway for all 15 floors of the building. Survivors of the fire were either rescued from upper-story windows or jumped into nets set up by firefighters. About one third of the lives lost were due to attempts of jumping out of the building hoping for safety, while the rest were a direct result of the fire. 

The hotel has since passed through several hands and been renamed the Ellis Hotel. Guests and staff claim to see ghostly figures wandering the halls at night, and the fire alarm has been known to go off at the time of the fire still to this day.

Historic Oakland Cemetery 

248 Oakland Ave. SE

At 48 acres, Oakland Cemetery is one of the largest cemetery green spaces in Atlanta. Around 70,000 souls have been laid to rest here, with many being unmarked graves of paupers, Civil War soldiers, people without families and those who could not afford a private burial lot. 

There are notable names here, too, such as “Gone with the Wind” author Margaret Mitchell Marsh, golfer Bobby Jones, politicians and other prominent Atlantans. Just outside the cemetery grounds, some of the men involved in the Great Locomotive Chase during the CIvil War were hanged and later buried on the property. 

During this Halloween season, book a tour that captures the spirit of Oakland’s deep history.  Don’t miss this opportunity and book your tickets here!

Lake Lanier

Just outside the city lies Lake Lanier, the deadliest lake in the United States. There have been an estimated 700 deaths since the lake's creation in 1956, with over 200 having occurred in the last 20 years alone. 

The lake was allegedly formed for flood control, drinking water and hydroelectric power but many believe there is an unspoken darker history. 

When the lake was created, the community of Oscarville was submerged. The Army Corps of Engineers relocated marked graves outside the lake boundaries, but it is believed they missed some which are now buried beneath the lake. 

The lake is believed to be haunted to this day, and it is debated who does the haunting. Is it the victims who have died here but have never been found over the years? Is it the townspeople of Oscarville that were left behind? Or maybe it is the Lady of the Lake trying to find new victims to keep her company. Explore at your own risk!

Wren’s Nest

1050 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. SW

Constructed in 1870, this beautiful house was first called home by George Muse, an Atlantan entrepreneur, and his family. About a decade later the house was turned over to Joel Chandler Harris, his wife and their nine children. Harris was a journalist and author, most famous for his writings of Uncle Remus. At the age of 59, Harris passed away in 1908. Five years later the house was recognized for its cultural significance and made into a museum. 

Nearly 100 years later, the first reports of paranormal activity were noted — unidentified figures wandering the halls, unexplained noises and voices heard in audio clips, objects that suddenly stopped working... you know the drill. Though the Southeastern Institute of Paranormal Research has conducted investigations into the house, the current executive of the estate remains unconvinced of the hauntings — yet there are ongoing ghost sightings and paranormal activity. You can go explore the house on your own and seek out your own paranormal encounters. 

Kennesaw House

1 Depot St., Marietta, GA

The Kennesaw House was built in 1845 and intended to be used as a cotton warehouse, but ten years later was repurposed as a hotel called the Fletcher House Hotel. 

The building saw plenty of action during the Civil War. The Great Locomotive Chase began right here at the Fletcher House Hotel and had its troubling ending near the Historic Oakland Cemetery. It was also one of the few buildings to withstand Civil War battles and not burn to the ground, mainly due to Fletcher being a Mason and his son being a Union Spy. Most relevant to the spookiness, though, is that the building was converted to a makeshift hospital and morgue toward the end of the war — it is believed this is where the roots of the hauntings begin. 

There have been sightings of ghostly figures here, ranging from a woman dressed in an old fashioned dress to a Civil War-era surgeon who supposedly likes to ride the elevator. The museum director has captured ghostly figures and other anomalies on security cameras, and it’s believed that over 700 restless spirits from the Civil War remain trapped in the Kennesaw House, having never found their final resting place. 

Do you dare explore these haunted places? If you live in or near our luxury Atlanta apartments, then grab a friend or fly solo and see if you can have encounters with the spirits during this spooky season.

Good luck!

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Featured photo by Alla Kemelmakher on Unsplash