As you prepare to visit Savannah, GA, you may not realize all the fascinating history the town is seeped in. Not only is Savannah the oldest city in one of the original 13 colonies, but this tourist favorite is also chock full of ghost stories and paranormal activities.
Long known as a luxurious vacation spot and the location where many movies are filmed, Savannah is best remembered for its many squares. When the city was laid out by General James Oglethorpe, it was designed to be a perfect grid. As such, Savannah is a great city for walking tours, both by day and night, plus, you’re unlikely to get lost.
No one can deny the rich history of this gemstone of Southern charm. With the overhead canopy of Southern Live Oak trees draped in Spanish moss, any visitor is bound to be swept away into the past, caught up in the storied tales that locals tell.
If you dare tempt yourself with an opportunity to see the darker side of things, there are many ghostly sites in Savannah that are rumored to be haunted. Whether you are hoping to find a ghostly apparition, or just hear the spooky stories, taking a tour of some of the best haunts in town is sure to be a good time.
If you want to go on a Savannah ghost story tour go here.
432 Abercorn Street
Doubters and ghost hunting enthusiasts alike have enjoyed hearing the stories about a location so specific, it doesn’t even have a name, just simply an address. While you may stumble upon this private residence yourself, joining up with a ghost tour to get all the details of this prime location is a fantastic idea. 432 Abercorn Street is a popular destination for Southern ghost seeking tourists and locals alike. Located in Savannah, Georgia’s historic district, this 1868-built house is popular for being a hotbed of eerie-and-unexplained activity.
Whether or not you believe in ghosts or hauntings, this house has a history. One inarguable fact about this gorgeous historical home is that when it was first constructed it was one of the most expensive houses in Savannah.
Built in the Greek revival style, this house features a steep staircase that has a slight curve. While the belles of balls once descended these steps in their finest luxuries, the chilling staircase is largely left unoccupied today.
If ghostly figures and unexplained supernatural goings-on – like seeing apparitions and hearing the laughter of unseen children – interest you, check out this must-see Savannah attraction. Unfortunately, no one is permitted to enter this home, but the sidewalk is close enough to give the spirits a chance to inform you that there is more to this Earthly realm.
Some historians say that the legends of 428 Abercorn are questionable, yet many ghost hunters agree that paranormal activity at the house is vividly abundant. Without question, the home is a significant hotspot in haunted Savannah.
Visitors report hearing unexplained noises and seeing ghostly orbs in their photographs. Many people have also reported malfunctions of their electronics while near the property, which resolve soon after leaving. If you are hoping to seek out EVPs or EMFs during your time near 432 Abercorn, you will not be disappointed.
The Ghostly Legend
Built for General Benjamin J. Wilson, a Civil War veteran, the home was considered to be one of the most expensive homes in the state at the time. The home was valued at more than $20,000, which was a significant amount in those days. In fact, when you take into account the inflation rate, $20,000 means the home today would be well over a quarter of a million dollars.
But what about its residential ghost? Well, General Wilson’s wife was said to have died inside the home, soon after moving to the house, succumbing to Yellow Fever.
Yellow Fever was a disease that hit Savannah particularly hard. While this house was built after the Yellow Fever pandemic, which killed over 4000 souls and reduced the population of Savannah to a fifth of its original size, the disease still had a devastating effect on the city any time a resurgence was kicked up.
Yellow Fever is a mosquito-borne illness, which is an unfortunate reality in such a temperate climate that Savannah boasts. The chills, body aches, and fever could not be managed by any resources available at the time. While there is a vaccine available now, Savannah of long ago wasn’t protected and many suffered from the disease.
Advanced cases often led to delirium, which could be misunderstood to be conversing with the devil or other paranormal possessions of the soul. Those families who found themselves with suffering or an afflicted relation had to make difficult choices. It isn’t any wonder, with so much of the population succumbing to Yellow Fever at a young age that Savannah is full of ghosts.
At 432 Abercorn Street, Mrs. Wilson’s death left behind a young daughter for the general to parent alone. Legend has it that the girl liked to spend time playing with children from the nearby Massie School, a school dedicated to educating poor children.
The General, depressed over the loss of his wife, vehemently disapproved of his daughter playing with the “lower class” children. Due to the General’s harsh disapproval, his young daughter was forbidden to play with the Massie School kids. The next day, it is said that she disobeyed her father’s demand. After that, she was forced to stay inside 432 Abercorn Street. Without being able to leave the house where her mother perished, the emotions of this young girl began to boil over. Some even believe she was severely punished by being tied to a living-room chair to teach her a lesson.
Tied up, the young girl could do nothing but look out the window and see the other kids at play. After a few days of this, the blazing heat from sitting in the southern sunshine that streamed through the window resulted in the young girl’s death from heatstroke and dehydration. The General had inadvertently killed his beloved daughter.
Years later, the now distraught and depressed General ended his own life right there in the very home. The story says that neither the General or his daughter’s spirits have ever left the home after they perished in horrible ways there.
There have been reports of both spirits perpetually haunting the home to this very day. Many people believe they have seen the daughter’s ghostly apparition looking out the very window she died beside, with her father’s face clearly showing itself in the plaster beside the window.
There are no documents to prove the general’s story except for word of mouth and passed down ghost stories, but that doesn’t make the thought any less frightening.
A Triple Murder in the 1950s
Another frightening tale of supernatural spirits that reportedly happened at 432 Abercorn Street is a gruesome triple-murder in the late 1950s. Perhaps the high pressures of 1950s society were too much to bear and tempers flared. When all of America was aiming for idyllic, what was going on in Savannah at this house was far more sinister. Whatever the cause, can you imagine the scene upon its discovery? Could such a historically important grand home be the scene of a heinous crime?
It is said that spirits of those murder victims perpetually haunt the house today, and emit sinister and negative energy. Some attribute the many eerie events that send chills down visitors’ spines at 432 Abercorn Street to the vicious murders purportedly committed in the home.
But, that more recent history is easier to disprove and it appears this particular story about the historic house is most likely false. However, it is interesting to imagine when you’re off ghost hunting or simply seeking a paranormal encounter. And it certainly makes the history of 432 Abercorn Street more fascinating.
Built on Top of a Slave Graveyard
One thing that research proves to be absolutely true, is that the home on 432 Abercorn Street was built on land that was a slave graveyard. An estimated 1,000 slaves were laid to rest in mass graves at this location, buried together in pits and without proper grave markers to record their names.
Surprisingly, the bodies were not removed from their gravesite prior to building the house on top of the site. And it’s said the spirits of these ghostly dead have never departed, so the home is forever cursed.
Whether you’re seeking an interesting tourist experience while visiting Savannah or a full-fledged ghost hunting adventure, taking some time to visit 432 Abercorn Street is an excellent way to get to know the other-worldly locals. It is important to remember to respect that the home is a private residence and guests and visitors are not allowed on the property. But some of the best ghost encounters can be seen from the public sidewalk.
Traveling in large groups may seem as though you are tempting fate, why would a ghost make an appearance for a crowd? It just so happens that even ghosts love the spotlight so whether you take a tour with all your cousins and relatives on your mother’s side or visit all by yourself, there are ghosts who would like to meet you.
You don’t have to believe anything to appreciate 432 Abercorn Street and it’s historical significance to Savannah’s long and amazing past. If you aren’t interested in ghosts, consider seeking out this historical home simply to imagine the grandeur of well over 100 years ago, and the people who stood on one of the home’s two balconies.
If you spend time picturing theSavannah of long-ago, it won’t matter if you are affected by the paranormal activity, the legends, and the graveyard where 432 Abercorn Street now stands. The historical significance of this home will be enough to make your time well spent. But certainly, a living ghost story couldn’t hurt your fond memories of Savannah.
A Final Word
If you are looking to have your own spooky encounter with Savannah’s many spirits, be sure to visit 432 Abercorn Street. It’s a house that’s long haunted its many visitors. Some of the home’s many tales might be fact or might be fiction. In any case, paranormal activity is said to be prevalent there.
Please don’t forget to bring your camera along on your visit to this famously haunted property, you may even capture an orb or apparition. Many people who don’t travel with you will ask for multiple pictures if something unexpected shows up. Be prepared by snapping pictures constantly.
Sometimes faces appear in the windows, sometimes orbs appear only in photographs. Even with all its known history, there is still much that we may never know about 432 Abercorn Street. That is okay, sometimes you need to experience a place to gain a more complete understanding of it. Such is the case with haunted attractions and buildings.
Taking a tour with experienced guides who know and understand the best places in Savannah, including 432 Abercorn Street, will allow you to just go with the flow. You won’t need to worry about directions or any details other than listening to the tales of the occult and hauntings.
Only the best Savannah tours feature this unique home, don’t overlook it’s ghostly significance simply because you cannot go inside and look around. Many brave souls can talk the talk but if given the chance 432 Abercorn Street would prove too frightening for them to handle. Perhaps someday visitors will be invited in, but until then, lingering on the sidewalk outside will have to do.
As you plan your trip to Savannah, whether it’s your first time visiting this historically beautiful town or you’ve been here many times, taking a ghost tour is a great way to spend a bit of your evening. Especially those that share the spooky tales of 432 Abercorn Street, since you can be assured they are the most authentic experience in town.
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