Halloween is that one time of year where we want to soak up as many scary things as possible, like ghost stories that make your skin crawl and visiting old buildings with a history of supernatural occurrences. Sometimes we may think that these phenomena only happen in horror movies or weird old towns in the middle of nowhere, but hauntings are happening right in your hometown. Don’t let the picturesque Hudson Valley fool you. Its dark history has not been left in the past. Read on to learn about some of the Valley’s most haunted places, and remember that you have been warned should you decide to visit them.
Sheahan Hall, Marist College, Poughkeepsie
The freshman dorm is the most haunted building on Marist’s campus, inhabited by the ghost of a former student. In February of 1975, Shelley Sperling was shot to death by former ex-boyfriend Louis Acevedo in the school cafeteria, who was thought to have been stalking her for weeks after the breakup. The Sheahan ghost wanders the entire dorm, but the third floor feels the strongest presence. A few students over the years have come forward about possible sightings, saying to hear the toilets flush with no one in the stall, desks and books knocked over in the middle of the night, doors slamming, and un-erasable whiteboards. Those who have witnessed Shelley say they never used to believe in ghosts; so if you ever find yourself in Sheahan Hall, don’t insult her presence or she might follow you next.
The Hudson River State Hospital, Poughkeepsie
Granted, this one is not on campus, but the old, abandoned asylum is one of Marist’s notoriously eerie spots. The Hudson River State Hospital was a psychiatric facility from 1873 to the late 1900s, now marked as a National Landmark in the Hudson Valley. Since its closing, the building is in a pretty bad state of despair, falling victim to the location of multiple cases of arson and vandalism. While I don’t recommend visiting as the asylum is off limits and is normally patrolled, numerous Marist students have found their way inside. A few tell about the piles of creepy records of former patients, creaking sounds, and sudden coldness. It seems as though a few patients have never left.
The Culinary Institute Monastery, Poughkeepsie
The CIA wasn't always a school for learning to bake pastries or cook delicious entrees: the college used to be a Jesuit novitiate, where Father Murphy served a priest. A former security guard of Sheahan (coincidence?!) has come forward with his story while on patrol in Roth Hall, where he claims to have witnessed supernatural occurrences. The fourth floor specifically is said to be haunted by Father Murphy, as the floor used to function as a crypt for dead priests and he was not embalmed correctly. The guard speaks of opening and slamming doors and clicking sounds interrupting his radio. The ghost seems pretty harmless, but further tales of his presence have surfaced and become prevalent enough for the school to land a segment on "Ghost Hunters," aired in 2015 on the SyFy channel.
Huguenot Street, New Paltz
The oldest existing street in town, Huguenot Street, has a gory history that has definitely not been left in the past. Some of the stories are so disturbing that locals are still wary to visit the sites. A few stories include: the Death Coach, where an unmanned, black coach is seen by a couple and takes away the dying husband; the Axeman—and his dog—who wears a long, dark cloak and hacked a man to death so he would not be arrested for strangling a young girl; and a clairvoyant woman who discovered the bones of a young child, probably a slave, in her basement. There’s no telling who you might run into should you decide to venture to Huguenot Street.
Elting Library, New Paltz
Once again, New Paltz is at the top of the list for supernatural sightings. The local library on Main Street went under investigation when a YouTube video of an unknown, floating blob went viral. History shows that two deaths occurred in the same room when the library was the Solomon Eltinge House in 1899 and 1908. A few speculations arose that the blob is simple a spider, but the day after the video was taken, the librarian found the locked door slightly ajar. Watch the video here and decide for yourself.
The Lee Avenue House, Yonkers
The past and present history of this home is so enthralling that writer and former resident of the house Donna Parish Bischoff has published a novel of her experience. Said to be the number one most haunted place in the Valley, its tale sounds like it came directly out a “Paranormal Activity” film. The previous owners to Bischoff met a disturbing end: the mother hung herself upstairs, and the son killed himself on the first floor. Donna describes terrifying phenomena that caused emotional trauma to her family: disembodied voices; poltergeist activity; strange doppelgangers; and apparitions have all been noted. A new family have since moved into the home, but its story is definitely not finished. For more information on the Lee Avenue house, watch a short introduction to Donna’s experience here, or pick up her book, “The Lee Avenue Haunting.”
Have you encountered any supernatural phenomena during your stay or know of any other haunted places in the Hudson Valley? Tell us your spooky tale in the comment section below!
Happy Halloween!
