Mississippi is known for catfish, Bluegrass music, and its beautiful river. But did you know that it is also brimming with paranormal activity?
The Grand Opera House (Meridian, Mississippi)
Meridian's Grand Opera House opened in 1890. After a series of disputes over ownership, the building closed down in 1927 and sat vacant for decades—vacant in terms of the living, at least. After a period of restoration, the opera house re-opened in 2006, and staff today reports plenty of paranormal activity.
Apparently this beloved space hosts the ghosts of performers of the past. When quiet falls over the building, staff and visitors can hear a woman singing from the main house. The identity of this friendly ghost is not known for certain. Some believe it is the spirit of the woman depicted in a portrait that hangs above the stage. Others theorize her to be actress Lillie Langtry, who was popular in the early 1910s.
There are some other instances of ghostly interactions. Even in the hot summer months, one might find themselves walking through a cold spot. Lights will flicker on and off throughout the building. One staff member claims to have felt a hand on their shoulder when they were completely alone. However, the energy of these spirits has been consistently categorized as positive and benevolent.
Stuckey's Bridge (Enterprise, Mississippi)
Near the end of the 19th century, the outlaws known as the Dalton Gang terrorized the Old American West. One member of that notorious gang was a man named Stuckey, who opened up an inn near the Chunky River. When all of his guests at the inn were asleep for the night, Stuckey would murder them, rob them, and dump their bodies in the river.
When Stuckey's crimes were revealed, he was put to death by hanging off the bridge crossing that very river. Today, visitors will still find his soul pacing the bridge with a lantern, looking for new victims of his deadly scheme. One visitor has even claimed to have been pushed off the bridge.
Some have reported sightings of Stuckey's lifeless body dangling off the bridge, while others report the sound of a loud splash, as if Stuckey's body has hit the water after the noose was cut.
Waverly Mansion (West Point, Mississippi)
Waverly Mansion was built back in 1852. This historic house is open to tours, and is the home to several ghosts.
The most well-known ghost of the mansions is "little girl lost." Besides seeing her wander visibly through the building, visitors can also hear the child calling out for her mother. On some occasions, when the girl is sleepy, small impressions of a child can be seen in the beds.
Some visitors have also claimed to have spotted the ghost of a Confederate soldier inside of a mirror, as well as a man on a horse outside trotting through the grounds.
Garden of Hope Cemetery (Gautier, Mississippi)
The Garden of Hope Cemetery (also called Franklin Cemetery) is regarded as one of the most haunted graveyards in the United States. Many of the grounds eternal residents have dark backstories, and some even love having fun at visitors' expense!
Within the cemetery stands a tomb containing a mother, a father, and five children who were all murdered one stormy night. The spirits of the children are restless, and they can be found climbing over and playing amongst the gravestones.
If you're lucky, you might run into the ghost of a young girl named Cheryl Anne. She appears to visitors in a blue 1960s-era dress, and will sometimes help people locate graves within the grounds. She's been known to offer to hold people's hands or carry their flowers for them—though she always disappears shortly after. Paranormal investigators have gotten incredibly clear photographs of Cheryl, as well as a recording of her saying, "Hope you'll come back and see me soon."
If you're unlucky, you might run into an unfriendly ghost known to steal flowers from other graves. Some believe that this ghost is that of Cheryl Anne's father, Hal, who reportedly murdered his daughter, her siblings, and his wife.
Another common spirit is Bloody Sarah. She appears to visitors as a middle-aged woman with red hair, wearing a housecoat and slippers covered in blood. She likes to dart into the road so tourists think they've hit somebody. Her manic laughter can be heard when drivers get out of their cars to investigate.
Other legends include a werewolf howling from his coffin on a full moon, a ghostly gravedigger who hitchhikes, and the horrid spook Joanna, who will chase and hit those who pass through the cemetery.
The McRaven House (Vicksburg, Mississippi)
The McRaven House was built around 1797, and is now considered by paranormal investigators to be the most haunted home in Mississippi. Considering a slew of horrific deaths have occurred on the grounds, who could be surprised?
The home was actually used as a Confederate field hospital and campsite during the Civil War. Because of this, countless soldiers spent their final days at the estate, leaving their spirit behind. After the fall of Vicksburg, owner John Bobb encountered a group of Union soldiers picking flowers from the garden. He shooed them away by throwing a brick, causing the men to vow to return to burn the house to the ground. What they did was far worse, however. Bobb was accosted by 25 Union soldiers who mercilessly beat him before ending his life with bullets to the back and face.
Though Bobb is the only reported murder on the property, at least five others have died in the home, including notorious highwayman and original owner Andrew Glass.
Bobb and Glass are not the only ghosts active at McRaven. Visitors have seen plenty of soldiers and Native Americans on the grounds, as well as the most active spirit, Mary Elizabeth Howard. Mary was the wife of previous owner Sheriff Stephen Howard. The young woman died during childbirth in 1836, and now her spirit likes to play pranks on visitors.
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