Founded in 1630, Boston is one of the oldest cities in the United States and is packed with centuries of dramatic stories.
Revolutionary battles, colonial cemeteries, historic theaters, and old buildings still stand across the city, and many people believe some of their past residents never truly left.
Ghost sightings, strange footsteps, flickering lights, and unexplained shadows have all been reported across the city.
Some of these spots sit right along busy streets you might walk every day, while others hide behind iron gates, beneath city streets, or out on lonely islands.
If you enjoy a good ghost story, you are about to discover some of the eeriest places in Boston where people claim the past still lingers.
1. King’s Chapel Burying Ground
King’s Chapel Burying Ground sits on Tremont Street along Boston’s Freedom Trail and is the city’s oldest cemetery, founded in 1630.
Over 1,000 people were buried here in the 1600s and 1700s, but only about 505 headstones remain today, many carved with eerie skulls and winged heads.
Here, you can walk through the shadowy rows and see the graves of famous early colonists like Mary Chilton, the first woman to step off the Mayflower.
And if you suddenly feel goosebumps, locals say it could be the ghost of a headless woman who has reportedly appeared gliding between the headstones at night.
2. Omni Parker House Hotel
Located on School Street, the Omni Parker House Hotel has been welcoming guests since 1855 and remains the longest continuously operating hotel in the U.S.
Room 303 is the most talked-about spot in the building because of ghost stories linked to it, which many believe helped inspire Stephen King’s short story 1408.
Today, the room is closed to guests and used for storage after reports of unexplained noises, shadowy figures, and the bathtub turning on by itself.
There are more strange happenings here, including sightings of Harvey Parker, the original owner, who is said to still watch over his hotel and its guests.
3. Granary Burying Ground
Granary Burying Ground, also along the Freedom Trail, opened in 1660 and became the final resting place for some of the biggest names in American history.
More than 2,300 gravestones fill this compact area, including those of Paul Revere, Samuel Adams, and John Hancock, whose large obelisk rises above many markers.
After sunset, the historic cemetery takes on a different mood, and visitors often report seeing glowing orbs and shadowy figures moving between the crooked headstones.
One legend tied to these sightings centers on the ghost of James Otis Jr., who is said to wander the cemetery in colonial clothing after his tragic death.
They say that after a head injury from a bar fight left him struggling for years, Otis later wrote to God that he hoped to die by lightning, which eerily came true.
4. Boston Common
Up next is Boston Common on Tremont Street, a 50-acre park established in 1634 and known as the oldest public park in the United States.
What seems like a peaceful space today was once used for public executions, including the hanging of Mary Dyer in 1660 during the persecution of Quakers in colonial Boston.
Because of this, many believe the spirits of the condemned still linger here seeking justice.
The most talked about sightings involve two women in early 19th-century clothing who are said to sit on a bench or walk arm in arm along the park’s pathways.
5. Boylston Street Station (MBTA Green Line)
Opened in 1897, Boylston Street Station is one of America’s oldest subway stations.
It still retains much of its original design, and the historic tunnels give the station a dim, slightly eerie feel compared to newer MBTA stops.
That atmosphere might have a reason, as construction crews reportedly uncovered hundreds of buried bodies during the early subway excavation.
Since then, many people say they have experienced strange activity, including shadowy figures in the tunnels and trains that mysteriously stop or malfunction.
6. Emerson’s Cutler Majestic Theatre
Then there’s Emerson’s Cutler Majestic Theatre, built in 1903 and now one of Boston’s grandest performance halls.
The theater holds 1,172 seats and features ornate balconies, gold trim, and a massive proscenium arch that towers over the stage.
Despite its beauty, it also has its share of ghost stories, including one about an old mayor who reportedly died during a show and is said to still appear in the balcony.
Another legend says a mysterious couple in early-1900s clothing are sometimes seen sitting together before quietly disappearing.
7. Fort Warren (Georges Island)
Located on Georges Island in Boston Harbor, Fort Warren dates back to 1833 and features massive stone walls that once guarded the city from naval attacks.
During the Civil War, the fort held Confederate prisoners, including the husband of Melanie Lanier.
According to legend, she tried to rescue him while disguised as a man, but the attempt failed, leading to her husband’s death and her being captured and sentenced to death.
She asked to die in women’s clothing, but with none available, she was given black robes, earning the ghostly nickname “The Lady in Black.”
Many believe her spirit still lingers here, and park rangers and visitors say they sometimes hear footsteps in empty passageways or see a shadowy figure moving through the old halls.
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