Savannah’s Ghost Tours
Founded in 1773, Savannah is littered with old buildings, homes and structures that take you back to another place and time. And with all the history that went on in these places, can ghosts and poltergeists be far behind?
The many ghost tours around the city give everyone the chance to explore the city’s best-known haunted spots. If you’re lucky, you might actually experience a ghoulish encounter in one of these tours. If not, you still get a fun and intimate look at some of Savannah’s history-rich landmarks.
Here are a few of the most famous haunted places in Savannah:
The Moon River Brewing Company
This pub and restaurant has been named by the American Institute of Paranormal Psychology as the most haunted place in Savannah. Built in 1821 as the City Hotel, the building became a hospital and medical facility after the Civil War, and had seen the deaths of hundreds of men, women and children in the wake of the yellow fever epidemic.
The building’s basement is said to be haunted by a malicious spirit the brewing crew calls “Toby”, while the upper floors are inhabited by a ghost the crew has called “Mrs. Johnson.” Many guests and tourists have talked about an unseen being bumping into them or touching their faces while they were in the pub.
The Pirate’s House
Now a popular Savannah restaurant, The Pirate’s House was built in 1794, and was a bar and boarding house catering to sailors. It is said that the building’s underground tunnels (now closed) ran from the bar’s rum cellar to the river, and were used to shanghai inebriated sailors and force them to work as slaves in pirate ships. The ghosts of seamen are now said to be haunting the dining area, floating from table to table, or making their footsteps heard as they walk across the planked floor. Guests at the restaurant have also reported being touched in the face by unseen hands.
The Kehoe House
William Kehoe built this house for his family in 1892, but it now stands as one of Savannah’s most elegant Bed and Breakfasts. It is said that some of the Kehoe children had died in the house and their ghosts may be heard playing in the halls. The house also served as a funeral parlor for a time, which could explain the ghostly encounters reported by some people who have stayed in the house.
Madison Square
One of Savannah’s most scenic squares, Madison Square was named after President James Madison, and was laid out in 1837. Before that, the place was the site of bloody battles between Revolutionary and British forces, and was the graveyard of many of these soldiers. People have reported that, while in the square, they have seen shadowy figures coming toward them and then suddenly disappearing. It’s surmised that these figures are the ghostly remains of soldiers who perished at the site.
Andrew Low House
Now a house museum, the Andrew Low House was built in 1850 and served as home to affluent businessman and staunch Confederate supporter Andrew Low and his family. There was nothing highly-sinister about the home’s previous occupants, including Mr. Lowe himself, but the ghost of none other than General Robert E. Lee is said to be wandering around the house. There are others who say, though, that the house’s male apparition is that of the Low family’s loyal butler, Tom.
