It’s not just houses and hotels that can become haunted – streets can, too, and they do. West Virginia has several roadways with tragic and/or mysterious stories where ghosts have been reported and chills have been had. Drive on these at your own risk, because these are our picks for the 10 creepiest haunted streets in West Virginia:
- Childers Road, Barboursville
Arturo Sotillo/Flickr According to internet reports, this particular road is haunted by a little boy who drowned on the dead end street by riding his bike into the river. People often report seeing a little boy on a bicycle, especially when the river floods.
- The West Virginia Turnpike
Seicer/Wikimedia According to Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State, the entire roadway from West Virginia to Princeton has been said to be haunted. There have been reported UFO sightings, phantom hitchhikers, and strange lights have been observed on numerous occasions by numerous people. The bulk of the reported sightings have happened in a 15-mile stretch between Beckley and Mossy, according to the website. State troopers have reported picking up hitchhikers only to have them disappear from the back of the car. Nope.
- The Hempfield Tunnel, Wheeling
Ryan Stanton/Flickr This former railroad tunnel was built underneath a cemetery, and the bodies were never removed, according to rumor. The tunnel itself was also the scene of several deaths. Once, a man was struck by a train while walking the tracks. Another man was robbed and beaten to death inside the tunnel (which is now a walking path). Some witnesses claim to have seen the beaten man floating above where the tracks once were; the man’s hand reportedly rises to cover his face, as if he is fending off his attackers even now. Maybe sometimes trauma can follow you into death.
- The Main Street Bridge, Wheeling
Ryan Stanton/Flickr Looks like Wheeling, West Virginia made the list twice. This bridge was built between 1890 and 1892. A contractor fell to his death from the bridge, according to internet reports (“Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State”). His body was never found, but people say they’ve seen his ghost on the bridge. Another ghost story has to do with a man who led a team of horses across either the old bridge or the older one it replaced. The man apparently spooked the horses, who then trampled him to death. People say they have been approached by a man who asks them if they’ve seen the horses. He vanishes from sight shortly after.
- U.S. 50, Bridgeport to Grafton
Famartin/Wikimedia The blog “Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State” reports a personal account of this haunted stretch of West Virginia highway. She reported that she was on the road late one night and saw a headless black figure run toward her car. As it approached, she slammed on her brakes and braced for impact, but the figure disappeared. She says she later found out the spot where she had seen the figure was the scene of an accident where a car of teenagers struck a tree. One of them was reportedly decapitated.
- Fifth Street, Huntington
Ursula Murray Husted /flickr According to local legend, there’s a woman that stands on the side of the road at the hill and thumbs for rides from passersby. Appearances occur mostly after midnight on nights when it’s raining. After several minutes in the car she vanishes. The story goes that the ghost is that of a bride who had been killed in an accident on the way home from her own wedding.
- 22 Mine Road, Holden (Logan County)
Magnolia677/Wikimedia The body of Mamie Thurmond was found on this road in 1932. Her throat had been slashed, and she had been shot. Her jewelry was found nearby, implying that her death wasn’t the result of a robbery gone awry. A handyman was ultimately convicted of the crime, and mystery surrounds where her actual final resting place is. Many people have reported seeing Mamie’s ghost on the road.
- The Dingess Tunnel
Amy/Flickr The Dingess Tunnel was built in 1892 for the Norfolk and Western Railroad, largely by African American and Chinese immigrant workers. Legend has it that heavily racist residents of Dingess, who didn’t take kindly to outsiders or people of color, and more especially, outsiders of color, used to hide on the hill just outside the tunnel and shoot any dark skinned passengers aboard the train.. No formal records were kept, but it’s estimated that hundreds of black and Chinese workers were murdered in this way. In addition to the murders, several workers also died during construction of the Dingess Tunnel, and at least two trains collided on the tracks as well - causing still more deaths. The tunnel still has the reputation of being heavily haunted by the souls who perished here. Visitors have reported hearing organ music, and a voice saying “hi" in their ear, according to “Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State”. One person even claims to have shot a picture of a little ghost girl standing in the tunnel!
- Grasslick Road, Ripley
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr Grasslick Road was once the scene of the grisly murders of the Pfost-Greene family. John Morgan killed them with an axe just to steal $100 that the family had received for selling a horse. He killed two of the family members and injured another, but one woman was able to call for help. The execution of John Morgan for murders of the family was the last public hanging in West Virginia.
- Macedonia Road in Upshur County
Doug Kerr/Flickr This road has been the scene of several deaths and, according to reports, people seem to sense a strange vibe while driving on a particular S curve in this road, and under a railroad bridge as well. IT feels really… off. (Note: This is a picture of the Upshur County courthouse, not actually of the road itself!)
Want to do a haunted West Virginia road trip? Check out the itinerary we planned out for you in this article!
Arturo Sotillo/Flickr
According to internet reports, this particular road is haunted by a little boy who drowned on the dead end street by riding his bike into the river. People often report seeing a little boy on a bicycle, especially when the river floods.
Seicer/Wikimedia
According to Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State, the entire roadway from West Virginia to Princeton has been said to be haunted. There have been reported UFO sightings, phantom hitchhikers, and strange lights have been observed on numerous occasions by numerous people. The bulk of the reported sightings have happened in a 15-mile stretch between Beckley and Mossy, according to the website. State troopers have reported picking up hitchhikers only to have them disappear from the back of the car. Nope.
Ryan Stanton/Flickr
This former railroad tunnel was built underneath a cemetery, and the bodies were never removed, according to rumor. The tunnel itself was also the scene of several deaths. Once, a man was struck by a train while walking the tracks. Another man was robbed and beaten to death inside the tunnel (which is now a walking path). Some witnesses claim to have seen the beaten man floating above where the tracks once were; the man’s hand reportedly rises to cover his face, as if he is fending off his attackers even now. Maybe sometimes trauma can follow you into death.
Looks like Wheeling, West Virginia made the list twice. This bridge was built between 1890 and 1892. A contractor fell to his death from the bridge, according to internet reports (“Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State”). His body was never found, but people say they’ve seen his ghost on the bridge. Another ghost story has to do with a man who led a team of horses across either the old bridge or the older one it replaced. The man apparently spooked the horses, who then trampled him to death. People say they have been approached by a man who asks them if they’ve seen the horses. He vanishes from sight shortly after.
Famartin/Wikimedia
The blog “Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State” reports a personal account of this haunted stretch of West Virginia highway. She reported that she was on the road late one night and saw a headless black figure run toward her car. As it approached, she slammed on her brakes and braced for impact, but the figure disappeared. She says she later found out the spot where she had seen the figure was the scene of an accident where a car of teenagers struck a tree. One of them was reportedly decapitated.
Ursula Murray Husted /flickr
According to local legend, there’s a woman that stands on the side of the road at the hill and thumbs for rides from passersby. Appearances occur mostly after midnight on nights when it’s raining. After several minutes in the car she vanishes. The story goes that the ghost is that of a bride who had been killed in an accident on the way home from her own wedding.
Magnolia677/Wikimedia
The body of Mamie Thurmond was found on this road in 1932. Her throat had been slashed, and she had been shot. Her jewelry was found nearby, implying that her death wasn’t the result of a robbery gone awry. A handyman was ultimately convicted of the crime, and mystery surrounds where her actual final resting place is. Many people have reported seeing Mamie’s ghost on the road.
Amy/Flickr
The Dingess Tunnel was built in 1892 for the Norfolk and Western Railroad, largely by African American and Chinese immigrant workers. Legend has it that heavily racist residents of Dingess, who didn’t take kindly to outsiders or people of color, and more especially, outsiders of color, used to hide on the hill just outside the tunnel and shoot any dark skinned passengers aboard the train.. No formal records were kept, but it’s estimated that hundreds of black and Chinese workers were murdered in this way. In addition to the murders, several workers also died during construction of the Dingess Tunnel, and at least two trains collided on the tracks as well - causing still more deaths. The tunnel still has the reputation of being heavily haunted by the souls who perished here. Visitors have reported hearing organ music, and a voice saying “hi" in their ear, according to “Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State”. One person even claims to have shot a picture of a little ghost girl standing in the tunnel!
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
Grasslick Road was once the scene of the grisly murders of the Pfost-Greene family. John Morgan killed them with an axe just to steal $100 that the family had received for selling a horse. He killed two of the family members and injured another, but one woman was able to call for help. The execution of John Morgan for murders of the family was the last public hanging in West Virginia.
Doug Kerr/Flickr
This road has been the scene of several deaths and, according to reports, people seem to sense a strange vibe while driving on a particular S curve in this road, and under a railroad bridge as well. IT feels really… off. (Note: This is a picture of the Upshur County courthouse, not actually of the road itself!)
So, what about you? Have you ever experienced anything you couldn’t quite explain on any of these haunted streets in West Virginia?
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Haunted Streets in West Virginia February 19, 2021 Tori Jane What are some famous haunted places in West Virginia? West Virginia is a state with absolutely zero shortage of haunted places, including, but not limited to, hotels, bars, schools, hospitals, graveyards, and even roads! Perhaps, most famously, West Virginia is home to an absolutely incredible abandoned amusement park, which has been almost entirely reclaimed by nature. The land harbors an incredibly dark history, from the murders of three pioneer children in the 1700s to the deaths of at least six people at the amusement park when it was in operation. It’s widely believed to be one of the most haunted places in the world. To say it’s “creepy” is a bit of an understatement. Are there any popular West Virginia urban legends? Oh, yes - the legend of “The Mothman”, anyone? In 1966, reports came in from numerous folks in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and after the initial reports, more flooded in. The cryptid creature was said to be a harbinger for a tremendous disaster, which did indeed occur following the sightings across West Virginia when the Silver Bridge collapsed, killing 46. After that, it faded away, though there have been sightings here and there… supposedly. Are there haunted hotels in West Virginia? Plenty! Some allegedly haunted hotels of note include The Frederick Hotel in Huntington, which was opened in 1905 and hosted numerous celebrities in its heyday, and the General Lewis Inn, which opened in 1929 and is said to be haunted by three different specters. For more details about these two haunts plus a few more, check this list out!
The OIYS Visitor Center
Haunted Streets in West Virginia
February 19, 2021
Tori Jane
What are some famous haunted places in West Virginia? West Virginia is a state with absolutely zero shortage of haunted places, including, but not limited to, hotels, bars, schools, hospitals, graveyards, and even roads! Perhaps, most famously, West Virginia is home to an absolutely incredible abandoned amusement park, which has been almost entirely reclaimed by nature. The land harbors an incredibly dark history, from the murders of three pioneer children in the 1700s to the deaths of at least six people at the amusement park when it was in operation. It’s widely believed to be one of the most haunted places in the world. To say it’s “creepy” is a bit of an understatement. Are there any popular West Virginia urban legends? Oh, yes - the legend of “The Mothman”, anyone? In 1966, reports came in from numerous folks in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and after the initial reports, more flooded in. The cryptid creature was said to be a harbinger for a tremendous disaster, which did indeed occur following the sightings across West Virginia when the Silver Bridge collapsed, killing 46. After that, it faded away, though there have been sightings here and there… supposedly. Are there haunted hotels in West Virginia? Plenty! Some allegedly haunted hotels of note include The Frederick Hotel in Huntington, which was opened in 1905 and hosted numerous celebrities in its heyday, and the General Lewis Inn, which opened in 1929 and is said to be haunted by three different specters. For more details about these two haunts plus a few more, check this list out!
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
West Virginia is a state with absolutely zero shortage of haunted places, including, but not limited to, hotels, bars, schools, hospitals, graveyards, and even roads! Perhaps, most famously, West Virginia is home to an absolutely incredible abandoned amusement park, which has been almost entirely reclaimed by nature. The land harbors an incredibly dark history, from the murders of three pioneer children in the 1700s to the deaths of at least six people at the amusement park when it was in operation. It’s widely believed to be one of the most haunted places in the world. To say it’s “creepy” is a bit of an understatement.
Are there any popular West Virginia urban legends?
Oh, yes - the legend of “The Mothman”, anyone? In 1966, reports came in from numerous folks in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, and after the initial reports, more flooded in. The cryptid creature was said to be a harbinger for a tremendous disaster, which did indeed occur following the sightings across West Virginia when the Silver Bridge collapsed, killing 46. After that, it faded away, though there have been sightings here and there… supposedly.
Are there haunted hotels in West Virginia?
Plenty! Some allegedly haunted hotels of note include The Frederick Hotel in Huntington, which was opened in 1905 and hosted numerous celebrities in its heyday, and the General Lewis Inn, which opened in 1929 and is said to be haunted by three different specters. For more details about these two haunts plus a few more, check this list out!
