5 of the most haunted places in Georgia

For thrill-seekers and those intrigued by the paranormal, this list of haunted places will send chills down your spine and cause the hair on the back of your neck to stand up. These historic sites are not for the faint of heart - we’ve warned you.

The Ellis Hotel

Winecoff Hotel, now known as the Ellis Hotel, once stood as one of the tallest buildings in Atlanta. Made from steel, the building advertised itself as fireproof. Yet, on one fateful night in December 1946, the building burnt to the ground. The fire blocked the hotel’s single stairway, and people residing in the upper floors resorted to jumping from their windows. To this day, the fire at Ellis Hotel is the largest hotel fire in United States history, killing 119 people.

Renamed as the Ellis Hotel in 2006, some of those who have stayed in the hotel reported experiencing a haunted night. According to the Atlanta History Center, residents have claimed hearing screams in the middle of the night or smelling smoke. Others claimed fire alarms sounding off around the same time as the original fire in 1946.

Location: Downtown - 176 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta; Website: ellishotel.com/; Contact: 404-523-5155

Rhodes Hall

Known for its architecture, Rhodes Hall stands like a castle on Peachtree Street. The couple that once lived there, however, did not enjoy company, according to Atlanta Ghosts. Rumors say that the couple mainly kept to themselves.

While tours of Rhodes Hall are canceled until further notice, past visitors have claimed to hear a distinct “get out” yelled down the halls of the mansion or have witnessed the lights turning off and on. One person claimed they saw the furniture begin to rattle and portraits flying off walls, according to Atlanta Ghosts.

Location: Downtown - 1516 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta; Website: rhodeshall.org; Contact: 404-885-7800; Hours: Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday

Central State Hospital

Back in the day, parents threatened their misbehaving children, “I’m sending you to Milledgeville!” The reason? Central State Hospital. When it was running, the hospital was the largest mental institution in the world and held tens of thousands of patients. It officially closed in 2010 due to massive reports of abuse and malpractice. Doctors performed lobotomies, electroshock therapy and forced sterilizations on patients. The hospital holds a mass grave site of over 25,000 patients who were treated at Central State but never made it out, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Today, 200 buildings on a 2,000-acre lot remains abandoned. You cannot go inside any of the buildings but just taking a walk through the property is a reminder of the horror patients had to endure. People have reported seeing apparitions, hearing screams and disembodied voices and feeling like someone is breathing on their neck.

Location: Powell Building, 620 Broad St, Milledgeville; Website: https://dbhdd.georgia.gov/be-caring/central-state-hospital-csh-milledgeville-ga; Contact: 478-445-7906

Bulloch Hall

Theodore Roosevelt’s mother, Martha (Mittie) Bulloch Roosevelt, grew up and spent her childhood in Bulloch Hall. Mittie’s parents owned 33 slaves on the property and used slave labor to build Bulloch Hall. The alluring and glamorous façade of the Greek-revivalist home hid horrors behind closed doors.

A 14-year-old slave tended to the lights of the house. According to rumors, this girl had fallen down property’s drinking well and died. Visitors come to Bulloch Hall on a stop with Roswell’s ghost tours, and their chilling experiences may leave skeptics dumbfounded. Some claim they hear her sobs resounding from the well. Others have reported seeing lights flicker in the attic, rocking chairs moving and shadowy figures swiftly shifting past them.

Location: 180 Bulloch Ave., Roswell; Website: https://www.roswellgov.com/discover-us/historic-house-museums/bulloch-hall; Contact: 770-992-1731; Hours: 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and 1 p.m.- 4 p.m. Sunday

The Dead Angle

During the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain, one of the most significant battles in the Civil War, Confederate soldiers stood behind a bank of soil at the top of Cheatham Hill waiting for Union soldiers. From where they stood, the Confederate soldiers were barely visible and hard to attack. When Union soldiers approached the top of the hill they were met with gunfire. The Confederacy slaughtered the Union, causing 3,000 deaths and making it one of the most fatal fights of the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain.

Now those who visit the site of Dead Angle claim to undergo an eerie experience. People have reported hearing voices, scraping and footsteps along the hill. Others have claimed to see ghosts of Union soldiers haunting the area.

Location: The Dead Angle, Marietta; Website: https://www.nps.gov/places/the-dead-angle.htm