America’s Scariest Homes: The True Cost of These Real-Life Haunted Houses

Built: The 19th Century
Architect: John Bell Sr.
Est. Current Value: $200,000*

The infamous Bell Witch haunting is one of the most popular folklore legends in American history. In the 19th century, farmer John Bell and his family moved to Adams, Tennessee, and settled down to quiet rural life…but all was not calm for long. 

Bell Witch Farm | Adams, TN @TravelLeisure / Pinterest.com

The family was tormented by an unseen voice, with some believing that the specter was responsible for the untimely passing of Bell himself. Today, the farm still stands and is a popular tourist attraction, likely worth somewhere in the region of $200,000 – but its history is priceless!

Built: 1867
Architect: Unknown
Est. Current Value: $70,000-$100,000*

On the outside, the Villisca Ax Murder House could pass for any other quaint Iowa home – if it wasn’t for the huge sign that tells of the horrors that unfolded inside on the lawn. Built in 1867, the house was home to the Moore family. The quiet, well-liked family was subjected to an awful fate in 1912 when both the mother and father, Josiah and Sarah and their six children were killed in their sleep. 

Villisca Axe Murder House | Villisca, IA @Tim / flickr.com

The gruesome murder has been the subject of several movies, some of which are available to watch on Amazon. The crime has never been solved and left quite the impact on the local area, while tourists are often drawn to the home. 

Built: 1953
Architect: Anton Anderson
Est. Current Value: $3 million*

Begich Towers in Whittier, Alaska, is a bizarre place on planet Earth for a number of reasons. With an estimated value of around $3 million, the building is home to nearly all of the residents in the small town. That being said, plenty of strange incidents have unfolded there. 

Begich Towers | Whittier, AK @AnaBolena33 / Twitter.com

The building is home to a church, a store, and an office, while tunnels run underground to the local school. In 2009, one man was charged with ending the life of a toddler after the mother was coerced into falsely confessing. It sounds like a Netflix drama, but it’s real life. 

Built: 1856
Architect: Unknown
Est. Current Value: $3 million*

To passers-by that don’t know anything about the history of this New York Brownstone, it just looks like your average (albeit expensive) NYC residence. But behind the doors lies a dark secret. Known as the “House of Death”, several strange occurrences happened there and were famously noted by one resident: author Mark Twain. 

House of Death | New York, NY @RoseZolock / Twitter.com

It’s said that Twain, who was a skeptic, saw pieces of wood floating through the air. In 1937, many years after Twain himself had passed, new residents claimed that the ghost of Twain approached them and said, “My name is Clemens, and I has a problem here I gotta settle.” These are just two examples of eerie happenings inside the multi-million-dollar property. 

Built: 1845
Architect: Unknown
Est. Current Value: $2 million*

Lizzie Borden is a name that’s very well-connected to the dark and macabre. In 1892, Borden’s father and stepmother Abby were killed in their Fall River, MA home in a gruesome attack. Lizzie was home at the time, along with a maid, but always protested her innocence. Despite being tried for the crime, she was acquitted. 

Lizzie Borden House | Fall River, MA @RealElleYess / Twitter.com

The home where the monstrous murders took place still stands today and is worth a staggering $2 million. Lizzie Borden herself has been immortalized in many films and shows, including 2014’s Lizzie Took An Ax made by Disney’s Lifetime. 

Built: 1857
Architect: Thomas Whaley
Est. Current Value: $100,000+*

In San Diego, California, the Whaley House stands, acting as a beacon to those interested in the dark and macabre side of America. Known as one of the most haunted places in the country, the building has a chequered past. 

The Whaley House | San Diego, CA @boojoness / Pinterest.com

It was built and designed by Thomas Whaley himself, who erected the home on an old graveyard. The Whaley’s often told friends of phantom noises, including disembodied footsteps. Thomas’ own daughter, Violet, took her own life in the home at the tender age of 22 after a failed marriage left her desolate. Discovery’s Ghost Adventures has visited the property in the past.  

Built: Circa 1860
Architect: Jacob Feikert
Est. Current Value: $2.1 million*

Worth an estimated $2.1 million, the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis is certainly impressive to look at…but what stories could this home tell if given half the chance? The grand mansion was built back in 1860 for the Lemp family to live in, but the affluent Lemps were plagued by tragedy. 

Lemp Mansion | St. Louis, MO @stltoday / Pinterest.com

After Frederick Lemp died suddenly in 1901, it had a knock-on effect. Frederick’s father took his own life in the house in 1922, while his brother, Charles, committed the same act in the home in 1949. Elsa Lemp also suffered the same fate, albeit at a different location. It’s this sad chain of events that has led to hearty speculation the Lemp Mansion is haunted. 

Built: 1830
Architect: George Macintosh
Est. Current Value: $1 million*

The Ferry Plantation House in Virginia Beach doesn’t just have one resident ghost. According to legend, it has 11 apparitions that frequently make themselves known. The home was built by George Macintosh back in 1830 and has been used as several things, from a plantation to a courthouse and a school. 

Ferry Plantation House | Virginia Beach, VA @IronParanormal / Twitter.com

Rumor has it that a former slave by the name of Sally Rebecca Walke walks the grounds, tearfully longing for her fallen soldier fiance, while there have also been reports of a Lady in White that broke her neck on the stairs. 

Built: Natural formation
Architect: N/A
Est. Current Value: $100,000*

The cabin in which the Bell family lived on their farm is often visited by ghost hunters in Adams, TN, but there is another location that is connected to the story. The Bell Witch Cave is also located nearby to the farm and is privately owned. These days, it earns some revenue by offering tours. 

Bell Witch Cave | Adams, TN ©Www78 / Wikimedia.org

Back in the era of the haunting, the locals thought that when the Bell witch left the Bells, she retreated to this cave to plot and scheme. It’s not Hilton, but that allegedly didn’t matter to the witch. Rumor has it that when one small boy got stuck in the cave, the witch rescued him and gave him a lecture on cave exploring. 

Built: 1881
Architect: Cudell & Richardson
Est. Current Value: $260,000*

Franklin Castle isn’t much of a castle at all, but that doesn’t make it any less interesting. The house was built in Cleveland, Ohio in 1881 by Cudell and Richardson, going on to become the home of wealthy German Hannes Tiedemann. Tiedemann may have been lucky in finance, but he wasn’t lucky in life. 

Franklin Castle | Cleveland, OH @heythereamandax / @tripadvisor / Pinterest.com

Unfortunately, his 15-year-old daughter Emma died in the house not long after they moved in. She was swiftly followed by her grandmother, and three more of their kids as the years rolled by. Some believe that Tiedemann had more to do with these tragedies than meets the eye, but it was never proven. The home fell into disrepair and was sold most recently in 2011 for $260,000. 

Built: 1889-1895
Architect: Richard Morris Hunt
Est. Current Value: $37 million*

Valued at $37 million, Biltmore is a stunning estate in Asheville, North Carolina. With gorgeously landscaped gardens and a house with over 135,280 square feet of living area, it’s a true gem. The house was built for George Washington Vanderbilt II. 

Biltmore | Asheville, NC @FRANKCUNHAIII / Twitter.com

Sadly, George died young, leaving his beloved wife Edith and their only child, Cornelia behind. They made many happy memories in the house, so while it is believed to be haunted, the sounds and ghosts that appear are more Disney than Hammer House. Edith can be heard whispering “George” while others say they’ve heard the sound of laughter and playing in the pool. 

Built: 1927
Architect: Unknown
Est. Current Value: $5 million*

The Hotel Monte Vista in Flagstaff, Arizona, is popular with both fans of Hollywood and ghost hunters. The 73-room hotel first opened its doors in 1927, going on to welcome some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. Anthony Hopkins, Humphrey Bogart, and Clark Gable all stayed in the building, among others. 

Hotel Monte Vista, | Flagstaff, AZ @discoverflagstaff / Pinterest.com

Guests have reported all sorts of interesting phenomena, from a phantom bell boy that converses with guests to a couple dancing in the Cocktail Lounge. The staff has even fled the basement in terror after hearing the sounds of a baby crying. 

Built: 1824
Architect: Hezekiah H. Pittee
Est. Current Value: $1 million*

Working lighthouses aren’t something you see very often these days, as technology has advanced a fair bit since they were really needed. That being said, St. Augustine Lighthouse in Augustine, Florida, is a rarity. Built in 1824, the lighthouse is still working today. 

St. Augustine Lighthouse | Augustine, FL @wheretraveler / Pinterest.com | @HJaunts / Twitter.com

Skeptics say that the haunting legends can be put down to simple noises made by birds, but others say the stories are true. Two of the most seen ghosts are sisters that are said to have passed away on the property many years ago, and former lighthouse keeper Joseph Andreu who fell to his death while painting the lighthouse. 

Built: 1909-1914
Architect: Edward T. Foulkes
Est. Current Value: $5-$8 million*

In the hills of Portland, Oregon, lies the Pittock Mansion. The stunning French-style home was built in the early 20th century for publisher Henry Pittock and his family. They spared no expense, completing 46 rooms. Even after Henry and his wife passed, the home stayed with the Pittocks until 1958. 

Pittock Mansion | Portland, OR @markwgraves / Twitter.com | @CrystalLGypsy / Pinterest.com

Now a publicly-owned building, staff and guests alike have reported seeing all sorts of activity in the mansion, especially in the upper rooms. The strong smell of rose perfume, heavy footsteps, and lights turning on and off have all been reported in this $8-million-dollar mansion.