Looking for a scare? There’s no shortage of haunted places in Buffalo Niagara to get your fright fix this Halloween season (or year-round).

It’s a Graveyard Smash

Old Fort Niagara

Forts, as a general rule, are scary by nature because… wars took place there or around there where people lost their lives. War is always a bloody/vicious ordeal no matter what time or place it’s set in. And forts are always a reminder of the bloodshed of the past. In the case of Old Fort Niagara, the fort was taken over by the British in 1759 during the French and Indian War. Although the United States was ostensibly ceded, the fort after it gained independence in the American Revolutionary War. The British stayed until 1796, after the signing of the Jay Treaty that settled the northern border. Although the US Army officially deactivated the fort in 1963, the Coast Guard continues to have a presence here. Yet besides the aspect of sometimes feeling the eerie energy of long-dead soldiers of bygone wars during the cold October nights, you might wish to spend time at Old Fort Niagara in the hopes of getting a surprise visit by one of the generals in the French And Indian War. There’s also said to be a headless ghost wandering around the fort at odd hours of the night. So, if the lingering pain of war and something Sleepy Hollow-esque is your idea of spending a nice afternoon, then by all means, head over to Old Fort Niagara.

The Rapids Theatre

Opened in 1921 as a luxury movie house known as The Bellevue Theatre, years prior to that they hosted vaudeville acts like The Three Stooges. Patrons for years have consistently said that they hear loud footsteps from no discernible location, the random and sudden jingling of keys and even the noise of doors being slammed. There’s even a gruesome rumor that a long-ago actress committed suicide. When you’re dealing with a movie theater that’s been around for a hundred years, you’re bound to have some dark and mysterious rumors surrounding it, that’s just part of the nature of showbiz. But the truly frightening part of it is, you may never be able to discern what’s fact and what’s fiction. Yet another part of showbiz, remember the show must go on, even if there are ghosts and ghouls in the theater.

Buffalo Naval Park

The U.S. Navy donated USS The Sullivans to the City of Buffalo. The Sullivans, a Fletcher-class Destroyer, was named in honor of the five Sullivan brothers from Waterloo, Iowa who lost their lives when their ship, the USS Juneau, was sunk by a Japanese submarine during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on Nov. 13, 1942. Yet another haunted place dealing with the lingering loss of war. The ship, which is named after the sacrifice of these five men, is undoubtedly a monument of pride to anyone that lays eyes on it, but it’s also a source of dread. When we die, our energy still lingers behind, so chances are if you hang out by The Naval Park long enough, you might feel one of the brothers nearby. Pain, loss, and sacrifice aren’t things that ever get washed away by time. They linger on forever, cementing the moment that all those feelings came together until the end of time (I’d recommend not going to The Naval Park at night, but you’re probably a lot braver than me).

Buffalo Central Terminal

Opened on June 22, 1929, the terminal was frequently used during its first decade all the way to the end of WWII, but New York Central Railroad put the terminal up for sale in 1955 when it realized there wasn’t a big demand for such a sprawling structure. Throughout the years, ownership of the terminal was in a seemingly constant cycle of changing hands and languishing neglect until the Central Terminal Restoration Corporation bought the terminal in 1997. During its many years of neglect, it’s said to have been used as shelter for the homeless looking to escape the cities brutal weather during its notorious winter months. Some are said to have died within the terminal walls because, due to its persistent neglect, it was never adequately insulated. Some say the voices of those dead can be heard if you listen close enough. You might even feel a cold chill from time to time and get a small glimpse of the type of conditions that forced those poor souls to seek inadequate refuge in the place that ultimately became their tomb.

Face Your Fears

I will never understand why people choose to investigate/visit presumably haunted places. But again, I suppose it’s just an urge that I don’t have. But I’m still envious of it. If you have the desire to get scared, then on the other hand, you also have an urge to face that fear and conquer it, so you can move on to something else (The fears you face make you stronger in a myriad of ways). So if you’re looking to get scared, there’s no shortage of haunted places in Buffalo Niagara to get your fright fix and move onto something else. Whatever place you decide to visit, you can bet that you won’t see me there. (I told you that you were braver than me, I’m not scared to admit it).

choose any haunted place to see location information, get directions, & more.

Van Horn Mansion

Newfane

Rolling Hills Asylum

East Betheny

Marjim Manor

Appleton

Riviera Theatre

North Tonawanda

Frontier House

Lewiston

Old Fort Niagara

Youngstown

Iron Island Museum

Buffalo

Dunkirk Lighthouse

Dunkirk

Rapids Theatre

Niagara Falls

Lily Dale

Lily Dale

Union Hotel

Corfu

Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse

Barker

Lancaster Opera House

Lancaster

Murder Creek

Akron

Holland (Pigman) Road

Angola

Red Coach Inn

Niagara Falls

Buffalo State Asylum (Hotel Henry)

Buffalo

Central Terminal

Buffalo

Radisson Hotel

Grand Island

Devil’s Hole State Park

Lewiston

Graestone Manor

Gasport

Kenan Center 

Lockport

Echo Club

Niagara Falls

Elmlawn Cemetery

Buffalo

Ghost Light Theatre Co.

North Tonawanda

What do you think of our guide to haunted places in Buffalo Niagara? Have a favorite? Know a great one that we missed? Let us know.