As soon as the first feelings of fall comes upon us in the form of a crisp autumn day, my thoughts jump immediately to the spookiest season of the year…Halloween. Of course, the creepiness of the paranormal goes hand in hand with Halloween. I’m on the fence on whether or not I even believe in ghosts or the paranormal. However, at this time of the year, I just can’t help but want to push the limits of my imagination and see if there might be some validity to the stories and legends. Or maybe it’s because it’s the creepiest time of the year, and it’s fun to try and scare the stuffing out of myself.

New York has lots of stories and legends of haunting all over the state. Each town and city has its own tale of spooky hauntings, and the Finger Lakes Region is no exception.

Please Note: Some locations listed here need permission to visit or investigate. We do not condone nor encourage trespassing.

Cemeteries

Mount Hope Cemetary – Rochester

791 Mount Hope Ave, Rochester

Mount Hope Cemetery is the oldest municipal cemetery in the United States and therefore has a rich history. It is only natural that a cemetery this old would have its share of ghosts and creepy specters prowling around the rolling hills of the cemetery. Witnesses walking outside the cemetery at night have spotted strange glowing or fiery orbs floating through the graveyard. Most of the paranormal activity is said to be centered around the “Devil’s Bowl,” where legend has it, that many satanic rituals were performed. There is a section of the cemetery where the tombstones are almost buried in the woods; this section is said to have a great deal of paranormal activity as well.

Holy Sepulchre Cemetery – Rochester

2461 Lake Ave, Rochester

This spooky cemetery has more than its fair share of chills for visitors. A dark shadowy figure of a lady is said to walk the cemetery, forever looking for the man who murdered her there. If you are a fan of true crime, you will be interested to learn that the only American suspect in the Jack the Ripper murders is buried in this cemetery, Dr. Francis Tumblety. At night, visitors have heard the distinct cries of young children, and some have witnessed mists of what appear to be children.

Roseridge Cemetery – Naples

8346 W. Hollow Rd, Naples

This cemetery is definitely a little creepy at night, all on its own, without the bonus of ghosts and ghouls. There have been reports of the sounds of people running as well as other unusual noises at night. Strange lights have been reported in addition to the feeling of a force jumping on vehicles that are parking in the cemetery at night. Others have reported seeing glowing eyes at the far end of the cemetery.

Lakeview Cemetery – Penn Yan

424 Court St., Penn Yan

The Lakeview Cemetery is home to the infamous Lady in Granite. The grave marker for the Gillette family has the image of a woman’s reclining head. It is thought to be that of Matilda Gillette, and the legend says that her entire image will eventually fill in, and she will be free to haunt the town. There have been numerous attempts to remove the image from the stone but without success, including polishing the stone.

Mount Pleasant Cemetery – Geneseo

5124 Lakeville Rd., Geneseo

This cemetery is said to be the home of two spirits. One is a young girl around the age of 6. This little girl will appear to people at night and is anxious for a hand to hold in the dark. If you leave your hand dangling, you might get the cold sensation of it being held. The other spirit is that of an old woman who stands quietly at the back of the cemetery. People have seen her holding a red rose, and she will vanish if you acknowledge her.

Lakeview Cemetery – Pultneyville

3967 Lake Rd., Pultneyville

Mysterious shadows have been spotted around the trees and along the ground, with no source of what is causing them. People have also heard strange noises from under the cliffs overlooking Lake Ontario. This cemetery sometimes hosts candlelight tours in October. The cemetery is directly next to Cornwall Preserve, and visitors can reach the lakeshore of Lake Ontario through the Preserve.

Inns & Restaurants

Union Tavern – Rochester

4565 Culver Road, Rochester

This historic tavern dates back to the early 1800s. There is apparently a lot of paranormal activity, such as the apparition of a woman near the fireplace and the feeling of being touched. Staff have seen men in the basement and heard whistling coming from upstairs. The staff has also smelled tobacco smoke and felt cold spots in various restaurant areas. This restaurant property has changed hands quite a few times over the last 200 years. At one point, it was a stop on the underground railroad, and during Prohibition, it was a speakeasy. If walls could talk, I think these walls would have lots to say.

Naples Hotel – Naples

111 S Main St., Naples

The Naples Hotel has been featured on numerous ghost hunter shows and is well known for its plentiful and playful spirits. At this hotel (and restaurant), it is clear that not all the guests have checked out. A ghost of a woman named Alice has been seen with her two children in the dining room window. Another ghost likes to move paintings, turn TVs on & off, and flicker the lights. Guests have her whispers and seen apparitions throughout the hotel. In total, this hotel is said to have at least six ghosts.

Green Lantern Inn – Fairport

1E. Church St., Fairport

This massive French Chateau-style home was built in 1874, and it was one of the first homes with indoor plumbing and piping for gas lights. There are at least two ghosts here. One is a woman who shuts doors and flickers lights. The other might just be the man who built the house, Henry DeLand. Stories tell of a male specter standing in the house’s top window holding a candle and enticing people to enter his home.

Miles Wine Cellars – Himrod

168 Randall Crossing Rd.,Himrod

Miles Wine Cellars is said to be the home of the ghosts of a couple. The ghosts have been seen on the front porch from time to time in a tender embrace. The spirits have also been said to appear in other parts of the home in the form of mist. People have heard footsteps and doors slamming. The owners of Miles Wine Cellars have embraced their haunted history by creating a wine called Ghost that features a picture of the couple on the label.

Esperanza Mansion – Keuka Park

3450 Esperanza Rd.,Keuka Park 

Brides aren’t the only ladies in white at this beautiful wedding venue. There is a legend that the grounds of this historic mansion perched on the hill overlooking Keuka Lake are haunted by a lady in white. There isn’t a back story about her, but guests and staff alike have seen her in and around the mansion. She also likes to turn on the TVs in certain rooms while guests are sleeping.

Erie Mansion Bed & Breakfast – Clyde

39 W. Genesee St., Clyde

Built-in 1858, this beautiful mansion had fallen into disrepair by the early 2000s and was condemned. A local real estate investor purchased the historic property and renovated it. That was when the owner realized that there was something otherworldly about this mansion. Lots of strange and unusual things began to happen, and some of the workmen even refused to return to the house. This mansion is a popular place for ghost hunters to spend the night.

Belhurst Castle – Geneva

4069 West Lake Rd.,Geneva

This romantic destination is as haunted as it is beautiful and is considered to be among the most haunted places in New York State. Belhurst Castle is steeped in legends and ghoulish paranormal activity. Guest and staff have witnessed objects flying off shelves, showers turning on and off by themselves, and the noise of children playing. The most famous of the hotel’s spirits is that of Opera Singer Isabella Robinson, who legend says was crushed to death in an underground tunnel beneath the hotel. Her ghost has been sighted walking the lawn of the hotel and even has been seen flying through windows.

Big Tree Inn – Geneseo

46 Main Street, Geneseo,

This historic inn plays host to many specters who checked in but never checked out. Guest have reported seeing the ghost of the old caretaker walking the grounds with a lantern, a young boy in a grey suit and top hat, and a Victorian-era young girl in a green dress. There have also been sighting of Mrs. Bethia Ayrault, the original owner, sitting in her room in her favorite chair.

Parks and Nature

Durand Eastman Park – Rochester

Lake Shore Blvd. & Zoo Road, Rochester

This haunting story goes back decades and varies a bit from telling to telling. However, the gist of it is that a woman who lived along the shore of Lake Ontario had a young daughter who was raped and murdered. According to the legend, she wanders the park, sometimes in the company of 2 German Shepards, protecting women from abusive men. She has been known to harass men. The great stone structure in the park is often mistaken as her home. It is, in fact, the vestige of an old hotel.

New Michigan Road – Victor

The legend behind this haunting is that a young newly wedded couple had a carriage accident on this road, and the wife haunts the road as a “lady in white.” She is most often spotted during a full moon.

Powder Mill Park – Pittsford

154 Park Rd., Pittsford

There have been many spirits spotted in this picturesque park. Although only one is seen frequently, he is a bearded man dressed in clothing that is clearly from a different era. He will sometimes come to the aid of lost or injured people. People have tried to follow him only to see him disappear suddenly.

Highland Park – Rochester

There are numerous accounts of ghosts and spirits throughout the park. Most of the activity is centered around the Sunken Gardens at Warner Castle and the Lambert Conservatory, while it is not limited to these areas. In Warner Castle, people have witnessed partially formed apparitions or shadowy figures gliding around the grounds. Staff at the Conservatory have noticed a lot of activity in the basement, including disembodied voices.

Ellison Park – Penfield

395 Rich’s Dugway, Rochester

The Lost City of Tryon, the name, all on its own, sounds positively creepy. The City was positioned on a well-traveled fur-trading route; however, the rapidly growing city of Rochester outpaced the Tryon, and it was soon abandoned. While the city was abandoned, some of the inhabitants never left. Visitors have witnessed spectral orbs and shadowy figures, especially in the pine trees.

Spook Hill – Middlesex

Newell Rd, Middlesex

Spook Hill is an interesting phenomenon. If you place your car in neutral at a specific place on Newell Rd (just before the spike hill road sign), your car will roll backward up the hill. I hesitated to add this one to the list. We actually tried this one, and it didn’t work for us. Granted, I have heard it works for other people. Give it a try, and let us know if it works for you.

Buildings

Rolling Hills Asylum – East Bethany

11001 Bethany Center Rd., East Bethany

When it comes to ghostly sites, Rolling Hills Asylum is the crown jewel of New York State’s haunted places. This world-famous creepy location has been featured on countless ghost hunter TV shows and is widely considered the 2nd most haunted location in the United States. This haunted asylum runs public tours so that you can explore the sprawling 53,000 sq. ft. building that was once a poor house.

Warner Castle & The Sunken Garden

5 Castle Park, Rochester

Built in 1854 by the wealthy Horatio Gates Warner. The private residence was designed to look like a Douglas Castle in Scotland. There have been reports of figures appearing in the windows late at night. The Sunken Garden is said to have a hidden, sealed entrance to a catacomb used by the Illuminati. The grounds and sunken garden are open to the public daily from 7 a.m. – dusk. There is no charge to visit.

Valentown – Victor

7370 Valentown Sq., Victor

Valentown Museum is an enormous old shopping center that dates back to 1879. This location has also been featured on several ghost-hunting shows and has produced extensive evidence of spirits dwelling with Valentown. They offer inexpensive tours of the building; however, they do not offer any paranormal tours. Visitors have heard music playing, witnessed tools moving, and seen partial apparitions or dark shadowy figures.

Garrett Memorial Chapel

5251 Skyline Drive, Penn Yan

Built by Evelyn and Paul Garrett, in memory of their son, who died of tuberculosis in 1929, this beautiful chapel, also known as the Little Chapel on the Mount. It is said to be haunted by several ghosts, notably a woman, a young boy, and a priest. People have reported seeing glowing lights, hearing a child’s screams, and orbs. Some visitors have even reported being grabbed by unseen hands. Witnesses describe orbs, green glowing lights, a child’s screams, and something unseen that grabs hold of visitors.

Main Street Armory – Rochester

The Main Street Armony was used for military purposes until the 1990s. Recently, this castle-like building has been converted into a concert hall. This location has an abundance of paranormal activity. People have reported being physically pushed, seeing objects move, doors open and close on their own, and lights turn on or off. Shadowy figures have been seen walking across the main floor of the armory and, upon being approached, disappeared.

Auditorium Theater – Rochester

885 Main St.E., Rochester

The Auditorium Theater was built in 1928 as a Masonic Temple. There were many unfortunate tragedies in the long history of the theater, including two damaging fires which leave more than a physical mark. The theater is considered one of the most haunted places in the City of Rochester. There has been an inordinate amount of full-body apparitions sightings by staff, performers, and guests. One of the ghosts often seen is a man in a red coat. He has been seen lobby area, usually after closing. The other ghost lurks backstage. People have experienced temperature changes in different parts of the theater, as well as items disappearing backstage later to be found elsewhere.

William Phelps General Store – Palmyra

140 Market Street, Palmyra

The William Phelps General Store and the attached Palmyra Historical Museum have been called the most haunted place in the Finger Lakes. Visit the museum during regular hours or schedule a ghost hunt. Guests have experienced various paranormal activities, such as touching, hearing whispering voices, seeing phantom cats, and hearing footsteps. This store and the attached museum have been featured on countless ghost-hunting shows.

Wayne County Museum & Jail – Lyons

21 Butternut Street, Lyons

The Wayne County Jail is a hotbed of supernatural activity. This museum was once the jail for Wayne County. The only man executed in the jail, William Fee, seems reluctant to leave. He appears to haunt this historic jail. The museum offers several unique opportunities for visitors to explore and perhaps experience a ghostly encounter. Check their website for numerous “haunted” activities, especially in October.

Fox Sisters Property – Newark

1510 Hydesville Road, Newark

This is the birthplace of modern spiritualism. The home, which is now only a foundation, is covered by a modern-day building and is located in a public park. Visitors can easily view the foundation through the windows of the structure. This is the remains of the home of the Fox Sisters, who became famous for talking to a dead spirit who haunted their home. During their communication with a spirit, who they called Mr.Splitfoot, he told them that he was a traveling salesman who was murdered at the house and that his body was buried in the basement. Years later, the remains of a body were discovered in the home’s foundation.

Genesee Country Village and Museum – Mumford

1410 Flint Hill Rd, Mumford

People from all over New York visit the Genesee Country Village and Museum to immerse themselves in living history. All of the homes within the museum have been moved from other places. Sometimes the homes aren’t the only things that have been transplanted into the museum. In particular, guests have experienced otherworldly encounters in three buildings: Hyde House, the Opera House, and Hamilton House. Visit in October to experience the museum’s spooky spirits of the past.

Check out our articles on haunted places in the Syracuse/Central Region and Buffalo/Niagara Region.

Do you know of other haunted places that we missed? Do you have a supernatural encounter you would like to share? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below.