Louisville's haunted reputation rests on one giant, Waverly Hills Sanatorium, but the list runs deeper: the Louisville Palace theater, the Brown Hotel's fifteenth floor, and Cave Hill Cemetery all carry stories of their own. The river city founded in 1778 has kept its ghosts close to its landmarks, and most of them can be visited. Here is where Louisville's hauntings live, and what people report at each one.
Haunted Places in Louisville
Louisville Palace: This iconic downtown venue opened in 1928 as a Lowe’s theatre. No different than other historic theatres, the Louisville Palace has several ghosts that haunt the insides. Staff and visitors alike have been touched or had their hair pulled by an unseen impish spirit. A former employee who died while working the lights has been reported in the projection room, unable to trust his job to the living. There’s also been reports of several youngsters heard laughing and running through the aisles, slamming doors and otherwise creating a ruckus. Enjoy the show. Waverly Sanitarium: Opening its doors in 1910 to patient’s with tuberculosis, the Waverly Sanatorium is another haunted hospital well-known to ghsot hunters. Ghost Adventures and other paranormal TV shows have recorded credible EVPs and experienced electronical interferences when exploring Waverly. Locals have reported lights blinking on and off on the property at night, as well as shadows darting about the grounds.
Campbell House: Built in the early 1950s, the Campbell House was once an equestrian farm of grand style. Today the hotel is a member of the Historic Hotels of America. Guests staying here have reported screams and doors opening and closing on their own. It’s said two women were murdered while staying here and a large blood stain has been reported appearing then disappearing in the area they were killed. Brown Hotel: The historic Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville has not only been beautifully restored, it’s one of the city’s most haunted buildings. John Graham Brown, the original owner, lived on the 15th floor and its there that most paranormal activity centers. Footsteps shuffling down the hallways, the sounds of furniture being moved about, and an elevator with a mind of its own are all awaiting the curious ghost hunter. Cave Hill Cemetery: This historic, Victorian-era graveyard dates back to the mid-1800s. The remains of Civil War veterans from both the North and the South share these common grounds in death. The cemetery’s manicured lawns provide a pleasant walk in the daylight; however, after dusk the graveyard comes alive with floating orbs, cold spots and low murmurings from somewhere beyond the living.
Questions people ask
Is Waverly Hills Sanatorium really haunted?
It is one of the most investigated buildings in the country. Opened in 1910 for tuberculosis patients, Waverly has produced EVP recordings and equipment interference on paranormal television shows, and locals report lights and darting shadows on the grounds at night.
What haunts the Brown Hotel?
Most activity is tied to John Graham Brown, the original owner, who lived on the fifteenth floor. Reports center there: shuffling footsteps in the hallways, furniture sounds, and an elevator that moves on its own.
Is the Louisville Palace haunted?
Staff and visitors say so. The 1928 movie palace comes with an impish presence that touches shoulders and pulls hair, a former employee who died on the job and lingers near the projection room, and the sound of children running the aisles.
