Haunted Pittsburgh

Scroll on...if you dare

Go ghost hunting at haunted houses, mansions, attractions, and other haunted places in Pittsburgh.

From intimate crimes of passion and dark family ties to a history-changing Civil War, Pittsburgh’s ghosts of the past are still a haunting presence today. Find your favorite spot to haunt around the city - both believers and non-believers are welcome!

Know of a haunted hotspot we missed? Contact us to let us know and we'll send out the Ecto-1.

Church Brew Works

Some of the ghostly residents evidently weren't happy with being converted into a house of pale ales instead of prayers. Located in a 100-year-old Catholic church, Church Brew Works' haunted stories include a woman in white (was she left at the altar?), unexplained sounds and items moving by themselves.

Travel Channel sent the Ghost Hunters there in 2022 for their "The Haunted Brewery," episode. See the evidence for yourself:

Pittsburgh Playhouse | Point Park University

Iconic stars like Gene Kelly got their start at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, but some celebrities here became more famous after death. After John Johns suffered a heart attack on stage here, he later died in the dressing room, leading to apparitions appearing to visitors from a man in a tuxedo to a Lady in White calling the dead actor's name.

The original Playhouse (featured in the video below) was razed a few years ago, but it's not clear if the hauntings followed the troupe to their new Forbes Ave. location or if those spirits finally moved on.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

The Carnegie Library in Oakland has been welcoming readers since 1895, and it wasn't long before the ghost stories started stacking up faster than the overdue returns. According to some, a few patrons never checked out and still roam the halls today.

Every night, the librarians make sure all of the books are properly shelved. Yet they often come back in the morning to find books scattered on the floor. Restless readers, or spirits who just really hate the Dewey Decimal System? You be the judge.

Clayton: The Frick Mansion

Clayton, the former family home of millionaire Henry Clay Frick, is said to have the spirits of two women thought to be members of the Frick family wandering its halls. You can book a tour and investigate for yourself at the preserved mansion.

Continue your investigation with a short walk from the house to Homewood Cemetery where many of the Frick family members are buried.

Green Man's Tunnel

You've heard of the Hat Man, but Pittsburgh's legend of the Green Man (perhaps a distant cousin?) is the best type of horror story. This ghost story stems from a true story about a disfigured man who loved taking midnight strolls and morphed into a glowing man who haunts this South Park rail tunnel.

Obviously, use your discretion if you go exploring dark, abandoned tunnels looking for phosphorescent persons; the city uses this tunnel to store road salt and other tales of murder and mayhem follow.

Old Allegheny County Jail

Some inmates, it seems, are still serving their sentences. Built in 1886, the Old Allegheny County Jail served as the city's main lockup for over a century. Today, part of the jail lives on as the Old Allegheny County Jail Museum, though not every former resident appears to have been released. Visitors report unexplained voices and disembodied murmurs. Take a tour of the museum and listen closely for any ghostly whispers.

Cathedral of Learning, University of Pittsburgh

The Early American Room at Pitt’s Cathedral of Learning holds a special energy. Within a hidden staircase is a bedroom containing some of the belongings of Martha Jane Poe, a relative of Edgar Allen Poe.

Staff and docents in the Cathedral have noticed odd noises, items moved without being touched and dark shadows shifting around corners. The rooms are often open for viewing and occasional guided tours.

Dead Man's Hollow

We can't make a name like this up; Dead Man's Hollow Conservation Area is its real name, and the Allegheny Land Trust website even notes its ominous origins.

This former quarry and pipe factory have now been reclaimed by nature, with 450 acres of green space and 6 miles of trails, but the legends live on - murder, quakes, fires and mysterious deaths. Take the enchanted staircase and explore the factory ruins, just don't become the next haunted denizen that wanders this path.

Chatham University

Chatham University's Shadyside campus is over 150 years old, so it's no surprise that a few residents have stayed well past graduation.

One well-known apparition is known as "Billy," a little boy known to bounce a ball down the halls of Fickes, apparently still waiting for someone to come out and play.

Over in Woodland Hall, a student residence building, lives the Blue Lady. Dressed in a sweeping blue gown and giving off a soft glow, she's been spotted floating over sleeping students in the dead of night before fading away.

Read more stories about Chatham's ghostly residents.

Calvary Cemetery

The ghosts of gangster brothers Edward and Jack Biddle may be found on the grounds of Calvary Cemetery, still angry that their lives were cut short after a famous Pittsburgh prison break.

Convicted of several crimes, including robbery and murder, the Biddles were imprisoned and sentenced to hang. But the warden’s wife, Kate Soffel, began a romance with Ed, and helped the Biddles escape prison. The freedom didn't last long, as the brothers were both killed in a gun battle, and Soffel was seriously injured.

The National Aviary

The National Aviary on the Northside was built on the site of the former Western Penitentiary. During The American Civil War, the prison was operated by Union soldiers, keeping Confederate soldiers in lockdown. The prison was overcrowded and unclean. Many soldiers died in captivity, and it’s believed that their spirits still wander the halls of the aviary.

Pictured |
The Garden Room
Credit |
Elliott Cramer Photography
Pictured |
The Garden Room
Credit |
Elliott Cramer Photography

Congelier House | The House the Devil Built

Also known as the House on Ridge Avenue, this North Side mansion was built in the 1860s by Charles Congelier, who was rumored to be having an affair with his maid, Eddie. In 1871, his wife Lyda discovered them, killed them both, and was later found rocking in a chair, cradling the maid's head.

Several owners came and went, and in 1900 the house was purchased by Dr. Adolph C. Brunrichter. He vanished just a year later, leaving behind a grisly discovery for police: a headless woman's body and a secret lab containing the heads of five other women.

The abandoned mansion was finally destroyed in November 1927 by a gas explosion several blocks away. A highway now covers the site, but some say ghostly figures still wander nearby.

Carnegie of Homestead

Andrew Carnegie built the Carnegie Library of Homestead in 1898 to promote self-improvement, learning, and recreation for local steelworkers. But the library has a view with a past: it overlooks the site of the 1892 Homestead Strike, also known as the Homestead Steel Strike, the Homestead Massacre, or the Battle of Homestead, an industrial lockout and strike.

Today, staff and visitors report shadowy figures, disembodied voices, slamming doors, and books flying off the shelves. Whether these spirits are tied to the battle below or just very passionate readers, it's not clear. Even the Ghost Hunters have investigated this haunted attraction. Pay a visit and see if you can crack the case.

Haunted Pittsburgh

Related Blogs

Eric R.

Author

Eric R.

Visitor Engagement Manager

Eric is the Visitor Engagement Manager with Visit Pittsburgh. Aside from an extensive career of helping people 'have a good time' in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, he also loves chatting about classic films, classic cars, being a thrift store connoisseur, and learning about your dog's weirdest obsessions.

Related Content: