Salem, Massachusetts, Barely Made This List of Most Haunted U.S. Cities
The Red Sox and Patriots aren’t the only ones lagging in the standings this year.
Travel & Leisure recently ranked most haunted cities in the U.S., and the Hub of Hocus Pocus, Salem, Massachusetts, barely cracked the top ten, finishing at ninth overall.
The good (or bad) news is that Salem beat out San Antonio, Texas, home of the ghosts of soldiers at the infamous Alamo, and a hotel that was once a hospital.
The bad (or good) news is that eight other cities are apparently more haunted.
Cities More Haunted Than Salem (According to Travel & Leisure)
Finishing just ahead of Salem at eighth was San Francisco, California. This is not all that surprising when you factor in the spookiness of Alcatraz (though Massachusetts should get some of that credit, as Whitey Bulger not only did time there, but visited while on the run).
Finishing seventh is Washington, D.C. This is largely due to the White House, regarded as perhaps the most haunted house in all of America. In fact, I heard that the house is haunted by spirits almost as old as our last two presidents.
At sixth: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This can be attributed, of course, to Civil War ghosts, and children like me whose souls left their body while their dad talked about the Civil War.
Number five is Portland, Oregon. Portland?! Evidently, thanks to ghouls who roam the underground Shanghai Tunnels (but Portland, Maine, can still claim Stephen King – and his nemesis, Richard Bachman).
In the four slot is St. Augustine, Florida. I call bluff on this one, as a Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum does not make a town haunted. Also, if you see a ghost in St. Augustine, that’ll only be, like, the fifth weirdest thing you see in Florida.
Coming in third is Savannah, Georgia. Savannah is a perennial favorite thanks to its haunted hotels and motels (or should I call them Scare BnB’s?).
The second most haunted city, according to Travel & Leisure, is Chicago, Illinois. Should’ve seen this one coming with a massive fire, serial killer, and legendary mob history, not to mention Steve Urkel’s freaky UrkelBot.
And the most haunted city in the U.S. is…New Orleans, Louisiana. President Andrew Jackson and pirate Jean Laffite lead the charge in America’s spookiest town.
It’s all good, if you ask me. I think most New Englanders and their families would prefer a visit from Hubie Halloween or The Good Witch of Salem, anyway.