Ask a local to name the most haunted places in Mississippi, and chances are they’ll point you to Vicksburg. Most accounts give the title to McRaven House, a Vicksburg home first built in 1797 that served as a Confederate field hospital during the 1863 siege. It’s far from the only address in town with a ghost story attached, though.
Few cities in the South have lived through as much as this bluff city on the Mississippi River, and nearly every chapter of its history has left a legend behind. From candlelit mansion tours to the quiet ridges of the battlefield after dusk, the haunted places in Mississippi seem to gather here more than anywhere else.
The good news is that the eerie side of town is only part of the fun. Some of the best things to do in Vicksburg happen in broad daylight, like driving the 16-mile tour road through Vicksburg National Military Park, stepping aboard the ironclad USS Cairo, browsing the riverfront murals, and lingering over a long lunch downtown. Spend your morning on the battlefield and your evening on a Vicksburg ghost tour, and you’ll hear the city’s story two ways, the documented history and the whispered version, side by side.
When the candles are blown out and the last tale has been told, you’ll want somewhere to land that feels every bit as historic, minus the chill down your spine. Oak Hall Mansion & Boutique Hotel is a 1910 Mission Revival mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places, built by Fannie Willis Johnson and lovingly restored by hosts Don and Elizabeth. Morning light spills through 32 original stained glass windows, the saltwater pool is waiting after a long day of touring, and our quiet residential street makes for the kind of sleep you’ll never get on a ghost hunt. Plenty of people search for haunted hotels in Mississippi, but here the only spirits you’ll find are the ones poured on the porch at sunset, so go ahead and book your stay before the October weekends fill up.
The Most Haunted Places in Vicksburg
Any conversation about Vicksburg’s haunted history mentions McRaven House. Built in three stages between 1797 and 1849, it’s a time capsule of three distinct architectural eras: frontier, Empire, and Greek Revival. The home served as a Confederate field hospital during the siege, and its reputation for restless spirits has drawn everyone from curious locals to television paranormal crews.
McRaven House offers daytime history tours, candlelit evening tours with costumed storytellers, and late-night ghost hunts for the truly brave. For the full story behind its legends, read our guide to visiting McRaven House. Our tip: October dates fill quickly, so reserve your tickets before you arrive.
A few blocks away in the historic downtown district, the McNutt House tells a different kind of ghost story. Built around 1826, it’s among Vicksburg’s oldest homes and was once the residence of Alexander G. McNutt, Mississippi’s 12th governor. Its most famous resident is Maggie, a little girl in a blue dress said to appear in the courtyard and play with visiting children.
The McNutt House is also the final resting place of Confederate Lieutenant David Weeks Magill, believed to be the only known Confederate soldier buried in Vicksburg outside the Confederate Cemetery. Tours are small, personal, and full of the owners’ own stories. They’re offered by appointment, so call ahead.
Few homes in town carry heavier legends than Duff Green Mansion. Duff and Mary Green endured painful family losses within the walls of their home. During the siege, the house became a field hospital, with Confederate soldiers treated on the first floor, Union soldiers on the second, and the basement serving as the morgue. Some say as many as ten spirits still linger inside. A guided tour of the estate is the best way to hear the full history.
Vicksburg National Military Park is a place of remembrance first, and it deserves to be visited that way. Still, the stories persist. Thousands of soldiers lost their lives on these ridges during the 47-day siege that decided the Battle of Vicksburg. The park has no official word on hauntings, but local lore is full of phantom cannon fire, distant cries, and glimpses of soldiers who seem to vanish into the tree line. The park roads are open to walkers and cyclists from sunrise to sunset. A late afternoon drive, when the light turns gold and the monuments throw long shadows, is one of our favorite ways to feel the weight of the place.
Anchuca, another wartime hospital, is one of Vicksburg’s official tour homes and now pairs its history with one of the city’s most celebrated dining rooms. You can tour the house, hear its stories, and stay for dinner, which might be the most civilized way to spend a haunted evening in Mississippi. If you’d rather see the city’s architecture by daylight, our guide to historic homes in Vicksburg covers the full lineup of tour homes.
History and hauntings share the same roof at the Old Courthouse Museum. Its collection runs from pre-Columbian artifacts to one of the largest collections of Civil War memorabilia in the South. Visitors and staff have reported disembodied voices and laughter, footsteps in empty rooms, and apparitions dressed in Civil War attire. Plan at least an hour here, even if you never catch a glimpse of anything unusual.
Some haunted places in Vicksburg now live on only in stories. Kuhn Memorial State Hospital opened in 1832 as the Vicksburg City Hospital. It survived the siege and cared for patients through the devastating 1878 yellow fever epidemic. After it closed in 1989, the empty building became one of the state’s most talked-about paranormal sites, drawing investigators and even a 2014 episode of the television series Ghost Asylum. The haunted hospital in Vicksburg was demolished in 2019, so there’s nothing left to explore, but its name still comes up whenever locals start trading ghost stories.
How to Take a Vicksburg Ghost Tour
The easiest way to hear it all in one evening is a guided Vicksburg ghost tour. The long-running Haunted Vicksburg walking tour is a 90-minute stroll through twelve blocks of the city’s oldest streets. Along the way, you’ll hear tales tied to the Trail of Tears, antebellum duels, yellow fever outbreaks, and the siege. Newer operators offer extended routes and even rent out EMF detectors for anyone hoping to catch a reading.
Prefer your history without the goosebumps? Vicksburg’s heritage walking trails lead past many of the same landmarks by daylight, and a historic walking tour of downtown Vicksburg gives you the backstory before you hear the legends.
Our suggestion for a perfect haunted weekend: a ghost walk on Friday night, the battlefield on Saturday morning, and a candlelit mansion tour once the sun goes down again.
More Haunted Places in Mississippi Worth the Drive
If your road trip stretches beyond Vicksburg, a few other haunted houses in Mississippi deserve a spot on the itinerary.
In Natchez, Mississippi, about an hour and a half south, King’s Tavern dates to the 1760s. It’s known for Madeline, a young woman whose remains are believed to have been found behind the fireplace in the 1930s.
Also in Natchez, Longwood is the country’s largest octagonal house. The Civil War halted construction, leaving it unfinished, and its original owners, Haller and Julia Nutt, are said to wander the incomplete rooms.
Farther north in West Point, Waverly Mansion is famous for the spirit of a young girl and a uniformed man who appears in mirrors.
A Historic Vicksburg Hotel, Minus the Haunting
Plenty of people go looking for haunted hotels in Mississippi, and at Oak Hall we take a different approach. Our Mission Revival mansion was built in 1910 by Fannie Willis Johnson and Junius Ward Johnson. Fannie was one of Vicksburg’s great philanthropists, and in later years the house served as a home for widows. These walls hold more than a century of stories; ours just happen to be the kind you’ll want to hear over morning coffee. Don and Elizabeth restored the home themselves, and they love sharing its history on our historic home tour. The 32 original stained glass windows, framed in oak trim, are a favorite, and you can wake up beside them in the Fannie Suite or the Louis Suite.
The house keeps its character without sacrificing modern conveniences and comforts. Oak Hall Mansion has updated plumbing, new mechanical systems, and individual thermostats in every suite. Our guest rooms have plush mattresses and soft linens. Each morning brings a homemade breakfast of sweet and savory dishes built around seasonal ingredients, and the stocked Butler’s Pantry is there whenever you need a snack between tours. Spend the afternoon on our beautiful porches or in the saltwater pool, then head back out once the sun sets. If you’d rather have a place to yourself, our fully remodeled downtown apartments sit in a 1920s building a short walk from the riverfront, restaurants, and the brewery.
We’re about a mile from downtown and a short drive from McRaven House and the Military Park. Our personalized hospitality means you’ll always have a local recommendation on hand, whether it’s the best night for a ghost walk or where to grab dinner before it starts. Ghost stories are best enjoyed when you know you’ll sleep soundly afterward, so book your stay at Oak Hall and start planning your haunted Vicksburg getaway.
Frequently Asked Questions About Haunted Places in Mississippi
What is the most haunted place in Mississippi?
McRaven House in Vicksburg is widely considered Mississippi’s most haunted place. The home was built in stages between 1797 and 1849, served as a Confederate field hospital during the 1863 siege, and offers candlelit tours and late-night ghost hunts.
Why is Vicksburg considered so haunted?
Vicksburg’s reputation comes from its history. The 47-day siege of 1863, wartime field hospitals in private homes, and the yellow fever epidemic of 1878 left behind more ghost stories per block than almost anywhere in the state.
Are there ghost tours in Vicksburg?
Yes. The Haunted Vicksburg walking tour covers twelve blocks of the city’s oldest neighborhood in about 90 minutes. McRaven House, the McNutt House, and Duff Green Mansion each offer tours, and McRaven offers monthly ghost hunts.
What are some famous ghost stories in Mississippi?
Well-known Mississippi ghost stories include the following:
- the spirits of McRaven House in Vicksburg
- Maggie, the little girl who plays in the McNutt House courtyard
- Madeline of King’s Tavern in Natchez
- Haller and Julia Nutt at Longwood
- the girl in the mirrors at Waverly Mansion in West Point
Are there haunted hotels in Mississippi?
Some historic inns in Mississippi market their ghost stories, but many visitors prefer to tour the haunted sites and sleep somewhere quieter. Oak Hall, a 1910 mansion on the National Register of Historic Places, gives you the history without the haunting, about a mile from downtown Vicksburg.
When is the best time for a haunted trip to Vicksburg?
October is the most popular month, with extra evening tours. Ghost walks and mansion tours run year-round, though, and spring and fall bring the most comfortable weather for exploring on foot.