The 10 Most Haunted Places in Washington

Take a haunted road trip to discover the most haunted places in Washington. You’ll surely experience some paranormal occurrence at the mortuary-turned-local-pub, ghost town cemetery, and the once private hospital farm. Dare to see the spirits haunting The Evergreen State? Visit the places below and learn more about Washington’s dark history.

Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub (Butterworth Building) – Seattle

Located in the Pike Place Market District in downtown Seattle, Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub is one of the most haunted places in Washington. The establishment opened in 1983 but is set in the historic and macabre Butterworth Building. The popular eatery is tucked away from the street, making it easy to miss. However, spirits haunting the building may guide you.

One of the most popular ghosts in Kells Irish Restaurant & Pub is a little girl with red hair who likes to play pranks on unsuspecting diners. She is most active in the restaurant during the day when children are around. No one knows who the young girl is, but she most likely died during the influenza outbreak in the 1900s.

A man named Charlie is another famous ghost. He briefly manifests in the Guinness mirror before disappearing. He is an older man wearing a derby hat who enjoys listening to the live music played on Friday and Saturday nights. Check out the episode of Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel that featured the praised Irish pub in 2010, or stop by for a tasty authentic meal.

Brief History of the Butterworth Building

Built in 1903, the Butterworth Building was the first mortuary in Seattle. Early Seattle architect John Graham Sr. designed the building. Due to the area’s hills, he structured the layout so the five-story building appears to have only three stories from specific angles, which adds to the establishment’s eeriness.

The building was fashioned with a morgue, chapel, embalming rooms, undertakers’ residences, and horse-drawn funeral carriages for Butterworth & Sons Mortuary. In fact, bodies were moved through what is now the entrance to the restaurant.

Rumors of unethical practices executed by doctors, namely Linda Hazzard, contribute to the number of apparitions still seeking solace within the restaurant. In addition to the resident ghosts, feelings of uneasiness at night or unexplainable noises coming through the walls have been reported.

Pike Place Market – Seattle

Pike Place Market in Seattle has a long history, dating back to 1907. Farmers and vendors sold products in the market to people eager to buy. One of the first buildings in the market belonged to Frank Goodwin, who made a fortune selling Klondike gold.

Pike Place Market is home to the ghosts of multiple vendors and famous visitors. One of the most known visitors is Princess Angeline, the eldest daughter of Chief Si’ahl (Seattle). Her Duwamish name is Kikisoblu, and she lived along the beautiful waterfront, selling handmade baskets from her home. Vendors and shoppers today sometimes spot her carrying baskets and peering into shop windows.

The ghosts of young children run around the Bead Emporium Store, only to vanish once spotted. Some even see the apparition of Frank Goodwin by the Alibi stairs. He introduces himself as Frank and asks if people need help getting around the market. Arthur Goodwin, Frank’s nephew, is also seen swinging golf clubs from the window of the Goodwin Library. In fact, he’s the resident ghost of Ghost Alley Espresso. Stop by the incredible market and one of the most haunted places in Washington.

The Moore Theater – Seattle

It’s no surprise ghosts occupy Seattle’s oldest theater. At its construction, the theater was one of the largest in the U.S., seating 2,436 guests. The Moore Theater, built in 1907 by James A. Moore, is the site of a seance. Several employees conducted the ritual, but the building owners intervened. Some believe it left a spirit portal open in the theater.

Small items regularly go missing, only reappearing in other areas of the building. Some visitors have reported hearing heavy breathing and loud, disembodied footsteps. Others experience unexplainable temperature changes and strange visions. The ghosts of James Moore and early actresses, including Sarah Bernhardt and Marie Dressler stick around to watch shows.

In 2007, The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) investigated the Moore Theater for an episode of Ghost Hunters. Their equipment didn’t pick up any signs of those visiting from the afterlife. However, some team members claimed to have had a paranormal experience while shooting. Attend a show to to see for yourself if the theater is haunted or not.

Hotel de Haro – Friday Harbor

The San Juan Islands are known for their beautiful landscapes and wildlife. However, several ghost stories bring people to some of Friday Harbor’s hotels, including Hotel de Haro. The Hotel de Haro was built in 1886 and is Washington’s oldest continuously run lodge. One of its most famous guests is Theodore Roosevelt.

The hotel at Roche Harbor Resort is allegedly occupied by the ghost of Adah Beeny. She was the governess to the McMillan children, whose family owned the local lime works. Current employees and guests report doors opening and closing, lights flickering on and off, and cold spots or sudden temperature changes. One guest said her hand went completely numb as she entered the lobby due to lingering spiritual energy in the hotel.

Monte Cristo Ghost Town

The old, abandoned mining town of Monte Cristo in Snohomish County is nestled in the Cascade Mountains. It’s one of the most known ghost towns in the state, but it’s also one of the most difficult to explore. The town was active from 1889 to 1907. Many believed the town would be a hub for silver and gold prospectors, but the mines couldn’t produce the expected results.

Some believe Monte Cristo was doomed to fail from the start. When the town opened, the national economy was failing, and workers were on strike. Poor working conditions in the mines with little compensation made it challenging to keep employees. Unfavorable Pacific weather only added to the town’s struggles. In fact, avalanches wiped out some of the town’s infrastructure and took out anyone in the way. Rumor has it that the ghosts of the miners remain, watching over the town.

Visitors beware. Only a few structures remain, and the road is in disrepair. Hikers can explore the ghost town on foot by following hiking trails and an unstable bridge across the river.

The Oxford Saloon – Snohomish

One of the most haunted places in Washington is the historic Oxford Saloon. It was built in Snohomish in 1900 as Blackman’s Dry Goods before becoming a saloon a decade later. When the building was remodeled, a staircase led to several rooms on the second floor. Rumor has it that a woman named Kathleen rented out these rooms as a brothel.

There are multiple stories surrounding her death in the claw-foot tub that still exists in one of the bathrooms. The most popular theories point to suicide or murder by a jilted lover. Regardless, her ghost still roams the halls, or you can see a mannequin of her likeness with black hair and a purple dress in the restaurant.

The Oxford Saloon saw its fair share of violence over the decades. One famous incident included the death of a policeman named Henry, who occasionally filled in as a security guard. One night, a fight broke out around the basement card room between two men. Henry was killed while breaking up the altercation. His ghost is often wandering the staircase leading to the basement. Some women have even reported seeing him in the women’s restroom but disappears when confronted.

Altogether, 10 deaths have occurred throughout The Oxford Saloon’s history. Employees claim to feel a looming presence when they are alone. There is also ambient noise, footsteps, and doors randomly opening or closing. If you want to learn more about the rest of the ghosts haunting the Oxford Saloon, stop for a visit and ask one of the employees.

Northern State Hospital – Sedro-Woolley

One of the largest mental facilities in Washington is Northern State Hospital in Sedro-Woolley. The hospital had its own town. At its peak, 2,300 patients lived and worked on 700 acres of farmland, a canning facility, and more. Today, visitors can stroll through the fields along the cemetery and some of the dilapidated buildings, but the hospital’s dark history will make it difficult to feel at peace.

The Northern State Hospital opened in 1912 for adults struggling with numerous physical and mental illnesses, many of which are now commonly treated with medication or therapy. Some patients were only experiencing temporary bouts of illness, while others may not have been sick at all. But many patients were admitted against their will. Many would live here until they died.

Visitors to the vacant buildings report cold spots and feeling watched. Some people have even seen figures standing around the graveyard. The most common ghosts are that of a young girl holding a red ball and a man chasing her. Other familiar spirits are an older man in a wheelchair with a nurse pushing him.

Patients endured cruel treatments that diminished their quality of life or ultimately led to their death. Many patients were also abandoned here by loved ones. The only remainder of their existence are headstones marked with their patient numbers. However, the lack of upkeep has resulted in hundreds of headstones disappearing into the ground. Thankfully, family members are now looking for information about their admitted loved ones and trying to provide a humane burial for them.

Black Diamond Cemetery – Black Diamond

When looking for the most haunted places in Washington, the Black Diamond Cemetery is one of the top results. Mining accidents over the years have most likely caused a lot of paranormal activity in the famous cemetery. The cemetery has around 1,200 graves of immigrants and miners from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s. Many of those buried here also died of influenza. One grave holds the remains of eight miners who died in the 1910 Lawson Mine explosion.

Visitors report hearing whistling when no one is around and seeing swinging lanterns in the distance on foggy nights. Some people have even seen a white horse weaving through the tombstones. The Cascadia Paranormal Investigations, a research group in Washington, visited the cemetery to look for signs of the alleged spirits in 2020. They picked up several disembodied voices and some ghostly apparitions. However, there wasn’t much else to speak of, but you could visit the cemetery to see for yourself.

Walker-Ames House – Port Gamble

The Walker-Ames House is one of the most haunted places in Washington. The abandoned Port Gable home is famous in the community for its paranormal activity. In fact, it’s been the site of many paranormal investigations since the 1950s. The stories of the ghosts living here go back decades. Port Gamble Paranormal Pete Orbea feels paranormal energy in the home and can communicate with the spirits. He hosts popular guided tours of the ominous Walker-Ames House.

Visitors report hearing disembodied voices and footsteps upstairs. Some have even seen historical people walking around inside or see figures standing in the windows as they pass by the property outside. No one is sure who the silhouette belongs to, but it’s one of the playful spirits playing tricks on the visitors and paranormal investigators who frequent the home.

Manresa Castle – Port Townsend

Another one of the most haunted places In Washington is the Manresa Castle in Port Townsend. The Manresa Castle was completed in 1892 as the home for Charles and Kate Eisenbeis. The design of the castle resembles the castles of Charles’ native Prussia. He was the first mayor of Port Townsend, living in the beautiful mansion until he died in 1902. Kate remarried, leaving the castle empty until it was purchased as a vacation home for nuns in 1925. Then, Jesuits owned it, adding a large extension to the building, which later became a hotel in 1968.

The resident ghosts occupy the rooms and scare the guests. Rooms 302, 304, and 306 experience the most paranormal activity. However, the spirit of a monk who died in the attic and a woman who threw herself out the window are often heard roaming the halls. In the cafe, drinks explode or turn upside down when no one is looking.

Summary of the 10 Most Haunted Places in Washington