In 2023’s Ghost Rider #11, by Benjamin Percy and Dave Wachter, the mystical sensitive Talia Warroad explains to Johnny Blaze that Savannah, Georgia, is known to be “the most haunted city in America.” We asked paranormal investigator Jon Michael if that’s true, and what makes people think so.
Walk down the cobblestone streets of Savannah at night, and it’s easy to feel like you’re not alone. Shadows stretch beneath moss-draped oaks in front of centuries-old buildings, and it can seem like every corner has a ghost story to tell.
We’ve all heard it before, from the news, from social media, even from traditions and stories passed down over the years — everyone knows that Savannah, Georgia, is the most haunted city in America. But wait, isn’t it Gettysburg? Hold on … New Orleans apparently is on the list of most haunted, too. What does it even mean to be the most haunted city, anyway, and why Savannah?
Marvel Comics
Savannah has a rich, yet dark history. The city is comparatively archaic to most others here in the United States, having seen bloody battles in both the American Revolution and the Civil War. Savannah was one of the main ports that received slaves from Africa, yellow fever has ravaged its populace, and it’s nearly burned down (twice!). Many sites in the city claim to have paranormal activity, such as the Sorrel-Weed House, Colonial Park Cemetery, and the Moon River Brewing Company, and these supposed hauntings are often tied to the dark events of the past.
Okay, well what does it mean for a place to be haunted? Of course there’s no concrete definition, because ghosts have never been scientifically proven to exist. Assuming that a ghost is some remnant of a dead human being — its “energy,” or some kind of imprint — does a place being haunted mean the ghost is “tied” to it for some reason? Why are ghosts, which are sometimes hundreds of years old, supposedly able to comprehend 21st century gadgetry to communicate with us, but are somehow beholden to the boundaries drawn up by some random land surveyor?
And then, how is “most haunted” calculated? Is it the number of ghosts in a city? Ghosts per capita? Ghosts per square mile? How often should a ghost show up for it to count in the ghost census? If someone has an odd feeling, does that count as a paranormal claim? What about legends? Are we counting the suburbs?
However you quantify “Most Haunted” is up for debate, but one thing for sure is that Savannah profits from having this reputation. Take a stroll around the historic district and you’ll be bombarded with ghost tours, haunted pubs, spooky B&Bs, and shops selling all sorts of paranormal trinkets. Savannah brought in $4.4 billion in tourism, or 18.11% of Georgia’s total tourism take, in 2022. Although no solid numbers are readily available, the ghost industry clearly makes up a sizeable piece of the tourism pie. When money’s on the line, it’s hard not to question the authenticity of these stories.
At least it’s not that bad! (Marvel Comics)
I often get into conversations with paranormal believers, and even other skeptics, who ask, “What’s the harm in believing in ghosts if it’s not hurting anyone?” For one, I think the truth is important. Many ghost tours, like those in Savannah, often reduce tragic stories to overused tropes, stripping away the humanity of the individuals involved.
At the Sorrel-Weed House, for instance, the tales of Matilda and Molly are spun into dramatic ghost stories, with little attention paid to the power dynamics and realities of their lives. Matilda’s alleged suicide and Molly’s untimely death are sensationalized, while the complexities of their experiences, especially Molly’s as an enslaved woman, are lost in the narrative. Neither woman had a chance to tell her own story, and today their voices remain overshadowed by legend, co-opted into a ghost tour that often portrays human beings as little more than soap opera characters.
So, is Savannah the most haunted city in America? I don’t know. I don’t even know what the question means. What I do know is that Savannah’s history is long, dark, and compelling, and maybe that’s enough to make it feel haunted. But still, we shouldn’t confuse lore for reality, and remember that behind the ghost stories of Savannah there were real people with real lives, often with tragic ends. Maybe we should think twice before distilling their experiences down to just an anecdote for our entertainment.
AIPT Science is co-presented by AIPT and the New York City Skeptics.
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