Most Haunted Places in Milwaukee, WI

Milwaukee has long considered to be one of the most haunted cities in Wisconsin. Given the town’s macabre and often blood stained history this is not something that is a great surprise! A look in Milwaukee’s history books will turn up tales of mad scientists, occult rituals and of course, who could forget serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer!

Let’s take some time to explore the 10 most haunted places in Milwaukee, WI:

The Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee is a popular hotel choice for professional athletes, so you have likely heard some of the spooky stories relating to this hotel since they have been covered by the likes of ESPN and Sports Illustrated.

Various baseball players have reported that while staying at The Pfister hotel they have seen doors open and close seemingly by themselves and heard not only pounding on the walls but also disembodied voices that cannot be explained.

Some players have point blank refused to stay there again and end up booking accommodation elsewhere away from teammates rather than face the ghosts again!

Related: The 10 Most Haunted Hotels in Wisconsin

So, who is responsible for the ghostly goings-on here? Well, most people agree that it is the former owner Charles Pfister and his faithful dog who are wandering the halls at night!

Learn more about the haunted Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee

There are a number of different places around campus that are considered to be paranormal hotspots.

One of these is the Helfaer Theater which is said to be haunted by the spirit of a long-dead artistic director.

There is also a great deal of unexplained activity over at Johnston Hall which is haunted by the ghost of a Jesuit priest believed to have committed suicide in the building.

Some of the other haunted spots include Humphrey Hall and Varsity Hall. Humphrey Hall at one time served as a children’s hospital and many people claim that some of the young patients are still around.

They have been spotted in the elevators at night dressed in white hospital gowns. There is also a very disconcerting tale of a ghost in Starz Tower which at one time served as a YMCA.

A boy drowned in the pool and now he is often seen swimming alongside students in the pool as they swim laps!

Seven Bridges Trail can be found in Milwaukee’s beautiful Grant Park. However, as picturesque as it may seem there is a much darker side to this spot.

The bridge at the entrance to the park actually beats the eerie greeting, ‘enter this wild wood and view the haunts of nature’.

It is certainly an interesting choice of words given the amount of paranormal activity reported here!

This is a popular spot for suicides and many people have taken their own lives here over the years.

Visitors who pause on the bridge to look down into the ravine say that they have seen a strange sparkly substance which some say could be ectoplasm.

They have also described seeing strange glowing lights and hearing the sound of disembodied voices.

Some visitors have even claimed to hear screaming when there is nobody else around.

The Pabst Mansion was built back in 1892 and has since come to be known as one of the most haunted buildings in Milwaukee.

The paranormal activity here has been attributed to Captain Frederick Pabst who many visitors have encountered there over the years.

Common reports from witnesses detail unexplained events such as a chandelier beginning to swing all on its own and the sound of a bell ringing despite nobody being near it.

Milwaukee’s North Point Lighthouse was originally built around 1855 and it is located in one of the city’s oldest public park.

Given how old the structure it is, it seems pretty inevitable that it would have a ghost story or two attached to it. In fact, North Point Lighthouse is one of the most haunted locations in Milwaukee and there have been numerous reports of children screaming when no kids are close.

People also describe feeling unexpected cold spots and a generally unwelcoming feeling in the lighthouse.

Another of the locations that are among the most haunted buildings in Milwaukee is the public museum.

It is widely believed that the spirit who is haunting the property is actually a former curator called Dr. Stephan Francis de Borhegyi.

He has been spotted on several occasions lurking around the third floor of the museum which is where his portrait hangs.

Visitors often describe a rush of cold air passing through their bodies just as they walk past his portrait!

There are also reports of him setting off the motion-activated alarms in the museum and causing the elevator to either move on its own or to malfunction completely!

The Rave has seen many different uses over the years. Originally, it was a social club for the fraternal order of the Eagles earning it the nickname ‘Eagles Ballroom’ and it later became a shelter.

It was built in 1927 and boasted a swimming pool, a bowling alley, and a gymnasium.

These days it is a popular music venue and club, but its reputation as one of Milwaukee’s most haunted buildings precedes it and many the visiting band or musician asks for the full tour including the creepy basement!

The basement area was where the swimming pool was located and there were apparently several people who drowned there making it a focal point for the hauntings.

Some of the most popular encounters with the paranormal include the spirits of several children who apparently drowned in the pool and the soul of a former director of the shelter who is said to have been very abusive to his residents.

Some even claim to have seen the ghost of Buddy Holly who actually played one of his final concerts in the venue!

Milwaukee’s Brumder Mansion dated back to around 1910 and in recent years it has become increasingly popular with ghost hunters and paranormal fans.

One of the most common reports is that visitors often find unexplained figures or other anomalies showing up in the photographs that they take during their visit to the mansion.

Those who have spent the night in the Gold Suite say that they usually have particularly vivid dreams and that they have a strong sense that they are not alone in the room.

The Blue Room is also a bit of a focal point for the building’s paranormal activity.

The Miller Inn & Caves is said to be haunted by the ghosts of a pair of 19th-century lovers. According to local legend, a young brewery worker would meet with his sweetheart at the mouth of the caves until one evening when he failed to turn up for the meeting.

The young lady waited for hours until finally discovering that her beau had suffered an accident in which he fell downstairs and hit his head.

She instantly rushed to his bedside, but he never regained consciousness and died soon afterward. The woman is said to have died within a week or so – many claims of a broken heart.

Now it seems that the pair have returned to the caves and been reunited in death. Staff report seeing an apparition of the woman waiting in her usual spot.

There are also reports of phantom footsteps that seem to chase security guards and whisper in their ears!

The Hilton Garden Inn opened fairly recently, but it is housed in a historic building that dates back to 1886. Known as the Loyalty Building, this grand structure features a huge skylight and a luxurious interior. It is also incredibly haunted!

You see, this property was built on the site of a famous 19th-century hotel known as Newhall House which burned to the ground in 1883 claiming the lives of some 100 people.

These are believed to be the spirits that are now haunting the new hotel that stands in its place! Waiting staff describe seeing strange streaks of white light in their peripheral vision when carrying trays of food or drinks.

Meanwhile, the housekeeping staff has had multiple experiences in the bedrooms, especially rooms 201 and 326.

In 201 a pair of hotel employees both witness the bathroom door opening and closing by itself and in room 326 the maids say they often have their hair tugged and usually feel as though there is something else in the room with them watching their every move! Creepy!