While you might know Utah for its gorgeous geography or its intense football rivalry, Utah is also home to some seriously bone-chilling haunted sites. From Ted Bundy’s former residence to a haunted cemetery, Utah has plenty of haunted spaces for thrill-seekers to explore. The following five attractions have been documented as some of the most haunted places in Utah. Be sure to check them out this Halloween season — that is, if you dare.
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Brigham Young Farmhouse
A historical landmark in our salty city, Brigham Young’s old Farmhouse is just a few steps from the U’s dorms and is considered one of the most haunted locations in Utah. Built in 1863, the farmhouse was used to host parties and meetings for church officials, never actually becoming ‘home’ to Young himself. Several years later, once Young had passed, the house was moved from its original location and bought by a young couple in 1950. Renovated and reopened to the public in 1970, the new owners Mrs. and Mr. Willcox reported experiencing strange sensations throughout the house. One night, while hosting a dinner party, the couple described a conversation they had with an elderly man dressed in 1800s clothing. The group spoke about the house and was later photographed. When the picture was developed the couple was seen standing alone.
Since then several apparitions, sounds, and unexplainable occurrences have been reported at the house. As many as six different ghosts have been spotted on the property in addition to children’s laughter and music coming from the ballroom (a popular location for children’s parties). One ghost, Ann Eliza Webb, an ex-wife and former polygamist, is revered as one of the friendlier and more helpful presences in the house. In one instance, as a tour guide led a group through the house, they stopped to admire an old human hair wreath (a normal craft for the period). As if on cue, the wreath was lifted into the air, only placed back on the wall once the tour guide moved onto another piece…perhaps aided by a helpful entity or an eerie haunting?
2. Capitol Theater
If you’ve ever visited Capitol Theater, you know it’s grand, big and old–the perfect combination for a haunting. First opened in 1913, the theater has been functional for over 100 years and has racked up a reputation of opulence, professionalism, and hair-raising spooks.
In 1949, a fire broke out during a show. 600 people were evacuated, and the basement of Capitol Theater was destroyed. The fire raged for over an hour, and luckily, the casualties were not more considerable. But 17-year-old Richard Duffin didn’t make it out. Found in the basement where it’s assumed he was trying to put out the fire, Duffin became a martyr for the theater and eventually…a supernatural regular.
Duffin has been seen by several night guards and theater staff members and is said to be particularly active during Nutcracker season. Everything from stage light malfunctions to unexplainable elevator movement is seen to be the work of Duffin, a ghost that was even featured on national TV.
In an episode of Paranormal Witness, a Syfy series, an evening security guard Dave Murphy experiences strange things throughout his shift. Doors slamming, file cabinets disrupted, in one instance Murphy reported seeing the elevator in use without a soul inside. Once it got to his floor the door opened, investigating Murphy got inside. Before he could step out the basement floor key lit up and the lift began its descent to the very place Richard Duffin took his last breath…
3. Rio Grande Station
Built in 1910 to offer the public a sense of grandeur, this historical landmark is known for its paranormal activity. The station remained operational until 1947 and later received a much-needed renovation in 1977.
Although the station was used for only 70 years, ghostly experiences have been reported all the way up to 1940. The most commonly seen spirit being ‘The Purple Lady’, who was reportedly hit by an oncoming train after getting into an argument with her fiancee who had thrown the engagement ring into the tracks. Now she wanders the halls begrudged by her failed love story. Employees and late night staffers say she most frequently haunts the women’s bathroom and around the north side of the Depot by the cafe.
But the hauntings don’t stop there. That’s right, Rio Grande is home to not one… but TWO ghostly figures. Deep underground in the tunnels that connect the Rio Grande to the old power plant next door, an apparition eerily known as the ‘tunnel ghost’ haunts visitors. Killed in the construction of the tunnels, the spirit seems to be trapped right under our feet.
4. Ted Bundy’s House
If you’ve lived in Utah long, or your interests lie in researching psychopathic murderers, you’ve probably heard of Ted Bundy. The 1970’s serial killer created widespread panic and fear when he killed numerous Salt Lake women, and some experts estimate his victim count to be in the 100’s.
One of his residencies lies in Emigration Canyon on 115 Burr’s Lane, just past Hogle Zoo. The house has been reduced to its foundation; only a dark and disturbing cellar remains. A popular destination for thrill-seeking kids, the private property sign does little to deter trespassers and their morbid fascination.
Being one of those freaky fanatics myself, when I visited Bundy’s house I was greeted with a hair-raising ambiance and evidence of satanic rituals– complete with pentagram markings and even traces of blood (animal sacrifice?).
Experiences at Bundy’s house can be found in Reddit threads and spooky blog posts. In one such account, a group of girls reports seeing a woman soaked in blood running through the trees. They later visit the cellar and interrupt satanic worshipers (read their story here).
5. Salt Lake City Cemetery
Located in the Avenues, Salt Lake’s cemetery contains over 130,000 buried bodies. With the first burial being in 1847, it’s no surprise ghostly activity frequents the area. Besides being just your regular old creepy AF cemetery, several grave sites are known to procure extra spookiness.
In the Jewish section of the cemetery, one mausoleum known as “Emo’s Grave” is surrounded by creepy conspiracy. Housing the remains of Jacob Moritz, legend has it if you circle the site while chanting “emo emo emo” three times then look into the mausoleum, two glowing red eyes will stare back at you.
In another section, an eerie sentence etched into a tombstone will leave you shocked. While no one knows why the saying was chosen, what it means, or even how their victim died the effect is still bone-chilling. Lady Lilly’s grave is nothing out of the ordinary. Her name and time of life are inscribed in admirable font, and ornate flowers decorate the corners of the tombstone. Everything seems to be as it should be, until your eye is drawn to the ominous saying just below. “Victim of the Beast 666” is inscribed on Lilly’s headstone. Many have speculated as to what it means, over the years more documentation has been released that suggests Lilly was a part of a Romeo and Juliet-esque relationship. Her lover chose the quote to tell the world how they were torn apart and forced to die without one another.
The tombstone can be hard to find, get directions here.
And there you have it — five haunted places sure to spook during this Halloween season. Happy ghost hunting!
Sources: 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9