👻 Haunted History in Downtown Raleigh: Our Night with the Ghosts

Last night, we traded our cozy evening routines for candlelight, cobblestone, and… ghosts? We joined the US Ghost Adventures Tour in Downtown Raleigh — not just for ghost sightings (though those were definitely on the table), but to peel back the layers of history lingering in the shadows of our city.

While we didn’t spot any spirits (unless you count the glowing red orb that turned out to be a stoplight—rookie mistake), we did discover eerie tales, haunted landmarks, and a newfound appreciation for the rich, and at times chilling, stories Raleigh holds.

Our guide, Will, is an agnostic-turned-maybe-believer who’s been leading these tours for just three months. But after hearing firsthand accounts from guests and locals — and capturing a few orbs himself — he’s starting to think there’s more going on than meets the eye.

Some Haunting Highlights:

🕯️ North Carolina State Capitol:

Built in 1792, destroyed by fire, and rebuilt in a grand Greek Revival style using local granite — the Capitol’s haunted reputation includes underground tunnels once used by Civil War spies, and mysterious happenings like books flying off shelves, barrels rolling along the city streets and Confederate soldier staring out the top floor window. Even the Raleigh police have shared ghost photos and spine-chilling tales that make this their least favorite place in the city to guard at night.

Fun fact: this Greek Revival beauty was rebuilt in 1831 using local granite from Rock Quarry—costing what would be $2 billion today. That’s one haunting investment.

🏚️ Heck-Andrews House:

One of Raleigh’s most beautiful (and haunted) homes is the Heck Andrews House, which now houses the NC Real Estate Commission Will’s captured orbs here and some in our group swore they saw shadows running around inside as we peered through the windows. The original builder sold bayonets during the Civil War, and later residents experienced heartbreaking loss — and perhaps never left…

🛏️ NC Governor’s Mansion

Signed by prison laborers in the 1890s, this Queen Anne-style home holds eerie stories like the banging walls and ghostly grief of former Governor Daniel Fowle — brought about when a later mayor decided to move his shrine of a bedroom! Incoming governor’s soon learned it was best to move the bed back and leave it as he still slept there!

Pay attention to the bricks in the sidewalk here – many of them will have names of the prisoners who built the mansion etched into them.

Did you know you can tour the Executive Mansion? You can see more in our Best of Raleigh post when we toured with my visiting parents.

👻 Haywood Hall

A new-to-me discovery is the Haywood Hall known to be the oldest house in Raleigh (1799) on its original foundation within the original city limits of Raleigh.. Built by John Haywood (The NC State treasurer who has traditionally been considered Raleigh’s first mayor), this Federal Classic home is now a haunted event venue. Stories include jingling keys, ghostly smoke, and cats — yes, there’s even a pet cemetery on the property.

💀White Holman House

Across the road we ecnountered the White Holman House that had bad vibes – probably become it’s home of the unfriendly Peg Leg Ghost.

Lights flashing on inside started to freak out our group, only to discover it was the flash of another member around the corner peeking in the window!! You need spooks like this on a ghost tour in Raleigh!

🏦 Death & Taxes (yes, the restaurant):

Once a coffin house, a bank, and an accountant’s office — this historic building holds stories of apparitions and vanishing strangers who sip cherry bounce and disappear. Our guide, Will experienced several ghostly tales from staff while enjoying a Cherry Bounce at the bar … and by taking a walk in the basement, further nudging him towards the believer side of the scale.

🏢Fayeteville St Hauntings

Ghost hunters will love joining the extended version of the ghost tour in Downtown Raleigh (be sure to check the box when booking your tour). It incorporates four extra stops along Fayetteville St across to Moore Square stopping at a few iconic haunted buildings on Raleigh’s most famous street!

One includes the old Brigg’s Hardware store – now the City of Raleigh Museum. One of our tour guests shared a photo on her phone taken of the bottom of the stairs – with Gracie’s – the young girl who fell to her death – shadowy figure clearly sitting at the bottom of the stairs!!

Plus we learned other great stories about the once-grandest hotel in Raleigh — now where ABC11 Eyewitness Center is – and it’s competitor that took its place when it burned down, the Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel. Guests of the ghost tour have frequently reported smelling smoke on this stop.

In its heydays, the Sir Walter Raleigh Hotel housed many legislators and lobbyists when the General Assembly was on. A hidden speakeasy bar was recently rediscovered in the basement – perhaps it stirred the ghosts that enjoyed drinking there! Let’s hope they resurrect it as I want to sip on a Cherry Bounce with these spirits!

🌳 Moore Square

Once a site for church picnics… and public executions. On windless nights, people claim to see tree branches swaying as if something — or someone — were swinging from them. Look for it next time you’re going to dinner at Bida Manda, attending a Moore Square event, or seeing live music at the Pour House!

From Grace’s ghost at Briggs Hardware to the peg-legged phantom of the White-Holman House, Raleigh is packed with haunted tales that make you see our familiar streets in a whole new (spookier) light.

And even if the ghosts don’t come out to greet you — the history absolutely will.

Our Experience on the Raleigh Ghost Tour

We recommend this ghost tour as a fun way to spend an hour or two getting to know Raleigh, and what is considered one of the most haunted city’s in the USA. Ghostly tales aside, you’ll learn about, but the city’s history from its beginnings through the Civil War until now.

I enjoyed wandering the city at night, and seeing some of the city’s historic buildings wrapped up in an eerie atmosphere. I especially loved seeing my favorite downtown building, the State Legislature Building sitting at the end of Bicentennial Mall – or I like to call Museum Row! As it was a Tuesday evening, the city was quiet adding an extra spook value.

Will was a passionate and enthusiastic tour guide, leading us around by the light of his lantern, which he sometimes used for props in his story telling. He was very accommodating to everyone in the group and their desires to share their experiences and love for ghosts.

Our tour group were avid ghost hunters and kept the engagement high as they connected to the world unseen, sharing their tales and photographs, and motivating all of us to capture that ghostly image for a take-home souvenir. (I’m sorry I tried really hard!)

We recommend enjoying a dinner or drink at a Downtown Raleigh restaurant before it. We had drinks and light bites at the new High Rail Rooftop bar before our 8pm tour. Check out some downtown Raleigh restaurants here.

🎟️ Want to Experience this Raleigh Ghost Tour yourself?

Whether you’re a visitor to Raleigh, or a local wanting to dive a little deeper into your home’s history and culture, the Raleigh Ghost tour will offer an entertaining evening.

Tours run nightly at 6pm & 8pm. Obviously the later tour will offer a cover of darkness that makes any tale better. At the time of publication tour prices are $26 for adults, $17 for kids under 17. Be sure to check current prices in case of changes!

Tours run for an hour, but you do have the option to extend the tour which will include those extra 4 haunting stops and tales along Fayetteville St to Moore Square. I did find this additional segment fascinating to learn the history of this iconic street and feel the haunting aura of the hanging trees!

Check out US Ghost Adventures Raleigh Tour and book a night with Raleigh’s resident spirits. 👣