10 Haunted Construction Sites

31 October 2019

Spooky! This Halloween we did some very serious research and looked into 10 of the most haunted construction sites around the globe.

Beware! Read at your own risk.

Poinsett Bridge, Greenville, South Carolina

This is the oldest bridge in South Carolina and is said to be haunted by a number of ghosts. A legend states that a mason died here while it was under construction and has been buried inside ever since. Construction is said to have taken longer than expected due to workers being brought int

o hospital from injury. In the 1950s a man died there in a car accident and his ghost is still said to haunt the site. People who now go and visit the site to look for evidence have identified disturbances such as unexplained voices, shadows and intense lights.

 

Abandoned UFO Village, Sanzhi, Taiwan

 

This totally abandoned village is recognized as one of the most haunted places in Taiwan. After construction for a seaside holiday resort began in 1978, strange things such as car accidents and even a suicide occurred. One day work was abandoned and the people just up and left, with different theories about why this happened. The series of mysterious deaths that took place during construction is a popular belief. There are claims that it’s the site of a burial ground for over 70,000 Dutch soldiers, with some construction workers claiming that they were haunted by ghosts when work took place.

 

The Bullocks Wilshire Building, Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles

 

This department store was built in the 1930’s and is now part of the Southwest Law School. There are rumors going back to the time it was built that a young girl was killed when she was pushed down an elevator shaft. During renovation, construction workers did report secret passageways being discovered, leading from the late owner John G. Bullock’s penthouse to other parts of the building. Other strange events include lights suddenly turning on and off and windows opening and closing by themselves. Several workers did choose to resign during construction. In the 1980s, the last scene of ‘Ghostbusters’ was shot at the top of this building.

 

The New York State Education Building, Albany, New York

 

In 1910, an Italian stonemason working on the construction of this building fell into the space where cement was being poured by stoneworkers. The foreman apparently said “Keep pouring” and this has now become a famous phrase. Pouring kept on and the basement archive of the New York State Education Building is known by employees as ‘the dungeon’. Known as ‘Jason’, the stonemason’s ghost is now the most famous in Albany. Employees have reported an icy, unwelcome feeling as they enter the dungeon, as well as finding books strangely open for them on the page they were looking for.

 

Woodchester Mansion, Nympsfield, UK

 

Built on the site of the much earlier Spring Park mansion leading back to the 1600s, the history of this mansion is believed to go back to the time of the ancient Romans. Soldiers have apparently been observed roaming the grounds. This building was never completed and during construction there are said to have been 7 deaths and 6 bad accidents that occurred, since work began in the 1850s. During World War Two 20 American soldiers stationed at the site were killed when a pontoon bridge collapsed on the lake. Army vehicles still remain in the lake to this day.

 

Sheffield Island Lighthouse, Norwalk, Connecticut

 

In 1872, the original keeper of this lighthouse died while watching ships with a spyglass and the reason why has never been explained. It was first built in 1868, to help ships reach Sheffield Island safely. In 1991, an archaeologist working on site preservation, reported hearing strange sounds such as spiritual music, distressed cries and even the sound of a foghorn, while there were none present on the island. It is believed by a lot of people that these were the sounds of Captain Robert Sheffield, who purchased the islands in the early 1800s. Guided tours are now offered around the lighthouse during the summer.

 

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California

 

Owned by Sara Winchester, when her daughter died of a childhood illness and her husband of tuberculosis, she commissioned a Victorian funhouse to be built. Believing they had both been killed by ghosts, the building was constructed as defense against them. This was recommended by a seer, suggesting that continuous construction of the mansion was the only successful method of protection. Eerie features include windows leading to haunted passages, doors opening onto brick walls and staircases that lead to the ceiling. Beginning in 1886, renovation only ended when Sara died in 1922.

 

Sunshine 60, Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan

 

This 60-story shopping and office building was built on a site where the Sugamo Prison once sat. The name ‘Sunshine 69’ was given, to distract visitors from the sites’ unfortunate past. Holding political prisoners before 1945, around 5000 Japanese war criminals were incarcerated here. Construction began in 1971 and freak accidents, as well as a few deaths were reported. Today, maintenance workers have reported hearing strange noises such as laughter, chanting and whispers. Ghost sightings and floating fireballs are two other reported sights. People still reveal tripping or falling when there’s nothing in the way. 

5285 Dean Martin Drive, Las Vegas, Nevada

There is a rumor that this site was once used by the mob as a burial ground, but enough research hasn’t been done. It has been used for a number of purposes since it first opened in 1991, from a Mexican restaurant, to a nightclub and even a strip joint, but remained abandoned after it was bought in 2010. After ‘numerous unexplained experiences’ in 2009, the Paranormal Investigation Team of Nevada was brought in to collect evidence and stated: “It definitely has paranormal activity’. Fires remained disturbingly common at the site and in 2017, a fire caused an estimated $120,000 in damages. After this event it was demolished.

San Fernando Cathedral, San Antonia, Texas

 

 

Built between 1738 and 1750, when the oldest church in Texas was first constructed it wasn’t unusual to bury people within the walls. For many years, visitors have apparently seen faces on the outer walls of the church wondering, are these pictures real or is it just my imagination? Renovation started in 1936, when construction workers unearthed bones, nails and ragged military uniforms on-site. This is believed to belong to three soldiers of the Alamo, whose bodies were burned here after the battle in 1836.

 



Sonya Sikra

Sonya is the Brand Strategy Manager at GoContractor. She specializes in communicating how implementing tech in construction can drive productivity and profit.

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