Wisconsin may be famed for cheese and lakes, but it’s also home to spine-tingling mysteries and ghostly apparitions. Here are the 12 most haunted places in Wisconsin, each with chilling backstories that will send shivers down your spine—and perfect for thrill-seekers and paranormal hunters.
1. The Pfister Hotel – Milwaukee
This grand 1893 hotel, on the National Register of Historic Places, is notorious for ghostly guests. Guests, including professional baseball players, have reported flickering lights, objects moving on their own, unexplained cold spots, and even the apparition of the hotel’s founder, Charles Pfister.
2. Shaker’s Cigar Bar & Penthouse – Milwaukee
Housed in a former Schlitz cooperage turned speakeasy and brothel—rumored to have ties to Al Capone—Shaker’s is said to be visited by Molly, an 18-year-old murdered in the old brothel, and Elizabeth, an 8-year-old prankster frequenting the women’s restroom.
3. Boy Scout Lane – Stevens Point
This lonely, dead‑end dirt road is entwined in legend. Stories range from lantern-bearing ghost scouts to bus crashes that killed an entire troop. Witnesses often report eerie footsteps, lights bobbing among trees, and an overwhelming feeling of dread.
4. Bloody Bride Bridge (Highway 66) – Stevens Point
Folklore tells of a bride killed on her wedding night, her spirit in stained attire wandering the bridge. Visitors say they sometimes see a ghostly fog or her silhouette wandering near the roadway .
5. Summerwind Mansion (Lamont Mansion) – Vilas County
This decaying early-20th-century lakeside lodge has decades of eerie tales: ghostly organ music, sudden drops in temperature, and the Lamont family fleeing after one member supposedly shot at a specter. It burned down in 1988 under mysterious circumstances.
6. Octagon House – Fond du Lac
With unique eight-sided architecture and hidden passageways, this historic home features strange cold spots, disembodied footsteps, and the cries of an unseen child. Visitors note an overwhelming haunted presence inside and around the property .
7. Wood County Insane Asylum – Marshfield
Constructed in 1909, its abandoned remains now sit on scrap yard grounds. Locals report sightings in a long-forgotten tunnel linking the main building to a farm: apparitions of a maintenance worker, two patients, and a dark-haired young girl.
8. Baraboo Inn – Baraboo
Once a saloon and brothel near railroad tracks, this historic bar is a favorite haunt of paranormal investigators. They’ve captured EVPs, orbs, shadow figures, and reports of an old soldier hitchhiker wandering Highway 12.
9. Devil’s Lake Highway Hitchhiker – near Baraboo
Along scenic Highway 12 near Devil’s Lake State Park, drivers recount picking up a mysterious hitchhiker in old army garb—only to see him vanish from the backseat without a trace.
10. La Belle Cemetery – Oconomowoc
Established in 1851, this cemetery is haunted by the statue of Mary Nathsius. Witnesses report her hands turning black, her eyes bleeding, and sightings of her walking toward the lake where she supposedly drowned herself in life.
11. Sheboygan County Medical Center (formerly Asylum) – Sheboygan Falls
Built in 1940 and later a mental health facility, the now-empty center is a hotspot for urban explorers. Rumors of underground tunnels, nurse suicides, and spectral figures are common—but it remained closed in 2002 with frequent paranormal tales persisting.
12. House on the Rock – Spring Green
While not haunted in the traditional sense, this surreal attraction is filled with odd and macabre collections, such as the endlessly creaking carousel and eerie ambient ambience. Its disorienting architecture has inspired ghostly rumors and featured in popular culture portrayals of the paranormal .
Why These Spots Stand Out
These locations range from hulking abandoned structures (asylums, mansions) to modern bars and haunted roads. Together, they weave a tapestry of Wisconsin lore—reflecting tragedy, unexplained phenomena, and enduring fear rooted in local history.
Paranormal Etiquette & Visiting Tips
- Respect private property. Boy Scout Lane and Summerwind are off‑limits; trespassing can result in serious consequences.
- Guided tours help. Many of these places—like the Pfister, Shaker’s, Baraboo Inn, and Octagon House—offer public tours or ghost‑hunting nights.
- Stay safe at night. These sites are often remote and rugged. A friend, good flashlight, and caution are essential—both for goblins and your safety.
Final Haunting Thoughts
Wisconsin’s haunted locations remind us that the supernatural isn’t just folklore—it lingers in hidden corners, old cemeteries, abandoned tunnels, and the memories of those who dare to visit. From spectral brides at a bridge to cold spots in grand hotels, these chilling tales enrich the state’s cultural tapestry. Whether you visit for the thrill or investigate the history behind the hauntings, these 12 spots offer a compelling glimpse into Wisconsin’s eerie underbelly.