The spooky stories behind 4 haunted places in Atlanta

“Ghosts will be anywhere there was human tragedy”
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Haunted places in Atlanta
Illustration by Toni DeMuro

According to Boo (yes, really) Newell, a psychic medium and guide at Decatur Ghost Tour, cemeteries aren’t the only haunted places in Atlanta. “Ghosts will be anywhere there was human tragedy, emotional events, or something went awry.” Here’s where to find them.

Calling All Soldiers
Haunt Oakland Cemetery
There are 3,000 unknown Confederate dead buried in Oakland, and cemetery officials say that on quiet days visitors have heard the tones of a bugle and the voice of a man calling roll for the soldiers. Sometimes they even reply “present.”

The Remorseful Ghost
Haunt Decatur Courthouse
After learning of his wife’s affair, James Crowder flew into a fit of rage, killing her and their children in 1823. Crowder was publicly executed for his crimes, and his ghost reportedly remains near the city courthouse, lurking in shame.

Star-Crossed Spirits
Haunt Roswell
Roswell has its own Romeo and Juliet in the ghosts of a Union soldier and a local shop girl. After the soldier was hanged for treason, she soon followed suit by her own hand. Inside the building that now houses the restaurant Public House, the couple have been seen dancing and gazing out the windows.

Forever friends
Haunt Decatur Recreation Center
In the early 1900s, two children named Herman and Lucy were killed as they played on a Decatur street. Today, says Newell, the pair still play together outside the Decatur Recreation Center. The spirits have even been known to invite living children to join their games.

This article originally appeared in our September 2016 issue.

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