These Horror Movies Were Inspired By Real-Life Haunted Houses And Places

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Halloween is just around the corner so it’s safe to say that we’re firmly into spooky season. For some of us, it means binging some classic horror movies before the Christmas vibes kick in.

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For others, it’s an appropriate time to lean into the scary vibes and delve deeper into the lore behind these horror flicks. That can mean visiting haunted locations that inspired some of our favorite movies, like The Conjuring and The Amityville Horror.

Below is a list of 15 horror movies accompanied by the real-life haunted locations that inspired them. Although some of them remain private residences, there are others that you could actually visit!

1. The Amityville Horror – The Amityville House (Long Island, New York)

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First up on the list is the notorious home in Long Island, New York, that inspired the movie The Amityville Horror. The site of a brutal family murder in 1974, the Amityville House, became an infamous location after the Lutz family claimed they were terrorized by paranormal activity. The house has since undergone renovations and changed owners. According to Biography, four other families owned the house since the murder, including one that changed the address from 112 Ocean Avenue to 108 Ocean Avenue.

This is a private residence. Not open to the public.

2. Lizzie – The Lizzie Borden House (Fall River, Massachusetts)

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The tale of Lizzie Borden has been told in various movies and shows, such as 2018’s Lizzie and 2014’s Lizzie Borden Took An Ax. Borden, who was acquitted of all charges, was tried for the murders of her father and stepmother on August 4, 1892. 

The home where the crime occurred is located in Fall River, MA, and has become a tourist location where visitors can plan an overnight stay. The official website says, “the house is just as it was,” leaving the furnishings in their location, replicating the décor, and maintaining the home’s original doors and general hardware. As documented by US Ghost Adventures, some guests have suggested that they’ve experienced paranormal activity staying at the location. 

3. American Horror Story: Coven – The LaLaurie Mansion (New Orleans, Lousiana)

Historic building on a corner in New Orleans features arched windows and ornamental iron balconies

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At 1140 Royal Street, Madame Delphine LaLaurie was believed to be a sadistic socialite who tortured enslaved workers who were discovered in the attic on April 10, 1834 after a house fire, per History. LaLaurie fled after a mob ransacked her home, while 1140 Royal Street has undergone many renovations over the years. Today, it is a private residence, but locals call it “the Haunted House,” according to Ghost City Tours, who list the LaLaurie Mansion as one of the most popular locations on the New Orleans Ghost Tours (the tour passes by the home). They also claim that several reports of paranormal activity have come from the home in the past 200 years. American Horror Story: Coven features a heavily fictionalized version of Madame Delphina LaLaurie.

4. The Shining – The Stanley Hotel (Estes Park, Colorado)

The inspiration behind The Shining

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The inspiration behind Stephen King’s novel, The Shining, along with the mini-series and the excellent film adaptation by Stanley Kubrick, The Stanley Hotel, has been rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Freelan Oscar (F.O.) Stanley and his wife, Flora, according to ABC News. They also report that the former housekeeper, Elizabeth Wilson, haunts room 217 after an explosion. This is the same room that King stayed in and based The Shining on. The Stanley Hotel now hosts tours at their facilities, and visitors can book room 217 if they choose. 

5. The Conjuring 2 and The Enfield Poltergeist – The Enfield Poltergeist House (London, UK)

Two-story residential house with a brick lower level and a textured upper facade, fenced yard, and a dark front door under a cloudy sky

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The Enfield Poltergeist House was the site of a poltergeist haunting that went on to inspire The Conjuring 2 and Apple TV’s The Enfield Poltergeist. The story of a young girl who was believed to be possessed made national headlines and eventually led to the involvement of Ed and Lorraine Warren, per PEOPLE

The Daily Mail reports that while the home is a tourist attraction, it remains a private residence. 

6. The Axe Murders Of Villisca – The Villisca Axe Murder House (Villisca, IA)

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Eight people were brutally murdered at the home, which has been reported to be haunted ever since. The unsolved case inspired 2016’s The Axe Murders Of Villisca. The home is open to the public; visitors can book house tours and stay overnight at their own discretion. Their website warns of previous reports of “dark presence” in the house along with scratched on visitors. “Do not bring weapons of any kind into the house for your own and others’ safety; there has been one documented self-inflicted stabbing. Use the buddy system, stay together, and if you find yourself overwhelmed by feelings of sadness, rage or dread, go outside and take a break,” the website states.

7. Haunting Of Queen Mary – The RMS Queen Mary (Long Beach, CA)

Historic ocean liner Queen Mary docked at a port, with a clear sky in the background

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The inspiration behind Haunting Of Queen Mary, this ocean liner has been a major tourist attraction, thanks in part to rumors of haunting. Time named it one of the most haunted places, suggesting that ghosts, including a sailor and a “lady in white,” reportedly hang out at the location. The Queen Mary also offers a “Haunted Tour” that “gives visitors a detailed overview some of the Queen Mary’s most haunted areas & paranormal hotspots.”

8. The Conjuring – The Conjuring House (Burrillville, RI)

The original Conjuring house.

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The haunted house that appeared in the first installment of The Conjuring series remains a fixture in Rhode Island. Home of the Perron Family hauntings, where they encountered paranormal activity during their stay at what was previously known as the Arnold Estate. The official website states that the home remains haunted. Currently a tourist attraction, visitors can choose to embark on house tours, investigations, and even overnight stays. 

9. 1408 – Hotel del Coronado (Coronado, CA)

The inspiration  behind 1408

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Another haunted place that Stephen King based one of his works on, the Hotel del Coronado, was once a major attraction for the stars. However, shortly after its opening, a woman named Kate Morgan checked in under a false name and five days later, she was found by a staircase, according to the hotel’s official website. Rumor has it that her ghost continues to haunt the guestroom she checked into. The Hotel del Coronado serves as the inspiration behind the movie, 1408.  Leaning into the notoriety, the Hotel del Coronado hosts haunted tours of their grounds. 

10. American Horror Story: Hotel – Cecil Hotel (Los Angeles, CA)

Cecil Hotel exterior view, a historic multi-story building with decorative architectural details and a prominent sign at the bottom

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Ironically enough, one of the spookiest places in America can be found in the City Of Angels. The Cecil Hotel became notorious for prostitution, drugs, and more and gained infamy due to numerous mysterious deaths, accidents, and unsolved murders. While currently an affordable housing complex, the L.A. Times reports that it’s currently up for sale, therefore closed to the public. However, this location inspired a number of documentaries, shows, and movies, including American Horror Story: Hotel

11. Bram Stoker’s Dracula – Bran Castle (Transylvania, Romania)

Bran Castle inspired Dracula.

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Bran Castle has become synonymous with Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Dracula’s Castle. Bran Castle and its surrounding forest, named Romania’s “Bermuda triangle” remains a hotspot for paranormal activity in the region, according to ABC News. For anyone curious enough to visit, the Bran Castle is open for tours.

12. An American Haunting – The Bell Witch Cave (Adams, TN)

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The Bell Witch Cave is considered one of America’s scariest locations, and it loosely inspired the movie An American Haunting. Located in Tennessee, the Bell Witch Cave was previously home to the Bell Family, who encountered several odd disturbances, including voices that haunted the family. Not only are they open for public visits, but they also offer paranormal investigations on the grounds. For those needing a serious spook this Halloween season, consider visiting the Bell Witch Cave. 

13. Winchester – Winchester Mystery House (San Jose, CA)

Sarah Winchester's sprawling mansion.

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According to their official website, The Winchester Mystery House, located in San Jose, California, was built by Sarah Winchester, the widow of firearm magnate William Wirt Winchester. The home inspired the movie, Winchester and remains at the center of rumors of it being haunted. Guests and employees have reportedly had brushes with ghosts and paranormal activity, which has turned the location into another hot spot for those interested in exploring haunted houses. The Winchester Mystery House offers guided mansion tours and more to real delve into the lore behind Sarah Winchester’s sprawling mansion.

14. The Changeling – Henry Treat Rogers Mansion (Denver, CO)

Large, historic white house partially obscured by dense tree branches, exuding an eerie and mysterious atmosphere

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Russell Hunter claimed that he dealt with paranormal experiences while staying at the Henry Treat Rogers Mansion in Denver. He turned these alleged encounters with ghosts into the film The Changeling, which he co-wrote. The film itself takes place in Seattle. However, the real Henry Treat Rogers Mansion appears to remain a private residence in the Cheesman Park area, though the Denver Haunted Tour does pass by the location.  

15. The Innkeepers – Yankee Pedlar Inn (Torrington, Connecticut)

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Inspiring Ti West’s movie, The Innkeepers, the Yankee Peddlar Inn has been considered one of Connecticut’s haunted places. Some believe that room 353 in the hotel is haunted by its owner, Alice Conley, who died in that room. The inn’s website doesn’t advertise the supposed hauntings and is currently open from April through October.

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