A Guide to Haunted New Year's Eve Traditions

A Spirited Start: A Guide to Haunted New Year's Eve Traditions

St. Paul, Minnesota: A Gangster's Last Party

In the Roaring Twenties, St. Paul was a city with a secret. It was a notorious haven for gangsters, thanks to an unofficial "layover policy" with the city's police chief. As long as they kept their business outside the city limits, mobsters like John Dillinger and the Barker-Karpis gang were free to hide out and spend their ill-gotten gains.

The Wabasha Street Caves, a former silica mine carved into the bluffs of the Mississippi River, became a glamorous speakeasy known as the Castle Royal. It was a place of illicit booze, jazz music, and lavish New Year's Eve parties where gangsters and socialites rubbed elbows. It is said that the ghosts of these parties still linger. As the Wabasha Street Caves' own history notes, visitors report hearing the phantom clinking of glasses, the faint strains of a jazz band, and the apparitions of men in pinstripe suits and women in flapper dresses, forever celebrating a New Year's Eve from a bygone era. The most famous story is of a gangster shot and killed in the caves, his spirit now haunting the back rooms, forever searching for his killer. These tales of the city's gangster past are a cornerstone of St. Paul's haunted history, an era of speakeasies and spectral celebrations.

Hollywood, California: A New Year's Toast with Marilyn Monroe

New Year's Eve in Hollywood is a time of legendary parties and celebrity glamour. But at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the guest list includes some stars who checked in but never truly checked out. The hotel, which hosted the first-ever Academy Awards, is a hotbed of paranormal activity, and New Year's Eve is when the spirits are said to be most active.

The ghost of Marilyn Monroe is famously seen in the reflection of a full-length mirror that once hung in her favorite suite. On New Year's Eve, when the hotel is filled with the energy of celebration, her playful spirit is said to be at its strongest. Guests have reported feeling a sudden chill, smelling the faint scent of her perfume, and even seeing her reflection in the mirror, as if she's getting ready for a party she'll never attend.

Another famous ghost is that of actor Montgomery Clift, who haunts the ninth floor. He lived in Room 928 for three months while filming From Here to Eternity. Guests and staff report hearing him practicing his trumpet, pacing the hallways, and even feeling his presence in the room. On New Year's Eve, his lonely and restless spirit is a stark contrast to the celebrations happening just a few floors below, a story captured in a Vanity Fair article about the hotel's hauntings. These stories are a highlight of Hollywood's paranormal lore, where the glamour of the past meets its ghostly reality.

San Juan, Puerto Rico: The Ghosts of Three Kings Day

In Puerto Rico, the holiday season extends to El Día de los Reyes, or Three Kings Day, on January 6th. This is a time of vibrant festivals and ancient traditions, and it's also when the island's colonial spirits are said to be most active.

El Morro, the 16th-century Spanish fort that guards San Juan Bay, is a place of immense historical and spiritual power. The ghosts of Spanish soldiers are said to still patrol its ramparts, forever watching for enemy ships. During the festive season of Three Kings Day, the contrast with the fort's somber history is particularly stark. According to the National Park Service, visitors have reported hearing phantom cannon fire and seeing the apparitions of soldiers in colonial uniforms.

The streets of Old San Juan are also filled with holiday spirits. The city's blue cobblestones are said to hold the memories of centuries of history. The ghost of a young woman who died after falling from a balcony is said to haunt Calle del Cristo, and the spirit of a priest who was killed during a revolt is seen in the Plaza de Armas. The city's rich history and haunted folklore offer a unique way to experience the magic and mystery of a Puerto Rican holiday.

Chicago, Illinois: The Water Tower's Winter Spirits

While the Iroquois Theatre Fire is Chicago's most famous holiday tragedy, the city has other winter spirits. The Chicago Water Tower, one of the few buildings to survive the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, is a beautiful limestone landmark on Michigan Avenue. But it's also home to several ghosts.

The most famous ghost is that of an unknown man who was operating the water pumps during the Great Chicago Fire. As the flames engulfed the city, he realized his efforts were futile. Rather than face the fire, he climbed to the top of the tower and hanged himself. His ghost is said to haunt the upper levels of the tower, and as recounted by Windy City Ghosts, his shadowy figure has been seen in the windows by countless passersby.

Two other tragic deaths are associated with the tower. In 1875, Frederick Kaiser, a young German bookkeeper suffering from depression, jumped to his death from the top of the tower. Six years later, Hugo Von Malapert, another German immigrant facing financial ruin, also jumped from the tower. Both men are said to haunt the tower, their spirits forever trapped in the place of their tragic ends. The stories of the Water Tower, a key landmark in Chicago's haunted history, serve as a chilling reminder that some spirits are forever tied to the places of their greatest despair.

New Orleans, Louisiana: Voodoo and New Year's Rituals

New Orleans is a city where the veil between the living and the dead is always thin, but during the New Year's season, it becomes almost transparent. New Year's Eve in New Orleans is not just a time for parties; it's also a time for spiritual rituals and offerings to the spirits.

Marie Laveau, the legendary Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, is said to be particularly active during the New Year's season. Her tomb in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is a pilgrimage site for those seeking her blessing or her curse. On New Year's Eve, when the city is filled with the energy of celebration and transition, her spirit is said to be at its most powerful.

The LaLaurie Mansion on Royal Street is another site of intense paranormal activity. The mansion was the site of horrific torture and murder in the 1830s. The spirits of Delphine LaLaurie's victims are said to haunt the mansion, and their cries can be heard on quiet nights. The city's voodoo traditions and most famous hauntings, including the LaLaurie Mansion and the tomb of Marie Laveau, are central to its paranormal identity.

St. Thomas, Virgin Islands: Colonial Spirits and Pirate Ghosts

For those seeking a tropical New Year's celebration with a ghostly twist, St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands offers a unique blend of Caribbean beauty and colonial horror. Fort Christian, the oldest standing structure in the Virgin Islands, is a place of immense historical and spiritual power.

The dungeons of Fort Christian are said to be haunted by the spirits of prisoners who died in its dark, damp cells. As noted by the U.S. Virgin Islands tourism board, visitors report hearing the sound of chains rattling and seeing shadowy figures in the dungeons.

Blackbeard's Castle, another historic site on St. Thomas, is also said to be haunted. The tower is rumored to have been a lookout point for the infamous pirate Blackbeard. Visitors report seeing the apparition of a headless man and hearing the sound of footsteps on the stone stairs. The haunted dungeons of Fort Christian provide a chilling look into the island's dark colonial past.

Alaska: Ghosts of the Frozen North

For those who truly want to embrace the cold and dark of winter, Alaska offers a New Year's experience unlike any other. The state's history of gold rush dreams, isolation, and tragedy has left behind a legacy of ghost stories.

In Juneau, the Alaskan Hotel, built in 1913, is said to be haunted by the Lady in Red, the spirit of a woman who worked in the hotel during the gold rush era. Guests report seeing her apparition in a red dress and hearing her footsteps in the hallways. The Red Dog Saloon, another historic Juneau landmark, is also said to be haunted by the ghosts of gold rush miners. The tales of the city's gold rush ghosts and other local legends are a key part of Juneau's haunted folklore.

Why We See Ghosts on New Year's Eve

This New Year's, resolve to do something different. Instead of another crowded bar or another boring party, why not spend your evening with the spirits of the past? The stories are out there, woven into the fabric of these historic cities.

At American Ghost Walks, we're passionate about history and the paranormal. We believe that the truth is far more terrifying than any fiction. Whether you're in a snowy city like Chicago or a tropical paradise like St. Thomas, the ghosts of New Year's Eve are waiting.

Here's to a spooky and spirited New Year!

Boston, Massachusetts: A Revolutionary New Year

Boston, a city where the echoes of the American Revolution still ring through the cobblestone streets, has a particularly charged atmosphere on New Year's Eve. The city's historic cemeteries, like the Granary Burying Ground, are the final resting places of patriots like Paul Revere and Samuel Adams. On the cold, quiet nights of winter, their spirits are said to be most active.

Visitors to the Granary Burying Ground have reported seeing shadowy figures moving among the ancient headstones, and hearing the faint sound of voices engaged in hushed, urgent conversation. Some believe these are the ghosts of the Sons of Liberty, forever plotting their rebellion against the British Crown. On New Year's Eve, as the city celebrates its freedom, the spirits of those who fought for it are said to join in, their spectral forms a reminder of the sacrifices made for the birth of a nation.

San Francisco, California: The Lady of the Lake

San Francisco's Stow Lake, in the heart of Golden Gate Park, is a beautiful and serene spot, but it holds a dark secret. It is said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman who lost her child in the lake over a century ago. She is known as the "Lady of the Lake," and her tragic story is a staple of San Francisco folklore.

According to legend, the woman was walking with her baby in a stroller when she stopped to talk to a friend. When she turned back, the stroller was gone. She searched frantically for her child, but the baby was never found. Heartbroken, she drowned herself in the lake. Her spirit is said to haunt the lake to this day, forever searching for her lost child. On New Year's Eve, when the park is quiet and the fog rolls in from the bay, her mournful cries are said to be heard echoing across the water.

Seattle, Washington: The Hotel Sorrento's Spectral Muse

The Hotel Sorrento, one of Seattle's oldest and most elegant hotels, is also one of its most haunted. The hotel is said to be haunted by the ghost of Alice B. Toklas, the companion of writer Gertrude Stein. Toklas was a frequent guest at the hotel, and her spirit is said to have returned to the place she loved.

She is a creative and mischievous spirit, and she is often seen in the hotel's bar and restaurant. Guests and staff have reported seeing her apparition in a flowing white gown, hearing the sound of her laughter, and feeling her playful presence. She is particularly active during the New Year's season, when the hotel is filled with the energy of celebration and creativity. She is a beloved figure in the hotel's history, a spectral muse who continues to inspire and entertain its guests.