The Haunting of McMenamins Edgefield — Former Poor Farm & Haunted Hotel

Troutdale, Multnomah County, Oregon

Photo: Wikipedia

On the shores of Sandy River, just outside Portland, Oregon, sits a sprawling historic complex known today as McMenamins Edgefield. Once the Multnomah County Poor Farm, Edgefield has stood for more than a century as a place where the burdens of life, hardship, and even death have left their mark on the land. With its long, complex history and countless reported supernatural encounters, Edgefield has become one of the Pacific Northwest’s most talked‑about haunted locations.

From Poor Farm to Entertainment Landmark

The roots of Edgefield date back to 1911, when the Multnomah County Poor Farm was established to care for the indigent, sick, elderly, and mentally ill residents of the Portland area. Entire families were sent here to live and work the 345‑acre property, producing crops and caring for livestock in exchange for room and board. At its peak, more than 600 residents called the farm home, many suffering from chronic illness or untreated conditions.

Over the following decades, the property evolved: it became a nursing home, veterans’ facility, and infirmary before falling into disrepair in the 1980s. Local preservationists convinced county officials that the historic structures needed to be saved, and in 1990 the farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places. That same year, the McMenamins brothers purchased the property and began restoring it to become the vibrant entertainment, lodging, and event venue it is today — complete with restaurants, pubs, gardens, a movie theater, golf course, wedding venues, and hotel lodging.

Why Edgefield Is Considered Haunted

The property’s long use as a poor farm and institutional residence means thousands of lives — many filled with hardship, sorrow, and even premature death — passed through its buildings. It’s perhaps no surprise that many believe the energy of those decades remains embedded in the halls and rooms of Edgefield.

Guests and staff have reported numerous eerie experiences throughout the hotel and lodge buildings, including:

Eerie Voices & Whispers: Some guests report hearing disembodied voices, cries, or whispers, especially late at night or in empty hallways. One story tells of a woman on the upper floors singing or comforting a crying child at midnight.

Unseen Touches: Visitors have described the sensation of invisible hands pushing against shoulders, backs, or chests as they walk through the corridors.

Apparitions: Some witnesses claim to see figures — such as a small child running down a hallway or a woman dressed in period clothing — that disappear when approached.

Unexplained Sounds: Footsteps, doors opening or closing on their own, and sudden cold spots have all been attributed to paranormal activity by guests and staff alike.

One particularly chilling discovery occurred during renovations when workers found animal bones arranged in a pentagram‑like pattern in one of the rooms. While there’s no definitive explanation for the bones or their arrangement, the finding contributed to Edgefield’s already eerie reputation.

Local lore also speaks of unmarked graves across the property — including those of a young mother and her child who reportedly succumbed to illness and were buried on site. Some believe their spirits still wander, drawn to the land where they spent their final days.

Edgefield Today

Today, Edgefield is both a thriving entertainment destination and a magnet for ghost enthusiasts. Guests can enjoy fine dining, listen to live music, play golf, relax in gardens, or spend the night in one of the historic buildings. Yet for many, the supernatural experiences — whether subtle or spine‑tingling — are part of what makes Edgefield so unforgettable.

Whether you chalk it up to suggestion, imagination, or something truly unexplained, there’s no denying that thousands of lives and stories are wrapped up in this Oregon landmark. And some say the spirits of Edgefield’s past are still very much present.

Address: 2126 SW Halsey Street, Troutdale, OR 97060
County: Multnomah County
Public Access: Yes — hotel, restaurants, entertainment areas open to the public
Part of: McMenamins Edgefield historic complex

The Haunting of the Seabrook‑Wilson House (The Spy House), NJ

Port Monmouth, Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey

Photo: Wikipedia

Standing on the windswept shores of Sandy Hook Bay, the Seabrook‑Wilson House — better known locally as the “Spy House” — is one of the oldest surviving homes in New Jersey and one of the most intriguing haunted locations in the Garden State. With roots reaching back to the early 1700s, this battered clapboard farmhouse carries with it centuries of American history, folklore, and ghostly legend.

History of the House

The Seabrook‑Wilson House began as a modest cabin constructed in the early 1700s and later expanded by the Seabrook family and, later, the Wilsons. Over roughly 250 years, generations of ship captains, merchants, and local leaders called this home. It remained a private residence until the early 20th century.

Port Monmouth grew up around the old homestead as salt marshes and farmland gave way to steamboat commerce and fishing piers. By the early 1900s the house was operating as an inn and boarding house before falling into disrepair. In the 1960s concerned locals worked to save it, and it later became part of the Monmouth County Park System, now preserved as a historic site within Bayshore Waterfront Park.

Legend of the “Spy House”

The nickname “Spy House” grew out of local lore rather than documented fact. In the 1960s, a caretaker promoted the idea that the home had served as a tavern during the Revolutionary War where British troops gathered — and that colonial sympathizers used the opportunity to glean military secrets from drunken soldiers. While this makes a compelling story, historians have found no evidence that the house was a tavern at that time or that it played an official espionage role.

Haunted Stories & Paranormal Sightings

Despite the murky origins of the Spy House tales, the Seabrook‑Wilson House grew a reputation for being haunted — and some of its ghost stories have become legendary in the New Jersey paranormal community.

The White Lady: One of the most enduring figures seen in or around the house is a woman dressed in white — sometimes said to be searching for a crying baby or wandering through empty rooms.

Ghostly Boy: Visitors have reported the sight of a small child peering from upstairs windows as though watching those below.

The Sea Captain: Another specter often reported is an old sailor or sea captain wandering the property or the house’s interior — a haunting perhaps tied to the property’s maritime past.

Captain Morgan: Rumors have grown over time that a British revolutionary soldier nicknamed Captain Morgan met a violent end in the basement, and that his spirit lingers there — a story reinforced through anecdotal accounts of cold spots and sudden chills deep beneath the house.

Some visitors and paranormal enthusiasts claim to have captured strange phenomena such as disembodied voices, footsteps, or unexplained feelings of being watched. However, skeptics note that many of these reports are anecdotal and difficult to verify.

Today’s Spy House

Today, the Seabrook‑Wilson House is preserved as a historic landmark within the Monmouth County Park System’s Bayshore Waterfront Park. The house is open seasonally for tours and educational programs and stands as a testament to early American architecture and coastal life.

Although local historians have refuted many of the war‑era spy tales and some ghost stories, visitors continue to be drawn to the site by both its age and its legends. For some, it’s a tangible piece of America’s colonial past; for others, it’s a place where spirits of the past might still linger.

Address: 119 Port Monmouth Road, Port Monmouth, Middletown Township, NJ 07758
County: Monmouth County
Public Access: Yes, open seasonally April through October
Operated By: Monmouth County Park System

The Haunting of the Skirvin Hotel

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma — Oklahoma County

Photo: Wikipedia

If you're ever passing through Oklahoma City, you might be tempted to spend the night in one of the city’s most luxurious historic hotels — but fair warning: you may not get much sleep. The Skirvin Hotel, now operating as the Skirvin Hilton, is known not only for its elegance and charm, but also for its long-standing reputation as one of the most haunted places in the state of Oklahoma.

Built in 1911 by oil tycoon William Balser Skirvin, the hotel was a showpiece of modern luxury in its day — complete with electric elevators, air conditioning, and lavish furnishings that attracted celebrities, politicians, and socialites. Over the years, the hotel became woven into the city’s history, hosting presidents, movie stars, and more recently, NBA players. But beneath the glamor lies a darker story.

The most famous tale surrounding the Skirvin involves a mysterious woman named Effie — a maid who allegedly had an affair with Mr. Skirvin and became pregnant with his child. According to local legend, Skirvin was so concerned about scandal that he locked Effie away on the 10th floor, either in Room 1015 or another secluded part of the hotel, where she remained throughout her pregnancy.

As the story goes, Effie eventually fell into despair and leapt to her death — taking the baby with her. Ever since, guests have reported eerie encounters that seem to trace back to her spirit. People have claimed to hear a woman’s voice, crying, phantom footsteps, and even disembodied laughter echoing through the halls of the 10th floor. Male guests, in particular, have shared experiences of being touched, whispered to, or even propositioned by an unseen presence in their rooms.

It’s important to note that while Effie’s story has become deeply embedded in the hotel’s folklore, there is no historical evidence that proves such a maid ever existed — or that the events surrounding her death actually happened. Nevertheless, the legend persists, and the Room 1015 lore has become one of Oklahoma’s most enduring ghost stories.

The Skirvin's reputation is so widespread that professional basketball players from the NBA have publicly spoken about their uneasy stays at the hotel while playing against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Over the years, multiple players have refused to sleep alone, checked out early, or lost sleep before games — blaming doors opening on their own, lights flickering, and that same persistent sensation of not being alone. The ghostly lore even made its way into sports news headlines.

Other guests have shared reports of unseen forces tugging on bed sheets, toilets flushing by themselves, and furniture moving slightly during the night. One former employee once described seeing a shadowy figure disappear around a corner, only to find no one there.

The hotel underwent major restoration in 2007 and was reopened as the Skirvin Hilton, preserving much of its historic charm. But despite the fresh paint and modern amenities, the ghost stories have never stopped — if anything, they’ve only grown stronger with time.

Whether you believe in spirits or not, one thing is certain: The Skirvin Hotel is more than just a luxurious stopover — it's a place where the past lingers, and where legends like Effie continue to stir the imagination. If you do decide to spend the night, just don’t say you weren’t warned.

Address: 1 Park Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Phone: (405) 272-3040
Public Access: Yes — currently a functioning Hilton hotel
Tours: No official ghost tours, but guests may inquire about history at front desk