Did you know that there are many places around Albany, including our campus, that are considered “haunted?”
Saint Rose Campus:
Newly pending sale, Morris Hall has been rumored to be haunted. Students that still attend the school say that Morris had an eerie feeling to it when resided in. There have been reports of very quiet but audible old fashion music playing along with the sounds of a flute playing. There have been reports of an apparition of a priest around campus including in Morris hall. A little girl is also seen to be roaming the halls of our campus along with the voice of a little girl and other unexplained voices. One student has described her room on the fourth floor in Centennial Hall as haunted. Two out of the four roommates’ televisions have frequently turned on and off on their own at random times. Many students have also experienced when taking photos in their rooms to be orb like objects appearing in random spots of the photos.
RPI West Hall:
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s West Hall was originally built as the Troy Hospital in 1869. The hospital was operated by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul. It was later sold and converted the once hospital into a Catholic high school. After 30 years, Rensselaer had taken over the building and it was renovated. There have been many alleged stories about events that occurred when West Hall was once a hospital, such as a patient being beaten to death by one of the night watchmen. Another is a nurse named Betsy; it has been reported that she would torture mentally insane patients in the basement of the hospital. There are reports that you can hear unsettling screams and cries of these patients at times. These spirits have been given the name of ‘Spirits of Rensselaer.” The Rensselaer Student Union used to sponsor a haunted historic ghost tour throughout the lower campus. RPI has a long history of hauntings, and while not everyone that has experienced the tours comes out a believer, many do.
Russell Sage:
Albany Campus has a long history of its own in connection with accusations of hauntings. The school was built in what was once the Albany Home for Children, also known as the Orphan Asylum, and local rumors claim that during construction, shallow graves were discovered. Students say the campus is haunted by orphans who died in a basement fire. Although there is not much information online, if you talk to students that reside on the Albany Campus, they will tell you there are random disembodied voices and noises still heard.
UAlbany:
Within the SUNY system, the University of Albany is considered to be one of the spookiest universities. More specifically, in Mahican Hall on Indigenous Quad, there have been reports of a young girl roaming and wandering around the hall. There have also been multiple reports of a woman appearing and disappearing in Pierce Hall on Alumni Quad. There is little to no information about these two ghosts. UA is definitely not the most chilling scary place in Albany, but how many people can say they live in a haunted dorm?
Union College:
Union College in Schenectady was founded in the 1790s. There has been an ongoing story about Alice der Veer. Alice was a 17 year old girl who lived in Schenectady and was found by her father having relations with a young suitor. Alice’s father had promised that he would kill any man that came near her, which he did. People that had lived nearby were frightened by gunshots and the commotion in the woods. Later, the townspeople had eventually burned the father at the stake, and shortly after found Alice and burned her at the stake as well near a place now called “Jackson’s Garden” on the Union campus. A large number of staff and students to this day say they have experienced unexplainable things such as a power outage on campus that had disrupted multiple conferences regarding fundraisers. Alice has always received more and more attention around Halloween. In an effort to see the ghost, students recently started setting up camp in Jackson’s Garden.
Please note: Before visiting any of the places featured in this story, you must obtain the necessary authorization. Private property should always be respected, as should all posted notices about trespassing, business hours, and other local laws.
If you are looking for some spooky activities to venture into without trespassing this fall, here’s a few!
Nightmares at Liberty Ridge Farm in Schaghticoke: There are five haunted attractions increasing in scare factor one after the other. Last admission into the farm is at 9:30 p.m. You can purchase tickets online for $29.95 or purchase them onsite for $34.95.
Schuyler Farms Haunted Corn Maze: Not only does the farm have a seven acre haunted maze every Friday and Saturday, but they also have hayrides, a pumpkin patch, paintball, a petting zoo and more! Admissions into the maze on Fridays and Saturdays is $20 per person.
Ghosts of Albany: You can venture on an hour and a half walking tour and learn all about the famous ghosts of gangsters, haunted places and folklore around State Capitol landmarks starting at the Hilton Albany Hotel. Admission is $20 for students and children and $30 for Adult admissions.
