In 2023’s Ghost Rider #11 by Benjamin Percy and Dave Wachter, the mysterious and sensitive Talia Warlord tells Johnny Blaze that Savannah, Georgia is known as “America’s Most Haunted City.” It is explained that it is being carried out. We asked paranormal investigator John Michael if that’s true and what makes people think so.
Walking down the cobblestone streets of the savannah at night makes you feel like you’re not alone. Shadows stretch beneath moss-covered oak trees in front of centuries-old buildings, and it seems like there’s a ghost story around every corner.
We’ve all heard the story in the news, on social media, and even through long-standing traditions and stories. We all know that Savannah, Georgia is the most haunted city in America. But wait, isn’t this Gettysburg? Wait a minute… Apparently New Orleans is also on the list of most haunted places. But what does it mean to be the most haunted city, and why Savannah?
marvel comics
Savannah has a rich but dark history. The city experienced bloody battles in both the American Revolutionary War and the Civil War, and has a relatively quaint feel compared to other cities here in the United States. Savannah was one of the main ports for receiving slaves from Africa, but it was nearly burned down (twice!) when yellow fever struck the population. Many locations in the city are claimed to have paranormal activity, including the Sorrel Weed House, Colonial Park Cemetery, and Moon River Brewing Company, and these allegedly haunted locations are linked to dark events from the past. often.
So, what does it mean to be a haunted place? Of course, since the existence of ghosts has not been scientifically proven, there is no concrete definition. Assuming that a ghost is the remains of a dead person, their “energy,” or some kind of imprint, a haunted location means that the ghost is somehow “tied” to that location. Is it? Ghosts, sometimes living for hundreds of years, who should be able to understand 21st century tools and communicate with us, are somehow trapped by boundaries drawn by random land surveyors. Why?
So how is “most haunted” calculated? Is it the number of ghosts in a city? How many ghosts per person? How many ghosts per square mile? How often do ghosts need to appear to be counted in a ghost census? If someone has a strange feeling, is it paranormal? Does it count as a claim of a phenomenon? What about legends? Do we count the suburbs as well?
How to quantify “most haunted” is up for debate, but one thing is certain: Savannah benefits from having this reputation. Stroll through the historic district and you’ll find plenty of ghost tours, haunted pubs, spooky B&Bs, and shops selling all kinds of paranormal trinkets. Savannah will bring in $4.4 billion in tourism revenue in 2022, accounting for 18.11% of Georgia’s total tourism revenue. Although hard numbers are not readily available, it is clear that the ghost industry represents a significant portion of the tourism pie. When money is at stake, it’s hard not to question the veracity of these stories.
At least it’s not that bad! (Marvel Comics)
I often have conversations with paranormal believers, and even other skeptics, and they ask, “What’s the harm in believing in ghosts if it doesn’t hurt anyone?” First, I think the truth is important. Many ghost tours, like Savannah, often reduce the tragic stories to well-worn metaphors and strip the participants of their humanity.
In Sorrel Weed House, for example, the story of Matilda and Molly is spun into a dramatic ghost story, with little attention paid to the power relations or realities of their lives. While Matilda’s alleged suicide and Molly’s untimely death are sensationalized, the complexity of their experiences, especially Molly’s as an enslaved woman, is lost in the narrative. Neither woman had the chance to tell their stories, and today their voices remain hidden in the shadows of legend, often incorporated into ghost tours that depict humans as nothing more than melodrama characters.
So is Savannah the most haunted city in America? I don’t know. I don’t even understand the meaning of the question. What I do know is that Savannah’s history is long, dark, and compelling, perhaps enough to make it feel haunted. But still, we should not confuse folklore with reality and remember that behind the stories of Savannah ghost stories there were real people, often with tragic endings. Perhaps we should think twice before reducing their experiences to mere entertaining anecdotes.
AIPT Science is co-hosted by AIPT and New York City Skeptics.
