Haunted Hamptons, anyone?
Haunted houses with performances worthy of an Oscar are a dime a dozen come spooky season. But Hamptons locals and guests alike need not enter one of those. While the area’s fall foliage may make every route a scenic one by day, be careful of what might be lurking around the Hamptons’ famously winding roads. The Montauk Lighthouse that’s the subject of tons of coffee table books and Instagram snaps? Haunted by a girl who whispers at night — at least according to a story that rivals the Goosebumps books. Another little girl reportedly haunts the iconic Mill Hill Windmill.
Are these tales tall or true? That’s up to you to decide — if you dare.
Whether you think spooky folklore is just for fun or buy into all things paranormal, nothing screams “Halloween” like these eight Hamptons ghost stories that will leave your spine tingling.
Montauk Point Lighthouse
Montauk Point Lighthouse is still a beacon for boats. Today, the museum even has a tribute to those who didn’t make it home. But one person who tragically drowned has — as legend would have it — decided to call the lighthouse home for good. Stand in the tower at night and you’ll reportedly hear the voice of the ghost of Abigail Olsen, who died in an 1811 shipwreck.
Camp Hero, Montauk
Camp Hero’s sprawling 754-acre grounds, which include beach and picnic areas, and past life as a military base make it a popular place for families, hikers and history buffs. Its notoriety made it the inspiration for Stranger Things and a haunted Hamptons hotspot. Camp Hero is said to be haunted by numerous souls — human and otherwise. Notably, the Montauketts ambushed by another tribe in the 1600s, and Rough Riders, who died of yellow fever after the Spanish-American War, all apparently haven’t left. It’s also claimed that the camp served as the grounds for a military experiment known as “The Montauk Project,” which involved kidnapping two boys to try to interact with a fourth dimension. Per folklore, the boy captured a creature who still lurks underground at Camp Hero.
Roger’s Mansion
Today, Roger’s Mansion serves as the Southampton Historical Museum headquarters. But the National Register of Historic Places once belonged to Captain Albert Rogers, a well-regarded whaling captain who sailed in Sag Harbor. One of his two wives, Mary or Cordelia (sisters — yeah, we’re judging, too), is believed to haunt the house. People claim they’ve seen a female ghost and heard loud footsteps without seeing anyone at all.
Roger’s Mansion embraces its haunted house status, with an annual ghost hunting event with the Long Island Paranormal Investigators.
Mill Hill Windmill
There’s been some controversy about this windmill over the years. Should it stay on Stony Brook University’s Southampton campus or return to its first home on Wind Mill Lane? The real question: If it does go back to Wind Mill Lane, will the ghost of Beatrice Clafin go with it? Beatrice once played in the windmill but sadly, fell down the steps, broke her neck and passed away. Today, she supposedly haunts it. Onlookers have peeped a little girl peering out the windows.
Sag Harbor
All the news that’s fit to print? A reference to a six-foot-tall “armed ghost” in Sag Harbor was made in a December 1985 edition of the New York Times. Apparently, numerous young men saw it while returning home well after sunset. “The apparition usually jumps up from behind a bush and is described as wearing a high hat and carrying an army musket,” the story goes in the Times.
30 Egypt Lane, East Hampton
This home once belonged to actress Renée Zellweger, who sold it in 2014. Could some paranormal activity be to blame? A previous owner, John Mascheroni, told the New York Post in 2023 that he thought the home was haunted by another former (current?) resident, Lillian Worthington. “She loves to play tricks,” Mascheroni said in an interview with the Post. Mascheroni went on to say that he first sensed her when he was reading in bed.
Thomas Halsey Homestead, Southampton
Southampton’s oldest house has a haunted history. Built in 1648 for Thomas and Elizabeth Wheeler Halsey, this home is the oldest one left in Southampton. It’s also haunted — supposedly. The legend goes that Elizabeth was murdered here and still roams the grounds. People have claimed to hear voices, reportedly Elizabeth’s.
Grey Gardens, East Hampton
Grey Gardens is one of Long Island’s most notorious homes for paranormal hijinx. It’s believed at least two ghosts haunt the place. The first, horticulturist Anna Gilman Hill, went all out trying to make the grounds gorgeous. She returned to haunt a mother-daughter duo, Big and Little Edie. The other, which people say they’ve heard in Little Edie’s bedroom, is believed to be a man with boots made for stomping. He’s said to be the younger Edie’s flame. Over the years, guests have refused to sleep in the room, saying they’re too spooked.
Old Post House, Southampton
Another Southampton fixture, Old Post House, was initially purchased in 1684, but the Post family moved there in 1824 and turned it into a boarding house. The White family took ownership of the property when one of the Posts, Sarah Elizabeth, wed Captain Hubert White. Guests swear they’ve heard loud noises, and apparently, ghosts have undead dance parties there.
