Top 10 Haunted U.S. Pools
Haunted swimming pools may seem like the stuff of lore and legend, but several eerie locations around the world have gained all-too-real reputations for paranormal activity. These haunted pools are full of chilling tales of apparitions, eerie sounds, and unexplainable phenomena, making them both fascinating and unsettling destinations for paranormal thrill-seekers.
Swimming pools are meant to provide luxury, recreation and relaxation, qualities that rejuvenate the spirits of those who lounge on the deck or take a refreshing dip. Unfortunately for some ill-fated pools and their patrons, the living are not the only ones who like to hang out by the water.
Here are 10 of the most famous and spookily haunted swimming U.S. pools:
1. The Queen Mary Pool (Long Beach, CA): The historic luxury liner-turned-hotel features an indoor swimming pool that’s no longer in use, but is said to be the most haunted spot aboard a ship that is famous for its unexplainable occurrences. For decades, guests and staff have reported seeing the ghostly apparitions of women in vintage swimsuits, wet footprints leading away from the pool, and mysterious splashes in the empty water. The pool was once a hotspot for glitz and glamour, and some believe those who enjoyed it in life continue to make the scene in death, partying in style through eternity.
2. Drury Lane Theatre Pool (Oakbrook Terrace, IL): This theater is home to an indoor swimming pool where actors and staff have reported seeing ghostly figures walking around the pool area, hearing disembodied voices, and feeling cold spots. As legend has it, a drowning incident in the pool is believed to have left behind a restless spirit, perhaps forever waiting for its moment in the spotlight.
3. Biltmore Hotel Pool (Coral Gables, FL): The historic Biltmore Hotel is renowned for its opulence, rich history – and its metaphysical mysteries. The swimming pool is said to be haunted by ghosts from the hotel’s storied past, including most notably a mobster who was brutally murdered on the property. Guests have reported hearing strange angry voices and feeling menacing unseen poolside presences, as if being watched while swimming or lounging near the pool. If the pool is, in fact, haunted by a gangster’s ghost, to avoid trouble guests are advised to “keep your mouth shut and don’t worry about it.”
4. North Tonawanda High School Pool (North Tonawanda, NY): This high school’s pool is the site of a tragically eerie tale. Students and staff have reported seeing the ghost of a little boy near the pool, as well as unexplained cold spots and feelings of being watched. It is said that a boy drowned in the pool years ago and his spirit still lingers by the water where he perished.
5. Adams Mark Hotel Pool (Buffalo, NY): Once a bustling establishment, the Adams Mark Hotel’s swimming pool has developed a decidedly spooky reputation. Guests report hearing eerie children’s laughter and splashing sounds coming from the pool when no one else is there. Some even report seeing shadowy figures at the pool’s edge. Sounds like spooky fun in the great beyond.
6. The Davenport Hotel Pool (Spokane, WA): The luxurious Davenport Hotel is known for its beautiful pool, and its eerie happenings. Hotel guests and staff have reported ghostly figures walking near the pool, sudden cold spots, and the feeling of being watched while swimming. A drowning incident involving a young boy is said to be the source of the pool’s ghostly activity.
7. Mansfield Reformatory Pool (Mansfield, OH): The Ohio State Reformatory, where the award-winning movie “The Shawshank Redemption” was filmed, is one of the most haunted locations in the U.S. The former prison’s indoor pool has been the setting for numerous strange occurrences, including whispers, footsteps, and ghost sightings. Inmates are believed to have died under mysterious circumstances in the pool area, and their spirits remain behind, forever imprisoned as uncredited extras in the great blockbuster of the netherworld.
8. The Omni Homestead Resort Pool (Hot Springs, VA): The Omni Homestead is one of the oldest resorts in the U.S., with an unsettling history of ghostly encounters. The pool area is said to be haunted by the “Lady in White,” a now-famous ghost believed to be a former guest who tragically drowned. Guests often feel cold spots near the pool or see shadowy figures. Her ghost has been seen wandering the grounds near the pool, graceful in her ever-flowing diaphanous dress.
9. The Roosevelt Hotel Pool (Hollywood, CA): This iconic hotel has been a playground for celebrities since the 1920s, and some of them never seem to have left. Most famously, the pool area is reportedly haunted by the ghost of Marilyn Monroe, who often stayed at the hotel during her years of fame and fortune. Guests and staff have reported seeing her reflection in mirrors and feeling a strange presence by the pool. Monroe’s spirit is believed to linger in several parts of the hotel, with the pool area being one of the most active. Some Hollywood legends never die, grow old, or leave.
10. Splasher’s Canyon Pool (Great Wolf Lodge, OH): Great Wolf Lodge is a popular family resort, but its indoor water park has some creepy stories. Some guests have claimed to hear strange noises, including whispers and faint screams in the water-park area. Others have reported seeing strange apparitions near the water. There’s no clear explanation for the hauntings, but the paranormal activity has left many guests unsettled and clammy. Could it be that some spirits enjoy the humidity of indoor pool environments?
In all cases of haunted pools, there is no evidence to suggest that the presence of ghosts, apparitions, disembodied spirits, or other unexplained phenomena have any effect on water balance, chlorine demand or evaporation rates. They do, however, appear to significantly increase bather unease, and a nagging sense of existential dread among service personnel and staff members.
References: https://waterscapespools.com/ten-haunted-pools-in-america/; https://cpoclass.com/paranormal-swimming-pools/; https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/the-most-haunted-places-in-america
Opening ghostly image by warat42 | Shutterstock; “Bloody Zombie Hand” by FOTOKITA | Shutterstock; and in honor of the Grateful Dead’s Phil Lesh, illustration by always_draw | Shutterstock.