Eastern State Penitentiary

One of America's most notorious prisons and considered the most haunted site in Pennsylvania. Originally opened in 1829 as a model of solitary confinement and reform, it housed infamous criminals including Al Capone. The castle-like structure closed in 1971 after 142 years of operation.

Eastern State Penitentiary opened in Philadelphia in 1829 as the world's first true penitentiary, designed by Quakers who believed solitary confinement would lead to spiritual reform. For nearly 142 years, prisoners endured complete isolation in individual cells with skylights called "the Eye of God." The prison housed notorious criminals including Al Capone, bank robber Willie Sutton, and hundreds of others who faced punishments including the "water bath" (dunked then hung outside in winter until ice formed), the "mad chair" (bound so tightly circulation was cut off), and the "iron gag" (an iron collar causing the tongue to tear and bleed).

Al Capone spent eight months here in 1929-1930 for carrying a concealed weapon. Despite enjoying luxurious accommodations with Oriental rugs, fine furniture, and a radio for listening to waltzes, Capone claimed to be tormented by the ghost of James Clark, one of his St. Valentine's Day Massacre victims. Other prisoners reported hearing Capone screaming at night, begging "Jimmy" to leave him alone. He even hired a psychic to remove the spirit, but it didn't work—his bodyguards repeatedly rushed to his cell expecting an attack, only to find Capone alone and terrified.

Cellblock 12 is the most actively haunted area, where visitors report cackling laughter, disembodied voices, and shadowy figures moving along walls. Ghost Hunters captured footage of an apparition walking through the cellblock. Cellblock 6 features shadow figures sliding quickly across walls and inside cells. In Cellblock 4, witnesses see tormented ghostly faces appearing in and around the cells.

"The Soap Lady" is a female apparition spotted so frequently that staff named her—she sits in the last cell on the second floor of the former women's cellblock wearing white. The ghost of therapy dog Pep (inmate #C-2559, complete with mugshot) is heard through jangling dog tags and howls echoing through corridors. Guests have spotted a man standing in a guard tower, though the brick stairs crumbled away years ago making physical access impossible.

The decaying Gothic castle is featured on Ghost Adventures, Ghost Hunters, MTV's Fear, and BuzzFeed Unsolved. Today it operates as a museum and hosts America's largest haunted house attraction each October.