As the leaves change and the weather gets cooler, it becomes the perfect time to explore all things that go bump in the night. If you’re looking to celebrate the spookiest season or just test your bravery, we’ve rounded up a few of Duluth’s most allegedly haunted locations. Believer or not, read on – if you dare!
Each year for the month of October, the William A. Irving transforms itself into a haunted ship where guests can take a self-guided tour and be met with screams and scares. However, the haunting supposedly doesn’t stop after Halloween. There have been numerous reports of paranormal activity aboard the ship. It’s believed that the spirits of the sailors who once sailed aboard the Irvin never really left. One spirit in particular is thought to be William Wuori, the only sailor to have died aboard. Reports include unexplained shadows, the sound of footsteps when no one is around, objects being thrown and audio recordings of voices when no one was in the room. You can check out some of the paranormal investigations that have taken place there on the Duluth Haunted Ship website.
With nearly 130 years of history, The St. Louis County Depot has a number of ghost stories to share. At the height of its operation, The Depot served seven major train lines and thousands of passengers, and now serves as a multi-use cultural space. The ghost sightings, however, span across all uses of the space. Visitors have recorded video of hazy silhouettes and orbs vanishing into thin air. A frequent sighting is that of a little girl dressed in all-white. There is even photographic evidence of her – she was spotted in the background of a wedding photo. How did she catch the attention of the bride? There were no children at the wedding. (Living ones, at least.)
Take a haunted history tour in October and learn about these stories for yourself.
Enger Tower is a five-story stone observation tower in Enger Park, which rests above Duluth’s West End on a site that used to be known as Grand Mountain. While the park is mostly known for its beauty, hiking trails and birding spots, it can boast one more notable thing – a ghost. Visitors to the park have reported seeing a man on the fifth level of the tower – however, when they reach the top, the man is gone.
The Duluth Public Library may be for more than just checking out books – you may get to check out a ghost or two as well! Over the years, staff have reported a few strange incidents, including papers strewn about the floor not long after they’ve cleaned up and books falling off of shelves. There have even been reports of apparitions of a man and woman seen throughout the library. The Duluth Paranormal Society will be hosting an event here in October if you’d like to learn more.
Note: before exploring, please be sure to visit their website to learn more about hours and availability. If you’d like to dive deeper, be sure to check out a Duluth Ghost Tour with City of Dark Angels Tours or check out some of the investigations done by the Duluth Paranormal Society.