Haunted Phoenix, Arizona

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The Phoenix Hotel San Carlos (202 N. Central Ave):
is known as one of Arizona’s most haunted spots, this 1928 hotel is rumored to be haunted by ghosts of former guests, including a young woman who committed suicide shortly after it opened. Here are the details:
The most famous apparition is that of Leone Jensen, a woman who jumped to her death from the rooftop in 1928, shortly after the hotel opened. She is often described as a “woman in white” appearing on the 7th floor or near the roof. Another ghost of the hotel is called the “Little Girl”. Guests and staff have reported seeing a young girl crying in rooms or hearing children laughing and running in the hallways. Reports include disembodied footsteps, cold spots, doors opening and closing on their own, and the feeling of being watched. The hotel has a long, documented history of spooky occurrences dating back to its opening. The site was previously home to the first Phoenix schoolhouse, leading some to speculate that the reported children’s ghosts are tied to that location. Despite these stories, the Hotel San Carlos embraces its haunted reputation, offering a mix of historic charm and supernatural intrigue for visitors.

Fort Huachuca (Not Phoenix, but had to add it in):
I was stationed at Fort Huachuca – Military Intelligence School in 1979. Soldiers reported hearing soldiers marching, when there were no soldiers marching. Established in 1877 by Capt. Samuel Whitside to protect against Apache attacks, Fort Huachuca in Arizona evolved from a temporary frontier camp into a critical military intelligence and technology hub. The site is renowned for hosting the Buffalo Soldiers (10th Cavalry) in the late 19th/early 20th century and currently serves as the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and a premier facility for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) training. Some soldiers have heard ghostly voices counting cadence. Fort Huachuca is not part of Phoenix, but I had to mention about the ghostly reports I heard about Fort Huachuca when I was stationed there. When I was stationed at this Fort, on my own I investigated the paranormal stories coming out of Tombstone, Old Tucson, Sedona and Superstitious Mountains. Arizona is known for its many paranormal hotspots.

The Rosson House Museum (133 S. 6th St):
When visiting you may smell cigar smoke that resonates from one of the ghosts. You may experience doors that lock by themselves. The Rosson House, originally built in 1895 for the affluent Rosson family and now a museum, has a haunting history, with reports of paranormal activity including sightings of the murdered caretaker, objects moving, and even the fireplace emitting phantom heat and lighting itself. The Rosson House was built in 1895 for the wealthy Rosson family. It was occupied by several other inhabitants before being added to the National Register of Historic Places and purchased by the City of Phoenix in 1974. The Phantom Caretaker who was murdered has frightened a few people by his appearance. Dorothy Little who has visited this museum encountered the Phantom Caretaker and he had blood running down his forehead. He was speaking, but Dorothy was unable to make out any words. This scared Dorothy so much, she has no plans to ever visit the museum again. Dorothy feels she was targeted, because she is a psychic.

Orpheum Theatre (203 W. Adams St):
The Orpheum Theatre has many ghosts. The most renowned ghost is a young girl known as “Maddie,” who allegedly resides in the balcony. She is described as a friendly but mischievous spirit who has been known to tap patrons on the shoulder or “shush” them during performances. Then there is the 2nd Story Ghost. In the old second-story office of original owner Harry Nace, visitors have reported hearing male voices calling out their names. Another ghost is the “Playful Cat”. There are reports of hearing a cat purring in areas where no animal could be present, believed to be a feline spirit from the 1920s. People get creeped out when they encounter the Orpheum Theatre Shadowy Figures. Employees have reported seeing a shadowy figure on stage, sometimes described as a former staff member.

Hermosa Inn (5532 N. Palo Cristi Rd):
The ghost of the original owner, cowboy artist Alonzo “Lon” Megargee, is said to frequent the bar and foyer.

Pioneer Living History Museum (3901 W. Pioneer Rd):
It seems that when the buildings were moved, the ghosts came with them. The museum is haunted by the ghosts of the Wild West, and many of the original buildings have their own spirits attached to them. Haunted spots in Pioneer Village include:
The Pioneer Village Saloon and Telephone Museum, Pioneer Village Community Church, Merritt Farm, Sheriff’s Office and Jail, Gordon School. Objects get moved around, cold spots felt, knockings on the walls and doors. A “smiling cowboy ghost” is sometimes seen at the Pioneer Village Saloon. Guests and staff alike have heard voices and seen apparitions all around the museum grounds. Because of all the scary stories, Pioneer Village is known as a haunted place.
Pioneer Living History Museum is a collection of 19th-century buildings where shadowy figures and strange noises are reported, particularly in the Opera House.

Jefferson Park (16th St & Jefferson St):
The Woman in White is a popular ghost at the park. According to local lore, a young woman was assaulted and murdered at the south end of the park in the early 1990s. Her spirit is said to wander the park, often seen between 11:30 PM and midnight. Visitors have reported seeing a shadowy figure moving rapidly between trees, feeling intense cold spots, and witnessing phantom children playing in the park at night. Some paranormal investigators have reported experiencing physical sensations, such as feeling pushed, hearing, high-pitched shrieks, and witnessing playground equipment (like swings) moving on their own.

St. Mary’s Basilica (231 N. 3rd St):
According to US Ghost Adventures, they said a witness found the “Basilica quite beautiful, he’ll never forget what he saw in the doorway. About twenty feet from his position, he saw two female figures dressed in plain white clothing. He says they didn’t appear like ghosts, but something about their behavior was uncanny. However, he noticed that both figures were headless. After getting a closer look, he felt the immediate need to run away. But the man says he was frozen in fear and didn’t move from that spot for over thirty minutes”. There have been other reports of people seeing full body apparitions near the Basilica.

Chandler High School (Old Main):
The Second Floor & North Wing in Old Main is known as the “hottest” spot for activity, where students, teachers, and staff have reported seeing and hearing things. Some stories specifically mention a spirit named Henry who is believed to haunt the elevator and a specific room, according to a 2025 report from the school’s own Wolf Howl newspaper. Staff and students have reported seeing a “little figure” running through the halls, hearing voices, and witnessing apparitions. The students call the little figure the Chandler Gremlin. According to the Arizona Republic, a custodian reportedly refused to clean the second-floor north wing after a particularly scary experience. The custodian saw ghostly hands coming out of one of the walls. The Auditorium/Pool Area has a ghostly presence in the school’s auditorium and pool area, as described in a YouTube video from 2009.

The Phoenix Lights:
Another paranormal event that occurred in Phoenix, was the UFO/UAP event known as the Phoenix Lights. This happened on March 13, 1997, when thousands of people across Arizona witnessed mysterious, silent, massive V-shaped or triangular, multi-light formations. The event, which occurred between 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. MST, was split into two distinct incidents—a moving formation and, later, stationary lights—leaving it as one of the most widely reported UFO incidents in U.S. history. My brother Andrew Somprise Soyo was living in Phoenix at the time. Andy said he received a phone call from his buddy. His buddy said…”Andy, step out on your balcony, your mind is about to be blown!” Andy steps outside and saw a huge triangle shaped UFO hovering over the city of Phoenix. Andy told me that “no way was that flares! That was a huge UFO!”