Top 11 Most Haunted Houses in Delaware

Step past the well-manicured facades and tranquil landscapes of the First State, for a deeper history awaits—one etched not just in brick and parchment, but in disembodied whispers and the chill of unexplained phenomena.

Beyond the official records, Delaware holds a darker collection of tales: stories of colonial tragedy, wartime upheaval, and lingering personal sorrow.

This top invites you to look at the unnerving legacies of the haunted houses in Delaware. From the Revolutionary War-era spectral pilots of the Cannonball House to the elegant yet unsettling Victorian spirits of the Rockwood Museum, each location offers a doorway into the state’s most enduring mysteries. What secrets do these structures refuse to surrender?

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Amstel House Museum, New Castle

The Amstel House Museum, dating back to the 17th century, is reputed to be paranormally active. Built by Dr. John Dinney, it has a connection to a neighboring house via an underground tunnel, where a lingering family ghost is said to inhabit both residences.

Reports suggest this spirit, possibly a Dinney family member, frequents the third floor of the home. The alleged activity includes opening and closing windows and moving objects.

Visitors have reported seeing the back of a woman walking from the dining room into the parlor and capturing evidence of a young girl looking through a garden window. Orbs have also been photographed on the third floor.

Bellevue Hall, Wilmington

Bellevue Hall, a Colonial-Revival mansion, is a historically significant property and part of Bellevue State Park. The structure is better known as the home of the du Pont family from 1893 to 1965.

Despite its use as a popular public venue today, the second and third floors are reportedly the center of haunting activity and are generally closed to the public.

Staff and witnesses claim to have experienced ghostly phenomena, including electrical disturbances, chair movements, and hearing disembodied screams and laughter emanating from the upper floors.

Cannonball House, Lewes

The Cannonball House dates to the mid-18th century. It is recognized for surviving the British Bombardment of Lewes during the War of 1812, with an actual cannonball still lodged in its side.

Now a Maritime Museum, the historic home is considered to be highly haunted. Reported phenomena include footsteps and screams. Some tales suggest the screams relate to the death of a female resident in the home’s early years.

Visitors have also recounted experiencing pockets of ice-cold air—known as cold spots—in the upstairs bedroom, suggesting the presence of a non-corporeal entity.

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Dutch House, New Castle

The Dutch House, contrary to its name, reflects English building traditions and is among Delaware’s oldest houses, dating between 1690 and 1710.

While search results do not detail specific ghost accounts for the Dutch House, its age and location in historic New Castle contribute to general colonial ghost lore in the area, suggesting apparitions in period clothing and cold spots are observed there.

The history of the home, which includes serving as an ordinary (tavern), hints at many potential former residents whose spirits might linger.

Gumboro Homestead, Gumboro

The Old Gumboro Homestead is known in the region for its haunted reputation. Alleged paranormal events focus on both auditory and visual manifestations.

Witnesses have reported hearing heavy breathing and disembodied footsteps inside the house. Spectral figures have been seen moving across the yard outside the structure.

A distinct and unusual auditory phenomenon is the sound of harmonica music heard late at night or in the early hours of the morning. The spirits are believed to be those of a younger, friendlier child and an older, solitary ghost.

John Dickinson Plantation (Poplar Hall), Dover

The John Dickinson Plantation was the country home of Founding Father John Dickinson. The site, which includes the stories of enslaved and free Black people, indentured servants, and tenant farmers, is a location of historical significance.

While specific haunting reports of John Dickinson writing or fire victims screaming were not found in the search results, historical sites of this nature often accumulate tales of residual energy and the ghosts of former residents. The plantation is associated with multiple reports of various apparitions stemming from the people who lived, labored, and died on the property.

Laurel Junction Farmhouse, Laurel

Specific, verifiable details on the haunted history of a “Laurel Junction Farmhouse” could not be located in the search results provided. However, the listed paranormal activity—lights and appliances turning on and off, furniture moving, and eerie noises—are classic signs of poltergeist activity.

The note suggests the hauntings are connected to the death of a boy in the early 1900s. Without further specific historical context, the nature of these alleged hauntings remains anecdotal, based on the noted spontaneous activation of electrical items and psychokinesis-like movement of objects.

Rockford Mansion, Wilmington

The Rockford Mansion is noted in general discussions of haunted locations in Delaware, alongside other sites like Rockwood Museum. Although specific historical accounts for a ‘Rockford Mansion’ were not detailed in the search results, the alleged haunting points toward Victorian-era spirits.

The phenomena associated with it often include the manifestation of residual or intelligent energy in the form of hearing piano music and the sighting of a white lady apparition, consistent with the romanticized ghost stories of the Victorian period.

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Rockwood Mansion, Wilmington

Rockwood Mansion, built between 1851 and 1854, was the retirement home of Joseph Shipley, a wealthy merchant banker from England. Designed in the Rural Gothic style, the mansion has been featured on paranormal investigation television programs, including My Ghost Story and Ghost Hunters.

The alleged activity centers on multiple ghosts, including a woman in black. Other phenomena include the movement of objects and the capture of Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVPs), indicating a high level of claimed intelligent and residual haunting.

Ryves Holt House, Lewes

The Ryves Holt House, dating to around 1686, holds the distinction of being Delaware’s oldest building on its original foundation. Originally a Quaker home and tavern, it later belonged to Ryves Holt, the first Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court.

While the search provided historical context, specific haunting tales were not detailed. However, the alleged haunting activity is a common feature of very old structures, involving the feeling of footsteps and a general sense of presence felt after dark—possibly residual energy or the ghost of an early owner.

Woodburn (Governor’s Mansion), Dover

Woodburn, the Delaware Governor’s Mansion, has been reported to be haunted since around 1815, about 25 years after its construction. The most famous ghost is that of its builder, Charles Hillyard III, who is often described as wearing a powdered wig, knee britches, and a ruffled shirt.

Allegedly, if a glass of wine is left downstairs, it may be found empty in the morning, suggesting the spirit enjoys a strong drink. Other reports include a small girl playing in the garden and the alleged screaming of a slave raider who died there by hanging.