New York City’s Central Park is not only the most famous park in New York, it’s also likely the most famous park in the world. The park’s natural beauty in the middle of a busy city, incredible history, and many amenities all draw in visitors from all over the globe. Central Park is filled with history. In its 150 years of existence, it has seen many landmark events in people’s lives: proposals, weddings, even births. But it’s also allegedly seen people’s afterlives as well. You may not know it, but Central Park is considered to be one of the most haunted places in New York.
Central Park is one of the most famous landmarks in New York. It’s typically packed with people, walking, chatting, playing sports, watching outdoor concerts, and just generally living their lives.
Pamela Drew/Flickr It’s certainly nothing like what you’d typically picture when you think of haunted places in NYC.
But there are allegedly quite a few spirits that call the park home! It perhaps comes as no surprise, since there have been a number of murders in the park.
Christopher Porter/Flickr The very first murder in Central Park occurred in 1870, the year of the park’s completion. A man was stabbed in a case of mistaken identity.
If you’re enjoying a wintertime ice skate across Central Park Pond, you just may find yourself colliding with two sisters from the 1800s.
Young Sok Yun 윤영석/Flickr Janet and Rosetta Van Der Voort were two spinsters who both passed away in 1880. When they were young, their father was extremely overprotective and would not let them leave the house. The Van Der Voort family lived just beside Central Park, and one of the few places the children were allowed to go was to the pond for ice skating. It is said that the pond was a symbol of freedom for them throughout their life and that their ghosts can still be seen skating on the pond.
One of the most infamous places in New York is The Dakota, an apartment building which overlooks Central Park. The Gothic-style building looks pretty creepy, and there are plenty of rumors of it being haunted.
Antonio Campoy/Flickr Beatle John Lennon was shot in The Dakota’s archway in 1980. The building was also used in the filming of “Rosemary’s Baby,” a horror flick in which it is discovered that the titular baby was fathered by Satan.
Central Park was once home to the “Suicide Cave” (officially known as Ramble Cave). The cave was a popular spot for misbehaving teenagers, and was also the site of several suicides. It was finally bricked over in the 1930s.
NilsPix/Flickr
From the murders to the suicides to the ghosts, there are plenty of creepy stories about Central Park. This may be one of the busiest places in the state, but it’s also among the most haunted places in New York.
Rodrigo_Correa/Flickr
Were you familiar with all these creepy stories about Central Park? Share more ghost stories from New York in the comments!
New York City’s Central Park is not only the most famous park in New York, it’s also likely the most famous park in the world. The park’s natural beauty in the middle of a busy city, incredible history, and many amenities all draw in visitors from all over the globe. Central Park is filled with history. In its 150 years of existence, it has seen many landmark events in people’s lives: proposals, weddings, even births. But it’s also allegedly seen people’s afterlives as well. You may not know it, but Central Park is considered to be one of the most haunted places in New York.
New York City’s Central Park is not only the most famous park in New York, it’s also likely the most famous park in the world. The park’s natural beauty in the middle of a busy city, incredible history, and many amenities all draw in visitors from all over the globe. Central Park is filled with history. In its 150 years of existence, it has seen many landmark events in people’s lives: proposals, weddings, even births. But it’s also allegedly seen people’s afterlives as well. You may not know it, but Central Park is considered to be one of the most haunted places in New York.
Pamela Drew/Flickr
It’s certainly nothing like what you’d typically picture when you think of haunted places in NYC.
Christopher Porter/Flickr
The very first murder in Central Park occurred in 1870, the year of the park’s completion. A man was stabbed in a case of mistaken identity.
Young Sok Yun 윤영석/Flickr
Janet and Rosetta Van Der Voort were two spinsters who both passed away in 1880. When they were young, their father was extremely overprotective and would not let them leave the house. The Van Der Voort family lived just beside Central Park, and one of the few places the children were allowed to go was to the pond for ice skating. It is said that the pond was a symbol of freedom for them throughout their life and that their ghosts can still be seen skating on the pond.
Antonio Campoy/Flickr
Beatle John Lennon was shot in The Dakota’s archway in 1980. The building was also used in the filming of “Rosemary’s Baby,” a horror flick in which it is discovered that the titular baby was fathered by Satan.
NilsPix/Flickr
Rodrigo_Correa/Flickr
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