By now you probably know about plenty of amazing haunted places in New York that will truly put your bravery to the test. But there’s a house that sits right on the Hudson River in the small village of Nyack that actually has legal proof that it’s haunted. Yes, you read that right! Thanks to the “Ghostbusters Ruling”, this home has been declared legally haunted by the state. You won’t believe the story behind this legally haunted house in New York.

Not far from many other areas in the Hudson Valley region that are known for being haunted, the story behind this house is one that will make you curious.
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The house itself was built sometime around 1900, and it was used throughout the years as both a boarding house and a family residence. In the early 1960s, a woman by the name of Helen Ackley moved into the house with her family, not realizing what terrifying trouble was awaiting them inside the home.
It wasn't until after the Ackleys moved in that their neighbors would warn them of the house being haunted.
Kraetzsche/Flickr
Once the Ackley family moved into the home on the dead end street in Nyack, a series of chilling events began to take place. Helen began to tell neighbors of the unusual events that were occurring in the house, many of whom never believed her accusations. It wasn't until years later when a young and perfectly healthy house guest came over to the Ackley's home for dinner that people in the area began to question what was really going on in the house. The guest came over to the house, collapsed to the floor and died immediately of a brain aneurysm.

The most common thing to happen in the house? The supposed spirits that haunted the residence had a habit of waking everyone up in the morning by violently shaking their beds. While it may sound like the most unpleasant way possible to be woken from your slumber, the family eventually learned to live with spirits haunting their home.

One night Helen reportedly announced before everyone went to bed that there was no school the following morning, asking the spirits to not wake everyone up. The following morning the Ackley family woke up on their own for a change, only convincing them even further that the house was truly haunted.

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Over the roughly thirty years that the Ackley family lived in the haunted home, Helen would share her stories with local publications and even Reader's Digest back in 1977.
olavXO/Flickr
Titled "Our Haunted House On The Hudson", Helen's article to Reader's Digest claimed that while she was painting in the living room a spirit stayed in the room with her. Helen said that the spirit was a man who was rocking back and forth in mid-air, approving of the changes that she and the Ackley family were making to the home.

According to the family, they believed that there were either two or three spirits that shared the home with them. The spirits were said to be from the era of the American Revolutionary War, leaving random gifts for the children randomly throughout the house, slamming doors, and making their presence known through the sound of their footsteps.
When it came time to sell the house the Ackley family chose to not mention the hauntings, a decision they would later regret.
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After finding a buyer to purchase the haunted home, the Ackley family soon found themselves in hot water. Not from the nearby area, a couple put a down-payment on the home in hopes of purchasing it. After the deposit was made, the Stambovskys saw that the home was included on a list for one of the local ghost tours, causing them to no longer want the home as their own.

Known formally as Stombovsky v. Ackley, the unusual court case is now more commonly referred to as the Ghostbusters ruling. The Stombovskys argued that it was their right to back out on the offer for the house, never being made aware of the chilling history that surrounded it. In the first case held, the judge ruled that the Ackley family was not at fault for not making the home's haunted history known to the buyers. The Stombovskys ended up appealing the first ruling, going on to win the second trial. During the second trail the judge even went as far as to quote the Ghostbusters movie asking "Who ya gonna call?" when you discover that your house is filled with paranormal activity. It doesn't quite get any more strange than this.

Today, the Ghostbusters ruling is a case that is frequently taught in law classes and brought up during other court cases because of how bizarre the entire situation was. Never before in the history of New York has our state declared a house to be haunted.

*** NOTE: Only In Your State does NOT encourage venturing to this house. Respect the current owner’s privacy by admiring it only from your screen.

This home is one of the most haunted houses in New York. Did you know about this chilling court case?

If you’re looking for more creepy destinations in New York, you’re in luck. There are plenty of out-of-the-ordinary places that remain hiding in plain sight. Out in Syracuse, you can even find an upside-down traffic light!

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More to Explore

Haunted New York

Elisa Regulski | December 17, 2019

What are the most haunted places in New York?

There are several haunted places in New York, such as

  • Fort Ontario in Oswego. This historic property has been burned down three times, and some say the spirits from the past never wanted to leave.
  • Landmark Theatre in Syracuse. A ghost named Clarissa is rumored to haunt the balcony.

 

What is the scariest ghost story in New York?

  • The scariest ghost story in New York takes place at Belhurst Castle in Geneva. According to local lore, an Italian opera singer fled to this castle to be with her new lover. Later, the singer’s husband ravaged the castle in a fit of rage. She tried to escape through the underground tunnels, but the walls collapsed around her. Visitors say you can see her drifting through the hallways to this day.

 

What are the creepiest abandoned places in New York?

 

Overlook Mountain, located in Woodstock, is one of the creepiest abandoned places in New York. This area is home to fascinating ruins that were once part of a luxurious hotel. To reach this destination, you’ll need to hike up one of the Catskill Mountains. The trek is well worth it, though. When you get to the top, you’ll be met with a hauntingly beautiful sight. Rockland Psychiatric Center, located in Orangeburg, is another bone-chilling abandoned building in New York. This facility opened in the 1930s, but it was left abandoned years later. Some even say you can sense the energy from the patients who died here.

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