There’s nothing like a good ghost story, especially when it involves your own state. Urban legends are especially interesting because in a way they have a life of their own and tend to change slightly each time the tale is told. The Beaver State has quite a few of its own unique urban legends, and they’re nothing short of terrifying. From hauntings to witchcraft, these 12 urban legends are sure to keep you awake tonight.

1. The haunting of Heceta Head Lighthouse
Heceta Head Lighthouse, 725 Summer St, Florence, OR 97439, USA
Desirae/Flickr
The ghost of an old woman and her daughter haunts this beautiful lighthouse. Nearly everyone who has stayed at the lighthouse since the 1950s has experienced paranormal activity, including things like disembodied screams, items moving or disappearing, and the reflection of an old woman's ghost in an attic window. With persistent Oregon legends like these, you very well may hear a few stories if you ever chance a visit.
2. The family that never left their home
Flavel House Museum, 714 Exchange St, Astoria, OR 97103, USA
Michael Martin/Flickr
The Flavel House is a mansion-turned-museum in Astoria, and it's said to be haunted by the ghosts of the family that once lived there. The Flavel's have made their phantom presence known by speaking amongst themselves and practicing music in empty rooms. A woman's ghost has been sighted in the hallway, and Mr. Flavel has been seen in his bedroom, before vanishing.
3. Battery Russel's ghost soldier
Fort Stevens State Park, 1675 Peter Iredale Rd, Hammond, OR 97121, USA
Rick Obst/Flickr
The historic Fort Stevens State Park is haunted by the ghost of a soldier who patrols the area at night holding a flashlight. There are many stories recounting encounters with the man, who, when approached, disappears into thin air.
4. The creepy history of Oregon State Hospital
Oregon State Hospital, 2600 Center St NE, Salem, OR 97301, USA
Carey, Charles Henry. (1922)/Wikipedia
Years ago, this hospital in Salem was an insane asylum where terrible malpractices were said to occur. Built in the 1800s, this place had secret underground tunnels connecting the buildings, where terrible experiments were rumored to have been conducted on patients. Part of the hospital was preserved as a museum, and to this day visitors claim to experience paranormal activity here as well as the eerie feeling that they're being watched.
5. Anna, the ghost who roams the halls of McMenamins Grand Lodge
McMenamins Grand Lodge, 3505 Pacific Ave, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
Cygnoir/Flickr
The Grand Lodge, located in Forest Grove, is known as one of the most haunted places in Oregon. Staff and guests alike have reported seeing a woman with white hair, slippers, and a patterned dress. The descriptions of the ghost match the large portrait of a woman hanging on the premises. One common explanation is that the apparition is the ghost of a woman named Anna, who lived there for many years and died just before she turned 100 years old.
6. The ghost of Kuhn Theater
Kuhn Cinema, 668 S Main St, Lebanon, OR 97355, USA
Jasperdo/Flickr
Located in Lebanon and built in 1932, this theater is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young girl in a white dress who fell from theater's balcony to her death. Visitors and staff of the theater claim to experience strange activity like doors opening and closing by themselves and the disembodied laughter of children.

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7. Portland's creepy Shanghai Tunnels
Haunted Underground Shanghai Tunnels Tour, 226 NW Davis St, Portland, OR 97209, USA
Keary O./Flickr
Said to be one of the most haunted places in America, the Shanghai Tunnels in Portland are bone-chillingly creepy. Located underneath the streets of the old town, these tunnels were used between 1850-1941 for illegal activity including human trafficking. Many people died in the dark, dingy tunnels, leaving their ghosts behind. You can now tour these tunnels, and many have heard phantom voices talking, moaning, and screaming.
8. The McMinnville UFO sighting
McMinnville, OR 97128, USA
Paul Trent, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
In 1950, one of the most famous UFO photographs was taken on a farm near McMinnville. The controversial photograph shows what looks to be a flying saucer in the sky, and was printed in newspapers and magazines (including Life Magazine) all across the country. To this day, no one knows the truth - could it really have been a UFO?
9. Dark magic at Malheur Butte
Malheur Butte, Oregon 97914, USA
Cathy Adler/Google
Malheur Butte is a dead volcano in Eastern Oregon with a shadowy past full of dark magic. It's said that witches used to meet here to perform rituals. And strange imp-like creatures have been seen to appear in the night to scare visitors away.
10. The Geiser Grand Hotel Haunting
Geiser Grand Hotel, 1996 Main St, Baker City, OR 97814, USA
Alan/Flickr
This historic hotel and Baker City landmark is also a site of paranormal activity. People have reported seeing ghosts on many occasions (the hotel even offers ghost tours on Halloween). The most famous ghost who lives here is called Lady in Blue, who supposedly has been sighted walking up and down the main staircase dressed in a turn-of-the-century gown.
11. The strange and haunted history of the Hot Lake Hotel in La Grande
The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs, 66172 OR-203, La Grande, OR 97850, USA
Hot Lake Springs/Wikipedia
This hotel is located near a hot spring in La Grande. The hotel was originally built in the mid-19th century and then was converted into a hospital that was destroyed in a fire. After that, it was rebuilt into an insane asylum before it was closed down, seemingly for good. Years later, the decrepit building was renovated and turned into the Hot Lake Hotel. With a history like that, it seems natural that guests have reported various ghost stories, including hearing fleeting, sourceless piano music, ghost sightings, and strange clouds of fog that will suddenly appear.
12. The accused witch who cursed Lafayette
Lafayette, OR, USA
Randy Kashka/Flickr
The town of Lafayette is said to have had a curse over it since the 1800s when a woman accused of witchcraft was hanged for her supposed crimes. Before she died, she placed a curse on the town that it would burn down three times. Since then, it has burnt down twice. Freaky! Her ghost is said to roam the cemetery where she was killed to this day.

Whether you believe in ghosts or not these Oregon urban legends have a way of creeping you out because there is a lot of truth around these tales. What are some other spooky urban legends in Oregon you’ve heard whispered on a dark and windy night around the safety of a campfire?

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More to Explore

More urban legends in Oregon

Chris Muras | December 14, 2022

What are some Oregon folklore and urban legends?

Oregon has a rich history of folklore, urban legends, ghost stories, and myths that are utterly fascinating. Whether or not there is any truth behind these legends is up to you to determine. Here are some of Oregon's most famous folklore and urban legends:

1. Portland's Shanghai tunnels
2. Jantzen Beach carousel
3. The Monster of Conser Lake
4. The Legend of Colossal Claude
5. The Bandage Man
6. Nina the Pizza Parlor Ghost
7. Haunting of Lafayette Cemetery
8. Haunted Hot Lake Hotel
9. Ghosts of Wolf Creek Inn
10. The Kuhn Cinema
11. Legend of Silent Rock

What are the most terrifying places in Oregon?

There are some pretty spooky places in Oregon from the mysteries beneath Crater Lake to haunted hotels, hospitals, and graveyards. Here is a list of 10 terrifying places in Oregon to check out if you are feeling brave. If you're looking for a real scare, visit these "haunted" places in Oregon, where myths and urban legends come alive.

Take Chiloquin, for example. If you believe local lore, a Native American tribe cursed the area with eternal darkness after they were treated unjustly by early settlers. Nowadays, visitors report feeling an uneasy presence and hearing unexplainable noises at night. If you have an extra bit of courage, check out The Shanghai Tunnels beneath Old Town Portland. Rumor has it that portions of the city's network of underground passages were used to smuggle out victims (mostly young men) and ship them off to sea! Whether it's Chiloquin or Crater Lake or The Shanghai Tunnels, be prepared for plenty of hair-raising and goosebump-popping moments when exploring the many mysterious places in Oregon!

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