Why is Savannah so haunted?

The number one question we get on our ghost tours is "why is Savannah so haunted?"

There are numerous theories, but the one that we, at Mad Cat Tours, find most credible is the theory of attachment.

Ghosts form ties to places or things. Most often a house or building.

In this sultry little city there are over a thousand buildings in the downtown historic district alone that date from 1760 to the early 1900s. This gives our ghosts huge opportunities to anchor themselves to this world.

Savannah has the largest urban historic district in America.

We also have had our share of murders, tragic accidental deaths and of course the second bloodiest battle in the Revolutionary War.

Come join our local guides and hear chilling stories of this fascinating city's past as we walk through the moss draped streers and squares. Our guides are passionate about our charming city, it's fascinating history and the folklore that makes Savannah the most haunted city in America.

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Voodoo in Savannah?

Many people who are familiar with the wonderful city of New Orleans wonder if decadent little Savannah is as steeped in Voodoo practices as well. Not exactly. New Orleans has Voodoo, whereas Savannah and the surrounding low country has Hoodoo, also called Conjure or Root Magic. The difference is significant despite occasional similarities. Voodoo is a religion which originated in Africa, and passed through Haiti where it absorbed Catholic overtones. Hoodoo however is primarily a system of folk magic, involving herbs, incantations and spells. There are no religious rites with Hoodoo. There are no Catholic influences. Some practioners of Voodoo also incorporate folk magic and this is where the overlap between the two becomes obvious. Folk magic in Savannah is still practiced by all races. You can look to the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil for a glimpse of the prevalence of these beliefs, across race and economic barriers. Jim Williams, a wealthy white man seeking assist...

Conrad Aiken-Murder, suicide and 22 years in Savannah

Conrad's parents were from New England. His father was a brilliant physician and a brain surgeon. His mother was a social butterfly, entertaining and spending money extravagantly. They lived on Oglethorpe Avenue across from Colonial Park Cemetery. At some point Conrad's father began to suffer from paranoia. He became increasingly violent and when Conrad was only 11 years old he heard two gunshots from his parents' room. He gathered his nerve and crept to their door. Peeping in, he found them both dead. Conrad sadly ran down the block to the police station and told them what had happened. Conrad was forever haunted by their deaths and the psychological horror of that scene, permeated many of his stories. In true gothic tradition, in his later years he returned to Savannah and moved into the house next door to the one he had grown up in, the one his parents had died in. His last 11 years were spent a door away from where his first 11 were lived. Conrad Aiken, a tru...

Savannah's Historic Squares

This beautiful southern city was planned out before Georgia's founder, James Oglethorpe,ever left England. The public squares were an important design element. Today these little gems of relaxing greenery are populated by tourists and citizens of Savannah alike. There are tour groups and dog walkers, an occasional person selling palm frond flowers or jewelery, people simply relaxing on a park bench with a cold drink. Historically the purpose of these little parks was much more utilitarian. They were places to drill the local militia, a place to gather citizens for a last desperate defense if Indians or the Spanish attacked the infant colony. They also housed early cisterns, wells and even early public ovens. Once there were 24 of these squares. Today 21 remain. Unfortunately a few of the ones on the West side of the historic district have been butchered up a bit for modernisation. Most are still amazingly beautiful and surrounded by historic homes and buildings. Many have f...

Savannah Ghost and History Blog

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