Haunted Lighthouses: Ghost Stories From the Coast
Lighthouses have all the ingredients for a perfect ghost story: isolation, tragedy, wild weather, and the ever-present sound of the sea. It's hardly surprising that nearly every old lighthouse comes with at least one tale of spectral keepers, unexplained footsteps, and lights that shine when no one is there to light them.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, these stories are part of lighthouse heritage - born from real events, real tragedies, and the very real psychological effects of extreme isolation. Here are some of the most famous.
The Flannan Isles Mystery, Scotland
On Boxing Day 1900, a relief vessel arrived at the Flannan Isles lighthouse to find the light extinguished, the table set for a meal, and all three keepers gone. No bodies were ever found. The last log entry, dated December 15th, recorded severe storms - but the weather records for that day show the sea was calm.
To this day, no one knows what happened to Thomas Marshall, James Ducat, and Donald MacArthur. The mystery has inspired poems, films, and countless theories - from rogue waves to madness to something far stranger.
The poem: Wilfrid Wilson Gibson's 1912 poem "Flannan Isle" immortalized the mystery: "Yet, as we crowded through the door, / We only saw a table, spread / For dinner, meat, and cheese and bread; / But, all untouched; and no one there."
The Grey Lady of Point Lookout, Maryland
Point Lookout lighthouse, built in 1830, is widely considered one of the most haunted buildings in the United States. During the Civil War, a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp operated nearby where thousands died. The lighthouse itself served as a hospital.
Investigators have recorded unexplained voices, footsteps on empty staircases, and the figure of a woman in white - believed to be Ann Davis, the first keeper, who served for over 30 years. Paranormal research teams have captured EVPs (electronic voice phenomena) here more consistently than at almost any other location in America.
The Keeper of Eilean Mor, Scotland
After the Flannan Isles tragedy, subsequent keepers reported hearing voices in the wind, seeing strange lights on the cliffs, and feeling an overwhelming sense of being watched. Several requested transfers, and the station developed a reputation that made it difficult to staff.
Whether these experiences were genuine paranormal activity or the psychological effects of isolation at a place with such tragic associations, the result was the same: Flannan Isles remained one of the most dreaded postings in the Northern Lighthouse Board.
St. Augustine Lighthouse, Florida
During construction in 1874, a cart carrying supplies broke free and rolled into the sea, drowning three girls - the daughters of the superintendent. Visitors and staff have reported seeing the girls playing on the grounds, hearing laughter from empty rooms, and catching glimpses of a tall man watching from the catwalk.
The lighthouse embraces its haunted reputation, offering "Dark of the Moon" ghost tours that have become one of St. Augustine's most popular attractions.
More Haunted Lights
A ghostly woman in a long dress has been seen in the keeper's cottage. Staff have reported objects moving on their own and unexplained cold spots.
The ghost of a drowned sailor is said to walk the beach near the lighthouse on stormy nights, searching for the ship that left him behind.
Visitors report hearing footsteps on the spiral staircase and seeing a figure silhouetted in the lantern room - long after the lighthouse was automated.
"Rue" - the ghost of a mother whose baby died on the headland - is said to clean the attic of the keeper's house and rearrange objects during the night.
Why Lighthouses Are "Haunted"
Even the most skeptical observer can understand why lighthouses generate ghost stories. Consider the ingredients:
Prolonged solitude can produce auditory and visual hallucinations - a well-documented psychological phenomenon
Coastal winds through old buildings create moans, whistles, and vibrations. Spiral staircases amplify sounds in eerie ways.
Lighthouse history is full of genuine drownings, storms, and deaths. These true stories naturally evolve into ghost lore over generations.
Fog, crashing waves, flickering light - even without ghosts, lighthouses create an atmosphere that primes the imagination.
Ghost stories or not, these tales are part of what makes lighthouses so compelling. They remind us that these weren't just navigational tools - they were places where people lived, suffered, and sometimes died in service of keeping the light burning.
Visit a haunted lighthouse
Many haunted lighthouses offer ghost tours and overnight stays. Find them on our map.
Browse LighthousesSee you at the light,
The Lighthouse Index Team