Winston-Salem's Famous Ghost Stories & Haunted Sites
From Old Salem to Reynolda, come along as we explore five of the city's most haunted historical sites.
Winston-Salem has plenty of history—and, if the stories are true, plenty of ghosts to go with it. From Reynolda’s mysterious “Lady in White” to Old Salem’s mischievous “Little Red Man,” local legends linger inside some of the area’s most storied landmarks. Best of all, these aren’t places hidden behind locked gates. You can explore them by lantern light, on a garden walk, over dinner, or even overnight.
Believer or skeptic, here's a roundup of local places where history and mystery meet—all of which are open to the public and able to be experienced today.
🎃Explore the city's spirited side with our Halloween Pass🎃
Download the free Halloween Itinerary Pass to your phone and follow a self-guided journey through local legends, haunted landmarks, and seasonal experiences. No app is required—and checking in along the way earns points toward prizes and an extra entry in the “Not That Salem” Halloween Giveaway.
Old Salem
The past never feels far away in Old Salem, one of America’s most authentic and immersive living-history museums. Across the nearly 100-acre historic district, restored buildings, working trade shops, and costumed interpreters bring the 18th and 19th centuries to life. Salem’s Moravian residents were also meticulous record-keepers, chronicling nearly every part of community life. Along the way, they left behind a few stories that seem to belong to the afterlife.
The Tavern Ghost
One of Old Salem’s strangest tales begins at Salem Tavern, built in 1784 to lodge the merchants, tradesmen, and travelers passing through town. George Washington famously stayed here for two nights during his 1791 Southern tour. Another visitor, however, left a more unsettling legacy.
On a bitterly cold night in November 1831, a stranger dressed in black arrived at the tavern gravely ill. He soon slipped into a coma and died without revealing his identity. His body was buried, but his saddlebags remained at the tavern. According to legend, that’s when the disturbances began.
Workers reported unexplained noises and an icy presence inside the building. Then, one evening, a shadowy figure appeared before the tavern keeper. The apparition identified himself and asked that his family in Texas be contacted. A letter from the family later confirmed the stranger’s identity and requested his belongings. Once the saddlebags were returned, the tavern reportedly fell quiet again.
The Little Red Man
Old Salem’s best-known ghost is said to reside in the Single Brothers’ House, built in 1769 as a communal home for the town’s unmarried men. Among its former residents was Andreas Kremser, a shoemaker remembered as a small man with a playful streak. On the night of March 25, 1786, Kremser was helping excavate a cellar addition when a bank of loose earth collapsed, burying him beneath it. He was pulled out alive but died from his injuries several hours later.
Before long, residents began hearing the rhythmic tap of a shoemaker’s hammer inside the house. Others caught glimpses of a small figure in a red jacket or cap—the color Kremser was said to have worn when he died. The apparition became known as the “Little Red Man,” and sightings continued for generations, even after a visiting minister supposedly banished the spirit. Today, the Single Brothers’ House serves as offices for Old Salem, where unexplained noises still tend to receive the same attribution: Brother Kremser is at it again.
God’s Acre + Salem Cemetery
Side by side on Old Salem’s northern edge, God’s Acre and Salem Cemetery preserve centuries of local history—but little else about them feels alike. God’s Acre, the Moravian burial ground, is graceful and simple, its 7,000-plus flat white marble markers reflecting the church’s belief in equality in death. Next door, the nonsectarian Salem Cemetery feels decidedly more Gothic, with ornate monuments, imposing tombs, and elaborate family plots—including those of R.J. Reynolds and other prominent local residents.
God’s Acre inspires more reflection than fright. Salem Cemetery carries a spookier reputation, with reports of whispers, shadowy figures, and a strange pull near the grave of Robah Gray—whose spirit, legend says, once followed a group of taunting teenagers home. If you wander through, tread quietly and respectfully—and perhaps finish before dusk.
- Experience Old Salem: Visit Salem Tavern, the Single Brothers’ House, and other interpreted buildings during regular hours at Old Salem. God’s Acre is open year-round from dawn to dusk. For a closer encounter, join one of Old Salem’s seasonal Night Watchman Evening Tours. Lantern-carrying guides lead guests into original buildings while recounting true stories and local legends. The tours are on select nights from Oct. 16–31.
Historic West End
Just west of downtown, the Historic West End pairs stately homes and winding, tree-lined streets with some of the city’s most enduring ghost stories.
Visitors can explore the neighborhood independently, but many of its darker tales surface on Carolina History & Haunts’ year-round “West Endings” tour. Among the stops and stories along the way:
Rosenbacher House: The West Endings tour begins and ends at this stately 1909 home, where unexplained activity is reported almost weekly. Some believe its resident spirit is Otto Rosenbacher, the eldest son, who remained unmarried and lived in the house until his death. Even the porch ceiling is painted “haint blue,” a color traditionally believed to repel spirits.
Grace Court: This small, charming park sits near the former site of Hotel Zinzendorf, an elaborate Victorian resort opened in May 1892—and burned to the ground just months later. Visitors have since reported eerie occurrences near the former hotel grounds, including sudden chills, the smell of smoke, and a woman believed to resemble one of the hotel’s maids. The hotel site is identified by a historic marker just across the street from Grace Court (pictured above).
The Zevely House: Now home to Bernardin’s, one of Winston-Salem’s favorite fine-dining restaurants, the 1815 Zevely House is the oldest surviving home from the former town of Winston. Relocated to West Fourth Street in 1974, it apparently brought along an old curse said to follow the property.
Miller Carriage House: According to tour lore, the nearby Miller home served as a makeshift hospital during the 1918 influenza outbreak, while victims’ bodies were stored in its carriage house. The main residence is gone, but the carriage house remains—and visitors have reported shadowy figures and mysterious orbs in photographs.
- Experience it: Discover the West End’s dark side on a Carolina History & Haunts ghost tour. The 90-minute, four-block walk blends spine-tingling stories with the neighborhood’s rich architectural history. It’s offered year-round, making it an atmospheric way to explore Winston-Salem after dark.
Reynolda Estate
The graceful gardens and stately architecture at Reynolda hardly look ominous. Yet some believe the estate’s creator never entirely left it behind.
Katharine Smith Reynolds, wife of tobacco baron, R.J. Reynolds, oversaw the planning and development of estate, shaping the property into a working farm, village, and family estate. The Reynolds family moved into the completed house in 1917. R.J. Reynolds died the following year, and Katharine continued managing the estate until her own death in 1924.
Since then, visitors have reported seeing a mysterious woman moving through the gardens. Often dressed in white and surrounded by mist, she has occasionally appeared on horseback. Many sightings have occurred near the old boathouse and former Lake Katharine, now part of the estate’s wetlands. Paranormal investigator Michael Renegar reportedly spoke with several witnesses who identified the figure as Katharine. If so, perhaps she is still keeping watch over the landscape she so carefully created.
And she may not be alone. Another oft-told account involves a police officer responding to an alarm at the house. He reportedly heard the sounds of a party—and a bowling ball striking pins—coming from the basement. When he entered, the room was empty.
- Experience it: Tour the Reynolda House, then follow the walking trails through Reynolda Gardens, open daily from sunrise to sunset. Seasonal experiences in 2026 include the family-friendly Pumpkin Patch Hayride on Oct. 17 and the Organ Spooktacular on Oct. 31, featuring Halloween music played on Reynolda’s original 1917 Aeolian organ.
Brookstown Inn
Built in 1837 as the Salem Manufacturing Company, the Historic Brookstown Inn spent its earliest years as a cotton mill. It later became warehouse space before beginning a much more hospitable chapter as a boutique hotel in 1984. Still, some guests believe its former occupants never checked out.
Most of the inn’s ghost stories lead to the fourth floor and Room 401, believed to occupy part of a former workers’ dormitory. According to legend, a mill worker named Sally died after falling—or, in some versions, being pushed—from an upper floor following an argument with another employee.
Guests have since reported seeing a pale woman in the hallways, hearing footsteps outside their rooms, and awakening to a woman crying for mercy. Other stories involve children laughing in otherwise-empty corridors and a heavy-footed spirit known as Eddie wandering the building at night.
(For the record, Visit Winston-Salem’s office is next door. We like our neighbors. We’re also happy to let them have the fourth floor after dark.)
Experience it: Book an overnight stay at the inn, where exposed brick, heavy timber beams, and rooms carved from two restored mill buildings preserve much of the property’s character. Guests also receive breakfast, evening wine and cheese, and cookies before bed.
Körner’s Folly
Billed as “the strangest house in America,” Körner’s Folly needs little help looking haunted. Hidden stairways, unusually shaped rooms, and doors that seem to lead nowhere give the house an otherworldly quality before anyone mentions its ghosts.
Constructed in 1880, the Kernersville landmark was created by famed artist and designer Jule Körner as both a family home and a showcase for his work. He continually altered the house, eventually creating 22 rooms arranged across three floors and seven distinct levels. Among its more unusual features are 15 fireplaces, decorative murals, trapdoors, and a private theater on the top floor. The Folly also hosted wakes for members of the Körner family. Perhaps appropriately, stories of unexplained activity followed.
In 2009, a paranormal team known as SPARS investigated the property and declared it haunted after reporting disembodied voices and unexplained lights. Other visitors have described footsteps, moving furniture, and lights switching on by themselves. One of the strangest recurring stories involves an unseen presence tapping someone three times—an experience reported by both an investigator and a worker inside the house.
If spirits do remain, local authors have suggested they are more playful than threatening. Jule Körner, after all, spent a lifetime surprising people with his home. Perhaps he simply hasn’t stopped.
- Experience it: Körner’s Folly is open Tuesday–Sunday for self-guided tours, allowing visitors to explore all 22 rooms at their own pace. On Oct. 24, the Mystery After Dark tour leads guests ages 13 and older through the house after hours, exploring Victorian spiritualism, unusual object
More Spirited Stops
Not every local haunt comes with a centuries-old legend or a well-documented resident ghost. Still, these historic destinations offer intriguing stories—and experiences visitors can enjoy for themselves.
Historic Bethabara Park
Founded in 1753 as the first Moravian settlement in the South, Bethabara grew into a thriving frontier community that witnessed the French and Indian War, the American Revolution, and other pivotal moments in early American history. Today, the National Historic Site brings that story to life through guided tours, trails, a reconstructed fort, and more. The grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk, with the Visitor Center and guided tours available most of the year. Things get a little more spirited around Halloween with Boo at Bethabara, a free, family-friendly celebration featuring regional ghost stories, a magic show, colonial games, and a “Fear on the Frontier” walk.
Tanglewood Manor House
Set within Tanglewood Park, this 1859 Victorian manor has long been one of Forsyth County's favorite lodging options. It may also come with a longtime host. Local lore says William Neal “Mr. Will” Reynolds, brother of R.J. Reynolds, still makes friendly visits to his former country estate. Guests can spend the night and test the tale for themselves—or simply explore the surrounding 1,100-acre park, with its trails, gardens, golf courses, stables, and seasonal events.
Spring House Restaurant
The last surviving mansion from Winston-Salem’s former “Millionaire’s Row,” the 1920 Bahnson House now welcomes guests as Spring House Restaurant, Kitchen & Bar. Reports of strange sounds and unexplained activity have followed the downtown property for years. Today, visitors can take in its history—and perhaps its spirits—over dinner or drinks in the Library Bar.
Downtown Mount Airy
Mayberry has a shadowy side. From May through November, the Mount Airy Museum leads lantern-lit walking tours through downtown, while monthly trolley tours venture farther afield. The walking route includes Old North State Winery, where unexplained footsteps and a mysterious bearded figure have been reported. Stop in for a tasting, then follow the lanterns through downtown after dark.
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