The history behind 40 of the most haunted places in America

• America is full of creepy ghost towns, abandoned buildings, and haunted forests.
• Shadowy figures, laughter, and footsteps have all been reported as paranormal activity within Philadelphia's Eastern State Penitentiary, a former prison. 
• The Winchester Mystery House in California was essentially built to be haunted, and once had 200 rooms, 10,000 windows, and  2,000 trap doors, regular doors, and spy holes.
• You can spend the night at the Lizzie Borden house — the scene of the gruesome murders of Andrew and Abby Borden. 

There's a haunted spot to be found in every state.

But which are the most haunted in America? We found 40 places in the US that are known for their paranormal activity. They range from hotels to lighthouses to former prisons. 

The stories behind why ghosts lurk in these spots are fascinating and often gruesome tales.

Keep scrolling for some interesting history and a good scare.

Eastern State Penitentiary, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

During its heyday, Eastern State Penitentiary was one of the most expensive and well-known prisons in the world. It was built in 1829 and housed big name criminals like Al Capone and bank robber "Slick Willie."

Up until overcrowding became a problem in 1913, prisoners were kept in complete solitude at all times. Even when prisoners left their cell, a guard would cover their head so they couldn't see and no one could see them.

Today, the decaying penitentiary offers ghost tours and a museum. Shadowy figures, laughter, and footsteps have all been reported as paranormal activity within the prison walls.

The King's Tavern, Natchez, Mississippi

Built in the late 1700s, The King's Tavern is one of the oldest buildings in the state. The restaurant and bar has a rich and somewhat disturbing history. A man named Richard King bought the building years after it was constructed. The story goes that he hired a young girl name Madeline to be a waitress and then had an affair with her. When King's wife found out, she had the girl killed. It's said that Madeline's spirit now haunts the tavern.

Then, in the 1930s, three mummified bodies were found in the tavern's chimney. Some say that these are the bodies of those murdered by the Harpe brothers, who are often referred to as America's first serial killers. The Harpe brothers were known customers at the restaurant.

Today, visitors to the restaurant report heat coming from the fireplace even when it's not lit, shadowy figures, doors shutting inexplicably, and noises that sound like a crying baby.

Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, California

Sarah Winchester commissioned the building of her mystery house in 1886, after her husband, gun magnate William Wirt Winchester, died of tuberculosis and her infant daughter died shortly after. She was told by a medium that she would forever be haunted by the ghosts of those killed with Winchester rifles, unless she started building nonstop.

Sarah used the money she inherited from her husband's death to employ 16 carpenters who worked 24 hours a day until her death in 1922, resulting in a bizarre house, that at its peak had a total of 200 rooms, 10,000 windows and 2,000 trap doors, regular doors, and spy holes.

With staircases leading to ceilings, windows leading to secret passageways, and doors opening into walls, the house was built to be haunted, and Sarah lived in it completely alone.