A Brief History of White House Hauntings

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If you are skeptical about the existence of the paranormal, then you should know that some very credible people have reported ghost sightings. The aforementioned credible people include 8 former US presidents, who have all reported encounters while living in the White House. 

America’s most famous residence has a storied history of staff, presidents, and even foreign leaders reporting seeing or hearing ghosts, often of former presidents or first ladies. 

Abraham Lincoln was apparently regularly visited by his son Willie, who died in the White House in 1862 at age 11 (likely of typhoid fever.) Lincoln’s wife Mary Todd Lincoln also reported seeing her son’s ghost at the foot of her bed, in addition to hearing Thomas Jefferson playing the violin and Andrew Jackson swearing. 

After Lincoln was assassinated in 1865, Lincoln apparently joined his son in haunting the rooms of the White House. First Lady Grace Coolidge and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill both reported Lincoln sightings. In 1940, Churchill emerged from a bath wearing nothing but a cigar dangling from his mouth and spotted the ghost of Lincoln. Upon seeing him, Churchill allegedly quipped “Good evening Mr. President–you seem to have me at a disadvantage.”

According to ghost researcher Jared Broach, Lincoln is the most frequent reported sighting in all of the White House accounts, and is often spotted when the country is in need or in peril. According to White House curator Rex Scouten, President Reagan told him that his dog would go into any room except the Lincoln bedroom (the most common room for Lincoln ghost sightings.) 

In addition to Lincoln, there have been reports of hauntings involving two first ladies, Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison. Adams was the first first lady that lived in the White House and used to dry bed sheets in the East Room. There have allegedly been sightings of her around the East Room walking with her arms outstretched as if she is holding bed linens! 

Dolley Madison is said to hang out in the White House Rose Garden if you believe several reports of Woodrow Wilson staff members. These staffers said they saw Dolley’s ghost as they were planning to move the location of the Rose Garden. After the sightings, they decided to leave the Rose Garden where it was. 

If all of these spooky sightings have you made you curious for more information, Broach founded a company called Nightly Spirits, which offers walking tours around the White House chock full of stories and (allegedly) some paranormal interactions! 

And, if reading this has made you want to move farther from (or closer to if you’re a paranormal activity buff) the White House, then give Lise a call at 240-401-5577 to start the process!