Haunted Lafayette Square

Whispers of bygone souls ride the breeze through the moss-draped oaks of Lafayette Square. On a quiet Savannah night, the square’s antique street lamps cast flickering halos on brick pathways, and you might feel a sudden chill despite the warm Georgia air. Locals and visitors alike have reported the uncanny sensation of not being alone in this idyllic patch of green. Perhaps it’s the echo of centuries past – the tragedies and triumphs etched into the very ground – that gives Lafayette Square its eerie, entrancing aura. In the heart of Haunted Savannah, Lafayette Square stands as a beautiful enigma: a place where history and ghostly legends intertwine beneath the canopy of ancient live oaks. It’s no wonder that for anyone seeking ghost tours in Savannah, this square often tops the list of must-visit haunts – a perfect blend of scenic charm and supernatural lore.

A Square Steeped in History

By day, Lafayette Square is a picture of Southern charm and historic grace. The square was laid out in 1837 and named in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette – the French hero of the American Revolution who toured America and visited Savannah in 1825.

Long before ghost tours and legends, however, this ground bore witness to harsher realities. Until 1846, the city’s jail stood on part of the square, its stone walls confining thieves and murderers right where children now play. With prisoners languishing behind bars, one can only imagine the sorrow and desperation that once permeated these grounds.

When the old jail was finally relocated, wealthy cotton merchant Andrew Low purchased a portion of the land and built an elegant mansion here in 1849. His grand home ushered in a new era for Lafayette Square as an upscale residential address. Through the mid-19th century, stately houses and cultural institutions rose around the square’s perimeter, transforming it into one of Savannah’s most fashionable locales.

One of the square’s crown jewels, the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, began rising on the northeast corner in the 1870s. Its twin Gothic spires soon pierced the Savannah skyline. In 1898, a devastating fire ripped through the city and gutted the cathedral’s interior, sending its roof crashing down in flames. Ashes and embers rained over Lafayette Square that night, threatening every building in its path. Miraculously – whether by clever construction or divine providence – the cathedral’s brick walls and the nearby homes survived. Savannah rebuilt the cathedral by 1899, allowing it to continue watching over the square as it does to this day.

At the center of Lafayette Square, a graceful fountain babbles softly. Installed in 1984 to celebrate Savannah’s 250th birthday, this Semiquincentenary Fountain sparkles in the sun and even flows green each St. Patrick’s Day in a nod to the city’s Irish heritage. By daylight its waters splash innocently, offering no hint of the mysteries that may stir here after dark.

Ghosts and Legends of Lafayette Square

When darkness settles over Lafayette Square, history itself seems to stir awake. This charming square becomes a centerpiece of ghost tours in Savannah, drawing storytellers and seekers of the supernatural to its moonlit paths. Beneath the hanging moss, people have reported faint otherworldly sounds – a distant drumbeat, hushed voices carried on the breeze, even the soft sob of someone unseen. Some nights, the melodic chime of the cathedral’s bells is answered by something odd and disembodied, as if unseen souls are chiming in. In a city often called “America’s most haunted city,” Lafayette Square has earned its reputation as a place where the veil between past and present feels thin.

Around the square stand several historic buildings whose ghostly reputations fuel these legends. On the west side looms the Hamilton-Turner Inn, a Victorian mansion so steeped in lore that locals once nicknamed it the “Haunted House” of Lafayette Square. In the late 1800s it became the first residence in Savannah to be wired with electricity, and curious neighbors would gather outside to watch its windows blaze with miraculous light each evening. Perhaps those onlookers sensed a bit of otherworldly energy as well, because strange tales soon followed. Guests at the Hamilton-Turner Inn have long reported unexplainable happenings in the night. Many have heard the unmistakable clack of billiard balls rolling across an empty upstairs room, accompanied by the playful giggles of phantom children. This chilling prank is said to echo a tragic accident from a century ago – the story goes that one of the home’s children slipped and fell on the stairs after a mischievous game with billiard balls.

Late at night, others claim to see a shadowy man on the roof of the Hamilton-Turner Inn, calmly puffing on a cigar as he surveys the square below. The apparition’s identity is debated. Some say it is the spirit of Samuel P. Hamilton himself – the distinguished “Lord of Lafayette Square” who built the home – still keeping watch over his mansion with cigar (and possibly rifle) in hand. Others suspect it’s the restless ghost of a long-ago security guard who was murdered on that very rooftop while protecting the house. Either way, the sight of a lone figure standing on the high roof, outlined by moonlight and the glow of an invisible cigar, is enough to send shivers down the spine of anyone who glances upward.

Across the square, the stately Andrew Low House holds ghostly secrets of its own. Built in 1849 on the site of the old jail, this house has seen joyous occasions and heartbreaking tragedies – and some spirits seem determined to stay behind. The most famous specter here is often called “The Lady on the Bed.” Visitors and caretakers have described the apparition of a woman in old-fashioned attire lying quietly in an upstairs bedroom. Many believe this to be Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA and one-time mistress of the house, who passed away in 1927. Juliette – known affectionately as “Daisy” – lived much of her remarkable life in these rooms. It seems fitting that her gentle spirit might linger in the place she loved, perhaps watching over the home or continuing her benevolent work from beyond. Guests sometimes catch a whiff of sweet perfume in the halls (said to be Juliette’s favorite scent) when no one else is around, as if Daisy herself has just strolled past.

Juliette is not the only ghostly presence in the Andrew Low House. Staff and visitors over the years have repeatedly heard the sound of steady, heavy footsteps on the stairs, only to find no one there – a phenomenon they attribute to a devoted butler named Tom who served the Low family and apparently continues his duties in spirit. Occasionally an antique rocking chair in the parlor is seen rocking on its own, as if an invisible gentleman were gently swaying back and forth. Indeed, legend holds that this was a favorite chair of Andrew Low himself, the original master of the house. Even the spirit of General Robert E. Lee – a close friend of the Low family – has been rumored to appear. An apparition of an older gentleman in a gray suit and hat has been spotted standing silently by a second-story window, bearing a striking resemblance to Lee, who visited the home during his lifetime. Polite and dignified, the ghostly figure fades away when approached, leaving witnesses wonderstruck.

While the Hamilton-Turner Inn and Andrew Low House harbor the most famous apparitions of Lafayette Square, the entire area brims with uncanny energy. Colonial Park Cemetery, just a block north, holds thousands of graves from the 18th and 19th centuries – victims of war, duels, and fever. Some swear that wispy figures drift near the edges of the square on misty nights, as if a few restless souls wander beyond the cemetery gates. More than one passerby cutting across the square after midnight has felt an abrupt chill or a prickle on the neck, followed by the unshakable sense of being watched. On certain dates, the activity even seems to spike. October 9th – the anniversary of the Revolutionary War’s bloody Siege of Savannah – is a night when locals say the paranormal energy reaches a fever pitch in Lafayette Square. Some claim to hear the faint cadence of distant drums or marching footsteps echoing through the stillness, as though the spirits of long-ago soldiers were passing in ghostly formation.

Even modern paranormal investigators have been intrigued by Lafayette Square. On especially quiet nights, ghost hunters have set up recording devices on the benches and captured eerie EVPs – electronic voice phenomena – picking up faint whispers and voices that defy any explanation. The stories collected over the years paint a rich tapestry of haunted happenings: playful children giggling in empty doorways, a soldier in historic uniform drifting under the oaks, and shadowy silhouettes that vanish when you turn to look twice. Whether you consider these tales fact or folklore, one thing is certain – standing alone in Lafayette Square at night, you may begin to question where history ends and haunted legend begins.

Today, Lafayette Square is as welcoming as it is intriguing – a must-see for history buffs, casual travelers, and brave ghost hunters alike. By daylight you’ll find a peaceful oasis of greenery here: manicured lawns, dappled sunlight, and a canopy of live oak branches swaying gently overhead. The fountain burbles happily as birds splash, and benches invite you to sit and admire the surrounding architecture. The towering cathedral on the corner opens its doors to visitors, and the square often fills with the pleasant sounds of church bells, tour groups, and laughing children. It’s nearly impossible to imagine that this cheerful gathering place sits atop centuries of tumultuous history… until dusk falls.

Come nightfall, Lafayette Square transforms in mood. The lamps along the walkways glow with a flickering golden light, and long shadows stretch between the trees. A hush seems to descend with the darkness, as if the very air is waiting. If you’re looking to experience Haunted Savannah, this square is the perfect starting point. Many of the best Savannah ghost tours – including Destination Ghost Tours – include Lafayette Square on their routes. In fact, haunted Savannah tours would be incomplete without a stop here, given the abundance of eerie tales tied to these grounds. There is something undeniably magnetic about gathering here after dark, listening to a guide whisper the tales of the ghosts of Lafayette Square while the moss sways above like tattered ribbons. You might find yourself standing by the iron fountain, feeling a sudden cool breeze that comes from nowhere, and wondering if invisible eyes are gazing at you from a darkened window across the way.

Despite its spooky reputation, visiting Lafayette Square is perfectly safe – and absolutely worthwhile. The square is public and open to walk through at any hour, though it truly shines during those dusky evenings when history feels especially alive. Whether you join an organized ghost tour or simply take an after-dinner stroll on your own, be respectful of the private homes bordering the square. Remember that Lafayette Square’s grand residences have real people living within – alongside, perhaps, a few unseen residents. As you wander down the brick paths under the moonlight, pause for a moment and listen. Perhaps you’ll catch the faint strains of a distant fiddle tune or the whisper of a voice when no one is nearby. Maybe you’ll spot a curtain gently swaying in an upstairs window with no one there to move it. In Lafayette Square, the past is never truly past. This enchanting corner of Savannah’s Historic District invites you to bask in its beauty by day and explore its mysteries by night. Each whispered legend and unexplained encounter here adds to the rich lore of the city’s ghostly tapestry. Haunted Lafayette Square leaves you with one chilling question as you depart: When you visit, will you be alone – or in the company of spirits?