From Amityville to The Conjuring: 5 real haunted houses in America made famous on the big screen

There are some tales that have left the world perplexed with their unsolved mysteries with a vicious and haunting history. America, of all the countries, is dotted with some haunted houses that have captured the imagination of both paranormal searchers and filmmakers alike. The country is home to several eerie mansions, houses and farmhouses which have inspired horrifying legends and have turned into blockbuster horror movies of the time.

These houses blur the line between reality and movies. Let’s take a look at five of America’s most haunted houses made famous in movies.

The Amityville House needs no introduction as it is one of the most haunted houses in the world and in America. Situated on Ocean Avenue in Long Island, the home is known for the infamous murder that took place in 1974. A man named Ronald DeFeo Jr. killed his whole family inside the house. The man later confessed that he could hear voices asking him to kill his family.

The haunted tale inspired the bestselling book ‘The Amityville Horror’ (1977). Soon after the success of the book, it was made into a film adaptation in 1979. Since then, several sequels and remakes have been made.

The Conjuring House is another (in) famous haunted house with a chilling history. Located in Harrisville, Rhode Island, this 18th-century farmhouse shot to fame after Ed and Lorraine Warren, the very-famous paranormal investigators, examined the property in the 1970s after several paranormal activities were reported. The Perron family members who lived here reported spine-chilling experiences.

The Warrens’ case inspired the blockbuster movie The Conjuring (2013). Today, people can visit the house which is privately owned.

If you thought Los Angeles is just all fancy restaurants, glitz and glamour, then you must read this. The place is known for being home to the Los Feliz mansion which has a tragic and eerie past. In 1959, Dr. Harold Perelson killed his wife and then committed suicide. The house has gained a reputation of being cursed.

Though the mansion has not featured directly in any cinema but has inspired movies and shows like ‘The Haunting of Hill House’ and ‘American Horror Story’.

The Winchester Mystery House is among the most architecturally bizarre and paranormally fascinating mansions in the U.S. It was constructed by Sarah Winchester, the heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune. As per legend, Sarah believed she was haunted by the spirits of those killed by Winchester rifles. So she got this place constructed to appease the dead.

Today, there is a labyrinth of 160 rooms. Some staircases lead to nowhere, just dead ends. And some doors open into walls, odd right? This oddity inspired the 2018 film ‘Winchester’, starring Helen Mirren. Today it’s a famous tourist attraction in the state.

Situated in the small town of Villisca, this house is infamous for the most heinous crime that shook the world. In 1912 eight people, including six kids were murdered in the most horrifying manner with an axe inside the Moore family’s home. The worst part is that the killer was never caught. But soon after the incidents, locals started reporting paranormal incidents from the house.

Though the house was never directly shown in mainstream cinema, it inspired many documentaries and the horror film ‘The Axe Murders of Villisca’ (2016).

The LaLaurie Mansion in New Orleans’ French Quarter is another must-visit attraction for ghost seekers. As per lore, back in the 1830s, a socialite named Madame Delphine LaLaurie was exposed for the cruel torture and mistreatment of enslaved people inside the mansion. It was burned later.

The house has since become the subject of ghost stories and was featured in ‘American Horror Story: Coven’ (2013).