Haunted Binghamton NY: Ghost Stories and Sightings Ranked

I've driven past plenty of old Binghamton buildings, and the Roberson Museum is the one I've always been too scared to even let my eyes graze over. The windows get me every time. So when a new study ranked Binghamton fifth in New York for reported ghost sightings, with 22 on the books, my first reaction was that I could have told them that.

If you are planning a spooky weekend, the timing works. Halloween falls on Saturday, and the National Retail Federation says 74% of U.S. consumers plan to celebrate this year.

Binghamton Ghost Sightings Rank Fifth in New York

The study lists 22 ghost sightings in Binghamton. That matches the count on the Ghosts of America New York page, which tracks reports from across the state. Newark Valley had the most in New York with 40, and Elmira ranked fourth with 24, just ahead of Binghamton.

Newark Valley is only about a half-hour from Binghamton, so you could be there before your coffee gets cold. 98.1 The Hawk previously reported that many of the sightings there are tied to Newark Valley Middle School, including a report of a little girl seen walking down the stairs and then disappearing.

These are reports of sightings, not verified events, so you get to decide how much you believe.

Binghamton’s Roberson Mansion Has a Well-Known Ghost Story

If you have ever driven down Front Street and felt like someone was watching you, some locals say you might not be imagining it. The Roberson Mansion is part of the Roberson Museum and Science Center at 30 Front St. Atlas Obscura says the Gilded Age home was built in 1904 for Alonzo and Margaret Roberson and notes that Alonzo’s ghost is said to be in residence.

In her book Haunted Southern Tier, author Elizabeth Tucker gathered stories from Roberson staff members who say they have seen a man resembling Alonzo in the second-floor hallway or sitting in the old theater. Others have reported a stern man in what looks like a West Point uniform and the soft sound of a Native American woman singing to a baby.

WSKG made a documentary about the mansion called Alonzo’s Ghost. It explores the mansion’s history and the ghost stories around it. The general belief among museum staff is that the presence is Alonzo Roberson Jr., the man who built the mansion and lived and died there.

Binghamton’s American Legion Post 80 Has a Paranormal Reputation

American Legion Post 80 in Binghamton, also known as the Leighton Mansion, has been rumored to be paranormally active for years. Dream Seekers Paranormal investigated and reported that their flashlights turned on and off in response to their questions. The team also said motion balls moved in response to questions, and they tried to reach out to a young girl rumored to haunt the grounds.

More Haunted Places in Binghamton and the Southern Tier

If you want a ghost story close to home, the list keeps going. Visit Binghamton says there are three sites on the Haunted History Trail in Binghamton and Broome County, including the Phelps Mansion, built in 1870 for Sherman D. Phelps, the city’s fifth mayor. The site says people have reported spirits in period clothing there.

My own gallery of the 10 most haunted places in the Southern Tier also includes Binghamton’s “Witch House” at 310 Conklin Avenue, which neighbors call one of the area’s oldest homes.

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New York Ranks Eighth Among the Most Haunted States

In the same study, New York ranked eighth among the country’s most haunted states, with a spooky score of 48.23 out of 100. The study looked at haunted locations, ghost towns, UFO reports, Bigfoot reports, and ghost sightings.

New York had 349 haunted locations and 12 ghost towns. It also logged 6,410 UFO reports, 123 Bigfoot reports, and 1,996 ghost sightings.

Binghamton’s 22 reports make up roughly one percent of the state’s total. Newark Valley, with 40 reports, has nearly twice as many.