New York’s Most Haunted Borough: A Deadly Plague Quarantine and Mansions Haunted by Ghosts

On Staten Island, often described as New York City’s most haunted borough, abandoned hospitals, historic forts and a mansion with a bloody Mafia past stand side by side. Experts trace the island’s eerie reputation to its dark history, although many ghost stories remain unsubstantiated legends.

“If you’re seriously interested in ghosts and want to know where to find the most of them, head to Staten Island. They’re literally everywhere,” says Andrea Janes, founder of Boroughs of the Dead, a tour company that explores New York’s most mysterious locations.

For centuries, the island was used to isolate people suffering from dangerous infectious diseases. In 1799, city authorities opened a marine hospital there to treat patients with yellow fever, smallpox and other infections. Known as the Quarantine, the facility operated until 1858, when angry residents, fearing the spread of disease, burned the entire complex to the ground.

In 1913, Sea View Hospital opened on the island to treat tuberculosis patients. They were prescribed fresh air, sunlight and nutritious food, but many failed to survive.

The Horrors of Willowbrook

One of Staten Island’s most disturbing locations, according to Janes, is the site of what is now the College of Staten Island. It was once home to Willowbrook State School, a residential institution for people with developmental disabilities.

The facility opened in 1948. In 1972, journalist Geraldo Rivera produced a documentary exposing the appalling conditions in which patients were kept, including overcrowding, filth and neglect by staff. Some children were also reportedly subjected to medical experiments.

Willowbrook closed in 1987, and part of the property was taken over by the college six years later. Most of the buildings were converted into classrooms and offices, but the underground tunnels remain. The former institution has since become the subject of numerous paranormal stories.

“I wouldn’t take a tour group there. It’s too sad a place,” Janes admits.

The Ghost of a Murdered Maid

Among the island’s oldest landmarks with a sinister reputation is the Billop Conference House, built in the late 17th century. In the autumn of 1776, American colonists and British representatives met there in an attempt to negotiate peace. The talks failed, and the war continued.

The house is associated with a legend about the murder of a maid by its owner, Christopher Billop, a supporter of the British Crown. However, there is no historical evidence to confirm that the crime took place.

Nevertheless, visitors claim to have seen the ghost of a young woman and the silhouettes of British soldiers. Neighbors have reported hearing male screams and singing, as well as a woman’s cries.

The area’s eerie reputation may have even deeper historical roots. It is home to Burial Ridge, the largest Native American burial ground in New York City, which predates the arrival of Europeans.

Ghosts at Fort Wadsworth

Fort Wadsworth, on the island’s northeastern shore, is considered one of the longest-operating military installations in US history. It became a public park in 1994, after which reports of strange occurrences began to emerge.

Visitors claim to have seen the ghosts of fallen soldiers walking through walls, as well as vintage cars appearing unexpectedly. Others report hearing footsteps, gunshots and artillery fire. Some have even noticed the smell of tobacco smoke or cooking food, despite there being no kitchen on the premises.

“Something strange is going on there,” Janes says.

A Mansion With a Mafia Past

The most sinister location on the island, according to the expert, is the Kreischer Mansion on Arthur Kill Road.

German-born brick magnate Balthasar Kreischer built the mansion in 1885 for his son Edward. Nine years later, the young man was found shot dead near the family’s brick factory. Unable to determine whether his death was a murder or suicide, relatives began holding séances in the house. Local legends suggest these gatherings may have opened the door to supernatural forces.

In 2005, the mansion became the scene of the brutal murder of Robert McKelvey, who was connected to the Bonanno crime family. According to the report, the perpetrators strangled and dismembered him before burning his remains in the mansion’s furnace.

Today, visitors report seeing silhouettes in the windows, furniture moving on its own, dishes crashing and piercing screams coming from empty rooms.