West Virginia's Creepy County Courthouses

Over the years, my research into the haunted history of West Virginia has allowed me to collect ghost stories, strange encounters, and other bits of weirdness from all over the state.  I've looked into haunted hospitals, phantom-filled restaurants, spooky cemeteries, and so much more.  And, I've come to realize something...West Virginia has a LOT of creepy county courthouses!  Out of WV's 55 counties, I've collected at least five courthouses with an established haunted reputation, but I'm sure there are more out there!  Please take a second to click through the links for more information on each of these haunted government buildings, and let me know if you have any stories from any of West Virginia's other 50 county courthouses!  

Mercer County Courthouse

1. Mercer County Courthouse:  Located in Princeton, construction of the Mercer County Courthouse began in 1930, with the building officially opening the following year. Activity includes shadow beings, phantom voices, unexplained noises, and even full-bodied apparitions that disappear right in front of one's eyes!  The staircase connecting the upper and lower levels of the former on-site jail seems to be the most haunted area of the courthouse, but spooky experiences have been reported from all areas. 

Wyoming County Courthouse

2. Wyoming County Courthouse:  The Wyoming County Courthouse is located in Pineville and was built in 1916. On January 18, 1935, Virgil A. Cook, the County Clerk for Wyoming County, was working late in his office one evening when he died a tragic death from drinking carbolic acid.  It is unknown whether the death was a suicide, a murder, or simply an accident, but it is believed that Cook's ghost is still haunting the courthouse. 

Greenbrier County Courthouse

3. Greenbrier County Courthouse: The Greenbrier County Courthouse, located in historic Lewisburg, is the oldest courthouse on the list.  Although its been renovated and added onto, the main section of the building dates back to 1837. In addition to it being the oldest courthouse on the list, it also can claim the weirdest ghost story!  Like many courthouses throughout West Virginia, at least at one time the building held the county jail.  For years, people have believed that former criminals have haunted the building, but two teenagers actually SAW something that may back up those claims.  They report seeing a misty apparition of a man, holding a knife, who chased them around the building!

Raleigh County Courthouse

4. Raleigh County Courthouse: Located in Beckley, the Raleigh County Courthouse was built in the late 1930s around the older courthouse, which dates back to 1894.  The jury room is said to house the ghost of a woman who wears a red dress.  Who she is, no one knows for sure, but it is believed that she is either a former employee or a family member of someone whose life was changed by a conviction received here in the courtrooms.

Monroe County Courthouse

5. Monroe County Courthouse: Located in Union, the Monroe County Courthouse has a host of ghosts!  The disembodied voice of a man is heard mumbling in the basement, where the old jail was located. Perhaps this old man is the same entity that has a penchant for Halloween candy!  One October, several witnesses saw a bucket of Halloween candy slide across a counter and fall to the floor. Security cameras have supposedly caught apparitions in the courtroom, and at least one helpful ghost has been known to help reset the clocks for Daylight Savings Time!  The current building was completed around 1882.