Top Haunted Spots in Tempe: Spine-Tingling Halloween Haunts to Explore
As Halloween approaches, discover Tempe's legendary haunted sites. Founded in the late 1800s, the city retains historic buildings where ghostly apparitions reportedly linger, offering thrilling encounters for thrill-seekers.
Casey Moore’s Oyster House
850 S. Ash Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281
Tempe's premier haunted venue, Casey Moore’s Oyster House at Ninth Street and Ash Avenue, was built as a private home in 1910. Now a beloved seafood restaurant and pub with an excellent beer selection and outdoor patio, it's infamous for the ghost of Sarah—a fair-skinned woman with dark hair—strangled by a jealous lover in the Blue Room. Patrons and staff report sightings, especially after a few drinks.
Arizona State University Tempe Campus
ASU's Tempe campus hosts multiple paranormal hotspots. The Virginia G. Piper Writers House, once home to university presidents, is said to be haunted by Dixie Gammage, wife of former President Grady Gammage. Witnesses describe her strolling past second-story windows in a bathrobe and hat.
The Matthews Center, ASU's original 1930 library, features reports of a librarian's ghost from a fatal fire, plus a female specter in the basement—guaranteed to chill.
Palo Verde East dormitory allegedly saw a suicide in room 605, with sightings reported building-wide.
Hayden Flour Mill
119 S. Mill Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281
Tempe's iconic landmark, the 1918 Hayden Flour Mill—the oldest cast-in-place reinforced concrete structure here—stands vacant since 1998 after two prior mills burned. Its eerie shell evokes Tempe's agricultural roots, even without confirmed ghosts.
La Casa Vieja
1 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe, AZ 85281
Shadowed by the Flour Mill, this 1871 home built by founder Charles Trumbull Hayden served as Monti's La Casa Vieja steakhouse until 2014. Reports include flickering lights, self-opening cabinets, a cowboy apparition, and children's voices near the fountain where Carl Hayden's granddaughter Sally was buried. The West Coast Ghost and Paranormal Society confirmed activity.
Four Peaks Brewing Company
1340 E. 8th St. #104, Tempe, AZ 85281
This historic 8th Street brewpub harbors mysteries: odd noises, vanishing tools, and apparitions. Research revealed tragedies like nearby train wrecks and on-site deaths.
The Eisendrath House
1400 N. College Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281
Though unconfirmed for haunts, this 1930 adobe villa built by Chicago 'snowbird' Rose Eisendrath—after resort discrimination—offers rich history. Named Lomaki ('pretty home' in Hopi), it's now the Eisendrath Center for Water Conservation, hosting free classes. Tempe History Museum's Josh Roffler muses Rose may linger.
Tempe's spirits reflect its enduring charm. Enjoy a safe, festive Halloween with friendly frights. For more Tempe events, check the calendar or call 480-894-8158.
