Most haunted houses have tragic and creepy histories behind them. Keep reading to find out what disturbing things happened at these homes, before and after, they were haunted.

Paintings Move On Their Own At The Pittock Mansion

Located in Portland, Oregon, the Pittock Mansion is one of the world’s most famous haunted sites. Visitors have reported witnessing supernatural phenomena while visiting the house, including paintings moving on their own.

The mansion was built by Henry and Georgiana Pittock in 1914. Although it was a happy place in the beginning, both husband and wife passed away within 10 years of living in the home they’d built together. Today, the site is a public landmark open to tourists and those with an interest in ghosts and ghouls.

A childhood portrait of Henry has often been spotted moving without being touched, leading many to believe that the mansion is haunted. It is also said that the scent of roses can sometimes be smelled throughout the rooms, even though there are no roses in the house. This may be a sign of Georgiana’s lingering presence since these were her favorite flowers.

A Slave Who Lived At The Myrtles Plantation Took Her Revenge On Her Master

Many haunted sites were once the scenes of great suffering or tragedy. That’s certainly the case with the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana, which is often referred to as one of the most haunted houses in the United States. The plantation was built on top of a burial ground in 1796 by General David Bradford. It was home to many slaves, including a young girl named Chloe, so there’s no doubt that it was a place of suffering and misery for decades. The story goes that Chloe was caught eavesdropping by her master and he punished her by cutting off her ear. In an act of revenge, Chloe secretly poisoned the master’s daughters. When her crime was discovered, she was hanged. The spirit of Chloe is said to still roam the rooms of the plantations, along with at least 11 other entities that have been spotted over the years. RELATED: 10 Best Haunted Tours In The USA

The Devil Is Said To Have Visited Ireland’s Ballinagarde House

Catholic ideologies have often found their way into Irish ghost stories, due to the country’s religious history. One of the most well-known stories is that of Ballingarde House, which is said to have been visited by the Devil himself. The house was built by the Croker family in County Limerick in 1774. One night, Captain Edward Croker was in his carriage when a mysterious cloaked figure appeared beside him on horseback. Croker invited the man back to his home for dinner (as you do). The dinner party seemed to be a success and the stranger stayed up all night with Croker, drinking and talking. In the morning, though, he collapsed. When the servant removed his boots, they found hairy hoofs in the place of feet. Ever since the crumbling and abandoned Ballingarde House has been considered to be one of Ireland’s most haunted sites. There’s even a phrase that exists in Ireland today that locals use to certify that something is fact: “As sure as the Devil was in Ballingarde.” RELATED: The 10 Most Haunted Cities In America

Several Violent Deaths Took Place At The Monte Cristo Homestead

The Monte Cristo Homestead is widely regarded as one of the most haunted sites in Australia and judging from the house’s devastating history, it’s easy to see why. The house was built by a farm owner in 1884, and following his death in 1910, his wife, Elizabeth Crawley, hid inside and spent the rest of her life as a recluse. Locals believe that Mrs. Crawley still haunts the house, still missing her husband. The ghost of a former maid is also said to haunt the house, after falling from the upstairs balcony and plummeting to her death. The coach house is believed to also be haunted following the passing of a stable boy who burned to death in his bed. For 40 years, a disabled man named Harold was tragically kept chained up in the caretaker’s cottage. His ghost is also said to wander the grounds, clanking chains to warn visitors when he’s approaching. RELATED: 10 Haunted Hotels In The UK You Can Actually Book

A Strangled Ghost Still Appears In Newton House

Lying within Dinefwr Park in Wales, Newton House is said to be haunted by Lady Elinor Cavendish, who was strangled to death in the house in the 1720s. She fled here but was followed by her abusive fiancé. He killed her in the house, which belonged to her cousin, leading locals to believe that her spirit never left. Staff working in the country house have reported several curious incidents, including the scent of cigar smoke present despite no cigars being smoked in the house, ghostly voices, and lights turning on and off by themselves. NEXT: The 10 Most Haunted Locations In Italy