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All the United States New York State New York City Rochester The White Lady's Castle

The White Lady's Castle

An old dining hall now serves up ghost stories for lusty locals.

Rochester, New York

Added By
Joseph Hedden
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White Lady’s Castle   impossiblesoul / Atlas Obscura User
White Lady’s Castle   impossiblesoul / Atlas Obscura User
Stairs lead ominously to the main castle wall.   impossiblesoul / Atlas Obscura User
Behind the castle   annaliesethegnome / Atlas Obscura User
6/2022   Gigi Johnson / Atlas Obscura User
In 2016, a white head briefly appeared on the wall.   derweze / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Nestled near a forest in Rochester, New York is a crumbling old foundation which looks not unlike a medieval castle, and although history tells us the structure was part of an early 20th century dining hall locals know this site is the White Lady's Castle.   

The actual building ruins located in Durand-Eastman Park were once part of a hotel dining hall that served swimmers in the nearby Lake Ontario. Now the site is little more than sets of curved steps leading up to a tall stone wall, the top of which serves as a sort of rampart. The overall impression is that of an ancient European castle fallen into ruin, so it is no wonder that a pervasive local legend has grown around the site.

As the story goes, the crumbling remains are all that is left of a stately home belonging to an over-protective mother and her daughter. One night, the daughter went out for a stroll and never returned. The mother, thinking that her daughter had run away with a young suitor went mad and continues to haunt any nubile young things that visit the remains of her home. Locals have reported seeing a white phantasm hovering over the ramparts of the former refectory and more dramatically, some have reported seeing the ghost flanked by a pair of spectral dogs that will chase anyone foolish enough to canoodle near the site.

The tale of the spectral "white lady" exists in a number of iterations the world over, but this ghost's "castle" may be the most effective in scaring lusty teens.

Related Tags

Castles Parks White Ladies Ghosts Will O Wisps And Spooklights Mystery Spots And Gravity Hills Architectural Oddities Architecture

Know Before You Go

Take 590 North Until you see the roundabouts, when it turns into Seabreeze Drive. At the fourth roundabout, make a left onto Durand Boulevard. Go through the stoplight and you are now on Sweet Fern Road. The White Lady's Castle is one mile on the left at the top of a low hill overlooking Lake Ontario.

Community Contributors

Added By

impossiblesoul

Edited By

derweze, annaliesethegnome, Gigi Johnson

  • derweze
  • annaliesethegnome
  • Gigi Johnson

Published

May 10, 2012

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Sources
  • http://rocwiki.org/Lady_In_White
  • http://www.weirdus.com/states/new_york/local_legends/white_lady_castle/
  • http://www.paranormalghostsociety.org/EastDurandPark.htm
The White Lady's Castle
1433 Lakeshore Boulevard
East Irondequoit
Rochester, New York, 14622
United States
43.236198, -77.557201
Get Directions

Nearby Places

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rochester

Rochester

New York

Places 25
Stories 2

Nearby Places

House of Guitars

Rochester, New York

miles away

Sam Patch's Grave

Rochester, New York

miles away

Holy Sepulchre Cemetery

Rochester, New York

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Rochester

Rochester

New York

Places 25
Stories 2

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