Albany is the capital city of New York State. It is where the Empire State Plaza is as well as the New York State Museum. It is known for its rich history and being one of the original colonies of the United States that remain not abandoned to this day.

A photo of the skyline of Albany, New York. (Link: https://capitalizealbany.com/news-events/2011/01/new-apartments-coming-to-downtown-albany/)

Albany is also known as the city where the New York State Capital is. It is not only known as the seat of the New York State government, but also a popular destination for haunted trips.

The New York State Capitol as seen from the outside. (Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Capitol)

History Of The New York State Capitol

The New York State Capitol is part of the Empire State Plaza. It was built in 1899 for $25 million. Because of such price tag for its construction, it is said to be the most expensive government building ever erected during its time.

An illustration of the old New York State Capitol. (Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_State_Capitol)

A total of three teams of architects worked together to design the Capitol. One of the architects was actually the one who designed the Canadian Parliament buildings in Ottawa. More on the design of the New York State Capitol, the ground floor is said to be influenced by the Classical and Romanesque style. The rest of the building, such as the legislative chambers and the fourth floor, were all Victorian-modified Romanesque.

The New York State Capitol is open to the people from Monday through Friday starting at 7 in the morning until 7 in the evening. There are guided tours on the same days scheduled at 10 A.M., noon, 2 P.M., and 3 P.M. If you want to tour the New York State Capitol, you can ask about it at the Information Desk located in the State Street Lobby. Although the New York State Capitol is closed on weekends, they offer a tour ever second Saturday of the month at 11 A.M. and 1 P.M. However, for the weekend tour, you must make a reservation in advance.

If you want it the tour to be spookier, you can join the special Hauntings Tour held during October.

The New York State Capitol at night. (Link: https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/news/conservation/new-york-state-turns-off-lights-for-birds/)

The Famous Ghost At The New York State Capitol

Many staff and visitors have reported that they heard eerie noises and saw apparitions at night while they were at the New York State Capitol.

The most famous ghost is that of Samuel Abbott, a night watchman who died during a severe fire. The fire took place on March 29, 1911. He was the only one who died from the fire and was 78 years old then.

A photo of Samuel Abbott. (Link: https://www.milesgeek.com/hauntings-new-york-state-capitol)

He reportedly died because he wanted to save some of the records at the New York State Capitol’s Education Center section. He was spotted opening the windows in that section although the fire was already ongoing.

Abbott’s ghost is said to be the one who is reportedly usually haunting the area to this day. People reportedly hear his footsteps along the halls or turns the knobs in different rooms at night. Others have seen his apparition at the fourth floor of the New York State Capitol as this was where his remains were found.

A photo of the publication of the news regarding the fire that killed Abbott. (Link: https://www.timesunion.com/7day-state/article/Watchman-killed-in-great-Capitol-fire-to-be-11339869.php)

During one tour at the New York State Capitol, a visitor shared that while they were in one room, they heard a loud rattling of keys. The visitor shared, “It seems like a lot of them, changing together as someone struggles to open the door behind us. I watch the tour guide turn. He stops walking mid-sentence and whips his head around, startled. The noise stops abruptly.” The tour guide then looked at the visitor and asked if he heard it too. The visitor told the tour guide, “Maybe it’s Mr. Abbott, closing up for the night.”

A Ghost Of A Fruit Vendor

One female tour guide is said to have witnessed the apparition of another ghost haunting the New York State Capitol. Accordingly, she was already on her way out of the building when it happened. Before leaving, she made sure that all the doors were shut. However, when she got to one floor, she saw a dark shape fall to the floors below. She ran towards the courtyard but saw nothing in the yard.

She then talked to her co-workers the next day. She was told that there were no ghost sightings in the area where she saw the shape. As they researched more about it, they found out that there was a death exactly where she was that evening. It is believed that the tour guide saw the death of a fruit vendor who was working near the New York State Capitol. News reports claim that the fruit vendor entered the building after everyone else left for the night. He intended to commit suicide by jumping off the building as he has had problems regarding his finances. Her fell into the stones in the courtyard below and it resulted to his death.

Another Death At The New York State Capitol

Another death that took place at the New York State Capitol is that of a worker in 1878. Accordingly, the worker fell from scaffolding while he was plastering the ceilings in The State Assembly room. The incident took place on a Saturday night and no one found him until Monday morning. He was still alive, but the doctors could not save him because of the extent of his injuries.

It is believed that this worker also haunts the area as his life was cut short.

That Specific Stone Carving That Shows A Demon

One of the features that visitors always want to see is that specific stone carving that got a lot of attention. The carving was at the vaulted ceilings of the New York State Capitol and it included around 77 recognizable famous faces.  

The stone carvers were later allowed to carve a memory after they completed the commissioned faces. Some carved their wife’s face, others their daughter’s. One, however, is the face of a demon. Accordingly it is very small to even see, but because it’s already known, many are asking to see it.   

A photo of the demon that was carved at the New York State Capitol. (Link: https://www.milesgeek.com/hauntings-new-york-state-capitol)

During one tour, a man shared that the tour guide pointed out the carving with his flashlight. The man shared that the tour guide told him, “The story goes, if you can find this demon on your own, without help from another, you are, yourself, a devil. So, I’m a bit relieved that I had to point it out to you.”

New York State Capitol at night. (Link: https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/new-york-state-capitol-night.html)