Updated October 2023

Each year, Boston welcomes thousands of college students into its historic dorms and off campus apartments. When old buildings are met with a high turnover of young tenants, some peculiar stories that allegedly occurred within those buildings are bound to emerge. In the case of Boston University, many of these stories are paranormal in nature. From the spirit of a tortured playwright to the Boston Strangler, here are some of Boston University’s documented ghost stories:

Babe Ruth in 610 Beacon St. (formerly Myles Standish Hall)

What is now Boston University dorm 610 Beacon St., was once the Myles Standish Hotel. Baseball superstar Babe Ruth used to be a regular guest at the Standish Hotel. He favored room 818, and reportedly comes back to visit from time to time in the afterlife. Babe Ruth isn’t the only famous spirit with connections to the Standish Hotel—playwright Arthur Miller’s uncle committed suicide on the 9th floor. Miller based the main character of his play Death of a Salesman, on his uncle. Author Tom Ogden writes in his book Haunted Colleges and Universities, that students allege the presence of cold spots, and drawers opening by themselves.

Charlesgate Dorms

The Charlesgate Hotel was built in 1891, and was later purchased by Boston University in 1947 to be used as a dormitory. After Boston University sold it in 1973, the building was turned into tenement housing, and was purchased again in 1981 by Emerson College for use as a dormitory. The Charlesgate saw many people from many walks of life over the years, and endured several big renovations. Allegedly, the mafia executed people in the building, residents committed suicide, and a little girl died in an elevator shaft–although these stories cannot be entirely confirmed. Unlike the alleged benevolent spirit of Babe Ruth that haunts Myles Standish Hall, the spirits that haunt the Charlesgate are reportedly more sinister. This article by Emerson Today expands upon the haunted tales of the infamous building on the corner of Beacon Street and Charlesgate East. Some students reported sightings of dark figures in their rooms, toilets flushing unprompted, and alarms going off without being set. Others reported feelings of uneasiness, chills, and overall bad vibes. Whether the stories are true or not, we may never know. However, one thing is for certain: The Charlesgate’s reputation will always haunt it.

Boston Strangler in 515 Park Drive

One of the Boston Strangler’s very last victims, Patricia Bissette, was a resident of 515 Park Drive—now a BU dorm. Patricia’s body was found in December of 1962. Some residents of 515 Park Drive reported hearing footsteps in the middle of the night, and some people who have simply passed by the building have reported feeling uneasy.

Eugene O’Neill in Kilachand Hall

Before Boston University acquired Shelton Hall (later renamed Kilachand Hall), it was a luxury apartment building. Famous playwright Eugene O’Neill lived in unit 401 with his wife, Carlotta, in the mid 1900s. The pair reportedly had a tortured relationship and fought constantly. During his final days, O’Neill seldom left his apartment. O’Neill died in 1953, and Boston University bought the building in 1954 for use as a women’s dormitory. To this day, students report doors opening and closing, lights flickering, and mysterious knocking. Allegedly, elevator doors open without being sumoned, and the lights on the 4th floor of Kilachand Hall are perpetually dimmer than the other floors, with no explanation. Learn more about the ghost of Kilachand Hall on BU Today.