Looking for haunted places in Des Moines, Iowa? All cities have urban legends and haunts, and Des Moines is no exception. In fact, haunted Des Moines actually has quite a few high schools on the list. (Students and faculty, beware!) Here are eight haunted places in Des Moines that will send chills down your spine.

1. Lincoln High School
Lincoln High School, 2600 SW 9th St, Des Moines, IA 50315, USA
Google Maps
One of the most haunted places in Des Moines, most of the activity here goes on in the auditorium’s balcony. There have been reports of unexplained lights flashing on and off in the light booth, the seats of wooden folding chairs swinging up and down, cold spots, curtains mysteriously rustling with no breeze, and unexplained noises like tapping on the stage floor and banging on balcony seats. In the paint room, people have also reported feeling watched and even had the strange feeling of invisible fingers running up and down their backs. Creepy. For more information on the school, head to the website for Lincoln High School.
2. Des Moines International Airport (The Cloud Room)
Des Moines International Airport, 5800 Fleur Dr, Des Moines, IA 50321, USA
Facebook/DSM International Airport
Today, there are offices in a spot that originally housed a restaurant named the Cloud Room, which operated in the 60s and 70s. People have reported seeing a deceased flight attendant who walks the empty hallways with a bag as if confused and looking for her flight. There have also been many cold spots and unexplained noises in and around the Cloud Room. Learn more about Des Moines International Airport.
3. Dowling Catholic High School
Dowling Catholic High School, 1400 Buffalo Rd, West Des Moines, IA 50265, USA
Facebook/Dowling Catholic High School
At this haunted Des Moines spot, there have been reports of people sighting a mysterious purple orb around the school. Learn more about Dowling Catholic High School.
4. Drake University Observatory
Drake Municipal Observatory, 4898 Observatory Rd, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA
Flickr/brian.abeling
This observatory is said to be haunted by Dr. Robert Morehouse, the first chairman of the Astronomy and Physics department. He and his wife’s remains are interred in the wall of the entryway. Students have reported strange things going on in the basement, like the feeling of being watched by an invisible presence and even an unseen force that was correcting calculations in the observation logs! Read more about this spot and other haunted places in Iowa.
5. Spooky table at the Weaver House
1942 Francis Ave, Des Moines, IA 50314, USA
Flickr/David Clow
You've probably heard of haunted houses in Des Moines, but have you ever heard of a haunted table? The legend goes that the Weavers purchased a table in 1937, and along with the table, there was also a ghost. It is said to have made rapping noises and other disturbances until a minister's wife calmed it by reading from the Bible.
6. Terrace Hill
Terrace Hill Historic Site, 2300 Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA
Flickr/Jimmy Emerson, DVM
Home to the governor of Iowa, Terrace Hill is also the home of the ghost of a transparent little girl who wanders around it. She also likes to work the elevator in this haunted place in Des Moines, although it’s supposedly operator code-protected. Get all the details about visiting Terrace Hill.
7. East High School
East High School, 815 E 13th St, Des Moines, IA 50316, USA
Facebook/Des Moines East High School
There have been reports of students seeing a glowing blue light in a restroom. Before the flash, there were sparks of electricity on the faucet when a student reached for it. In the school’s 150-year-old history, there have been at least four deaths in the school. Get more information about East High School.
8. Merle Hay Mall Tower
Merle Hay Mall, 3800 Merle Hay Rd, Des Moines, IA 50310, USA
Facebook/Merle Hay Mall
According to local legend, there was a monastery where the tower is now, and an occasional nun would become pregnant and have a miscarriage. They buried the babies in unmarked graves on the grounds where the mall now stands. People have reported seeing a ghostly woman wearing an old-style habit who cries as she carries a dead child. People who work in the tower have also reported the elevator moving up and down on its own and hearing disembodied footsteps in the hallways. This is definitely one of the most haunted places in Des Moines. Learn more about this and other Iowa ghost stories.

Have you experienced any of these haunted places in Des Moines? What about haunted abandoned places in Des Moines? Tell us about it in the comments!

If you’re looking for more scares, check out these 10 hauntings In Iowa.

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haunted places in des moines

Rachel Raimondi | August 22, 2022

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