
The Legend of 432 Abercorn Street
Posted: 05.16.2021 | Updated: 01.28.2025
Is 432 Abercorn Street Savannah’s most haunted house?

In a city full of haunted houses, few in Savannah have seen more haunts than the house on 432 Abercorn Street. This Georgian haunted house is well-known for its terrifying legends, from being built on a slave burial ground to being the site of several murders. Though some say the stories are exaggerated, others say there’s plenty of truth to the legends.
The house on 432 Abercorn was recently privately owned by an unknown person, with their own rumors swirling around the city. The house isn’t open to the public, though many venture near the house hoping to see ghosts.
Before we dive into the history and spirits at 432 Abercorn, book a tour with Savannah Ghosts if you have an interest in seeing this building with your own two eyes!
The History of 432 Abercorn
Before the house on 432 Abercorn was built, the land around Abercorn Street was used as a slave burial site like many other places in and around Savannah. It’s not a surprise, considering that the city of Savannah was built on the backs of slaves, that their houses would literally be built on their graves too.
Construction for 432 Abercorn broke ground in the 1860s, and the Wilson family moved in shortly after its completion in 1869. The house cost $20,000 to build, which today equates to about $650,000.
The Wilson Family Tragedy
Benjamin Wilson was a Civil War veteran. The South lost, but Wilson survived and was determined to gain influence in Savannah. Wilson, his wife, and his daughter all lived in the house. The Wilsons were living in the house for just a few months when Mrs. Wilson fell ill with Yellow Fever, passing months later.
Mr. Wilson was devastated. Already a harsh man from the combat of the Civil War, he fell into a deep depression but bottled up his emotions. Unfortunately, he took his anger out on his daughter.
Wilson began to dish out cruel and unusual punishments when she disobeyed or to spoke back to him. He would spank her, refuse her meals, and lock her in an empty room. One day, she went out to play with some of the other children in the neighborhood. Mr. Wilson went out to check on his daughter and saw that she was playing with some of the Black kids from the orphanage few blocks over.
He brought her inside and scolded her harshly, believing that his daughter was too good to be friends with children of color. She didn’t heed his warning. The next day, she went and played with them again. Mr. Wilson was fuming.
Cruel Punishment
He wanted to punish her in a way that would send a message to her friends; that they were not to associate with his daughter. He took her to a room on the second floor and tied her to her chair by her ankles and wrists, leaving her in front of the window for the children of the neighborhood to see. She kicked, screamed, and begged for mercy.

Wilson left her bound for days during one of the worst heat waves Savannah’s ever seen. It didn’t take long for Benjamin Wilson’s daughter to succumb to the heat. By the time Wilson came to release his child a few days later, she had long since passed away. Wilson panicked. He untied his daughter, and her lifeless body fell into his arms.
The crime went unpunished. Wilson had become too influential in Savannah for the police to take him in. The crime was swept under the rug but Wilson wasn’t forgiven. The ghost of his daughter was still out for revenge, tormenting her father and haunting him in his sleep.
The ghost followed him around the house, often making an appearance in the second-floor room where she died, determined to drive her father mad. A week after his daughter’s murder, Wilson grabbed his revolver and sat down in the chair where he murdered his daughter and shot himself in the head as he looked through the window.
Triple Murder at 432 Abercorn
Sometime in the 1950s and 60s, a small family was living at 432 Abercorn. A husband, wife, and their two daughters lived happily in the house. One holiday season, they invited their family friends to stay in the house during the winter break, who also had two daughters. Throughout their vacation, the adults went out to enjoy the town while the four girls stayed home watching TV and playing board games.
The two families were having a grand time. On the last night of their vacation, the adults stayed out longer than usual, celebrating their final night out. They came home to find three of the girls brutally murdered, and one hiding in the closet, shaking with fear.
The girls were found sliced open with their organs removed, their bodies twisted into the shape of a triangle. This leads some to believe that the Illuminati is behind the murder.
To this day, the murders remain unsolved, further shrouding the house at 432 Abercorn in mystery.
The House at 432 Abercorn Today

The house at 432 Abercorn is a private residence, though it attracts tons of tourists and ghost hunters hoping to catch a glimpse of the paranormal. The owners aren’t particularly well-known, which has led to rumors about who they might be.
Some say the house belongs to the young girl who survived the triple murder. Others say the house is belongs to the leader of the East Coast chapter of the Church of Satan. He uses the house for Satanic rituals, feeding off the dark energy.
The disappearance of a student from SCAD who stayed at 432 Abercorn is said to be evidence of the rumor. Apparently, he was a sacrifice for a Satanic ritual.
Of course, the truth is that the most recent owners were simply private people that didn’t like rumors like this spreading. As of 2023, 432 Abercorn Street has been listed on Zillow for $5.5 Million and is still available to purchase. Perhaps the ghosts proved to be too much for the last owners.
Haunted Savannah
Savannah is one of the oldest cities in America. It’s also one of the most haunted, often compared to other haunted cities like Salem and New Orleans. Thinking about coming down to Savannah?
Spend a night at the East Bay Inn! This renovated hotel was once a cotton warehouse during the Civil War era. Today, friendly ghost named Charlie haunts the hotel. He hangs out in Room 325, but he also wanders around the hotel, peeking into guest rooms looking for things to steal.
This is just one of the many spooky spots in Savannah, check out the top ten most haunted spots in Savannah for more! Book your tour with Savannah Terrors to get an insider scoop and in-person look at some of these spots while you’re in the city.
Follow our blog, Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram for more spooky places!
Sources:
- https://exemplore.com/paranormal/The-Most-Haunted-House-in-Savannah-Georgia
- https://www.wardarch.com/benjamin-wilson-house
- https://househistory.com/432-abercorn-street-savannah-ga-historic-and-haunted/
- https://random-times.com/2020/07/15/432-abercorn-street-one-of-savannahs-most-haunted-houses-between-history-and-urban-legends/
- https://discover.hubpages.com/travel/The-Most-Haunted-House-in-Savannah-Georgia
- https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/432-Abercorn-St-Savannah-GA-31401/14154481_zpid/
Book A Savannah Terrors Tour And See For Yourself
Walk the spirit-filled streets of Savannah on a spooky ghost tour of one of the nation’s most haunted cities.
Join Savannah Terrors for a terrifying look into the city’s dark past filled with stories of war, destruction, and the ghosts that stalk the darkest corners of this charming city.