The High House | Decatur’s Haunted House

Posted: 02.10.2025 | Updated: 02.10.2025

Decatur, Georgia, an elegant tree-swallowed neighborhood in Atlanta, is a place far removed from the days of its Civil War past. During the conflict, Atlanta was burned, homes razed, and railroads destroyed as a wave of war consumed all around. 

However, tucked neatly on Sycamore Street, in a neighborhood by the same name, is one of the nation’s most precious pre-civil war buildings and the first two-story construction in Decatur, Georgia.

While the ravages of war have long left Decatur, the High House stood witness through it all, even playing host to a famed Union Army General. March into the unknown on an Atlanta Ghost Tour.

Who Haunts The High House?

The wounds of war upon the Atlanta suburbs have long since healed. The High House remains as it has since the early 19th century, resolute throughout. Most recently, a law firm made the grand old structure its home. 

However, the historic building is on the market at the time of writing. For just shy of a cool million dollars, you could own this business-zoned property and own a lasting piece of American history. 

That price may seem attractive for all interested parties, but let the buyer beware. The law firm and the previous tenants may have come and gone, but it is heavily suggested that there may very well be a permanent spectral resident who is none too happy with sharing the space with the living. 

The History Of The High House And Decatur, GA

Decatur, Georgia, named after Stephen Decatur, an American naval hero of the War of 1812, has been described as an ‘urban/suburban paradise’ with all the amenities of a more metropolitan area tucked neatly in a more sleepy, tree-lined, quaint area with neighborhood charm. 

The origins of Decatur stretch far further back than the modern and thriving little settlement that exists today. The suburb of Atlanta was settled on the intersection of two Native American trails. European settlers, mainly of Scottish, English, and Irish descent, were drawn to the area for work opportunities. Mostly farmers and skilled laborers, these hardy souls saw an opportunity for land and life to be bettered in the climate and surroundings. Decatur became an important farm trading post and the site of extensive stone quarrying. 

The earliest settlers were greeted by wide open space and only a smattering of structures that had risen up from the land. One of the earliest of these residences was the High House. Built around 1830 and considered Decatur’s first two-story residence, this elegant period construct still stands proudly today. 

Sycamore Street, where the High House is proudly perched, is home to some of the area’s largest and most historic homes, predating the larger influx of workers and settlers. Sycamore Street was originally known as Covington Street, as it was on the stagecoach route that ferried travelers from Augusta to Covington, Madison, and Eatonton.

There Goes General Sherman 

The July 22nd, 1864 Battle of Atlanta and the wider Atlanta Campaign were pivotal moments in the American Civil War. They can be cited as helping force Abraham Lincoln’s re-election to President Of The United States. 

Confederate forces under General John Bell Hood were overwhelmed by the Union Army as General William Tecumseh Sherman laid siege to the city. Shelling and burning took a heavy toll as Atlanta, an important rail and industry hub for the Confederacy, fell into Union hands. 

War weariness was rife in the north, and the Battle of Atlanta and its subsequent capture are said to have reinvigorated Union morale and support for Lincoln, whose reflection had seemed under threat. 

Decatur witnessed the attack in full view as a segment of Union troops used the suburb town to approach and ultimately defeat Confederate forces. Despite it’s close proximity to the ensuing violence that changed the face of Atlanta, Decatur and its historic homes survived. 

As General Sherman gathered his forces to march further onward and leave the ruins of Atlanta, it is said that he stopped at the High House to water the horses and take stock before his next stop on the Union campaign. 

From Native American trails to a stagecoach route and MARTA stations, General Sherman’s visit to the High House adds historical celebrity to both the residence and the area as a waypoint to history and witness to both the passage of peoples and times. 

With Decatur historically a passing point between destinations had the battle of Atlanta ended in defeat for Union forces, the very course of American history could have itself taken a different trail. 

The Haunting Of The High House

The elegant and historical building most recently served as a law office, but its age and surrounding history mean it has been the location where many people’s lives and stories have been lived and told. 

The specter of war and a changing America have all passed by the High House; with each change, death has never been far from view. From European settlers and their land struggles with the indigenous people of the land to the roar of shells and rifles, many souls have wandered in Decatur and DeKalb Count,y where the suburb is located. 

Many aged and historically noted buildings from the Civil War and early settlers have ghostly fables that swirl around them. The High House does not escape this infamy.

What perhaps makes this location unique is the nature of the haunting. Many historical locations can lay claim to a spirit or unnerving phenomenon. Still, in most cases, the haunting is described as benign or even a welcome presence—however, reports from the High House point to a very different and inescapably darker kind of manifestation. 

The otherworldly occupier of the High House has exhibited all the rage and venom of a malignant poltergeist. Anything but benign, this spirit of malintent has been known to laugh cruelly at visitors and flicker lights on and off, creating a palpable sense of dread in those who have experienced this malicious host. 

Decatur’s Deadly Haunted House

One visitor was shockingly temporarily paralyzed by this angry spook. While touring the property, one guest collapsed after experiencing a presence, was unable to walk, and complained that his legs wouldn’t work. 

After being helped out of the haunted property, the visitor regained the use of his limbs. Disembodied footsteps have been heard in the otherwise empty two-story building, while glimpses of a dark and shadowy apparition have been seen on the High House grounds. This eerie figure has left no clues about its identity or true intent. 

Perhaps most shockingly, another visitor to the High House was terrified to feel a painful sensation upon his skin. When the startled man’s shirt was removed for inspection, red claw marks could be seen upon his back. The dread others have experienced appears to be founded in common sense. 

It bears consideration that while history has placed both Decatur, Georgia, and The High House as places on the way to somewhere else, something, or even the remains of someone, maybe very unhappy about others spending too long there before moving on. 

Haunted Georgia

While cities such as Savannah and Atlanta have their own spooky tales and historical monuments, the quaint beauty and puzzling darkness of the High House specter tells its own fascinating story, perhaps posing more questions than answers. 

From its lush forest background and pretty suburban chill, both Decatur and the High House perhaps merit asking a few questions of your own. Pose the questions on an Atlanta Ghost Tour.

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Sources:

• https://www.britannica.com/place/Decatur-Georgia
• https://www.decaturga.com/community/page/historic-decatur
• https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/spirits-linger-in-some-of-dekalb-s-oldest-and-eeriest-places/article_0cdd887e-9645-11e6-bb62-f7fc2ca68214.html
• https://warwashere.com/tag/high-house-decatur