The Spirits of the Hay House

Posted: 03.17.2025 | Updated: 03.17.2025

A house stands 85 miles south of Atlanta. One would be tempted to call it a mansion, their eyes tracing from the grand entrance staircase up its brick walls to its towering two-story coppola. Every inch of its spacious rooms pays homage to the beauty of European art, from its stained glass windows to its dominating archways—Hay House. 

It’s no wonder it was called the “Palace of the South” from its earliest days. In its 160-plus years of existence, the house has acquired numerous updates and renovations. However, it has also attracted the attention of spirits who once called this place home. 

There’s a whole other side to Atlanta, a world filled with ghosts and tales of the unknown. Gather your courage and venture through some of the city’s most haunted spots on a ghost tour with Atlanta Ghosts! Visit our website today, while time is limited. Be sure to also check our blog for more spooky stories from its most haunted locations.

Is Hay House Haunted?

It was crowned the “Palace of the South” for its striking contrast to Georgia’s common architectural style. However, something darker hides behind its elegant appearance. The spirits of its former tenants lurk behind its double French doors and walk under its grand arches to the present day. 

History of the Hay House

The Johnson-Felton-Hay House, more succinctly known as the Hay House, was built in the late 1850s by William Butler Johnston and his wife, Anne Clark. It was after the wealthy couple took an extended honeymoon through Europe several years earlier, an experience that stuck with them. 

At its completion, their new Italian-Renaissance-style home stood out from the commonly built Greek Revival architecture of Georgia’s Antebellum period. The halls were filled with mementos from their trip, including porcelains, sculptures, and paintings. Adding to its uniqueness, the house was equipped with amenities considered revolutionary for the 18th century, such as central heat, gas lighting, and an elaborate ventilation system. 

The 18,000-square-foot, four-level home stayed in the Johnston family for decades. It was passed down to the youngest daughter, Mary Ellen, and her husband, William H. Felton. Hay continued upgrading and remodeling the house, including adding electricity and plumbing. Their last descendants to own the house passed away in 1926. For whatever reason, its heirs sold it to Parks Lee Hay, founder of the Banker’s Health & Life Insurance Company. 

Hay substantially redecorated the house to reflect the constantly evolving innovative landscape of the 20th century. However, with his wife’s death in 1962, its heirs decided to repurpose it as a museum. They officially transferred ownership to the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation in 1977, the same organization that still operates it today as an officially designated national historic landmark. 

However, some believe the story doesn’t end there for the Hay house, or for the spirits that still roam its halls. 

Hauntings Overview

Staff and visitors in the Hay House have consistently reported a sense of feeling watched over the years. However, when they turn around, no one is there. Others have supposedly reported hearing strange disembodied voices throughout the house, along with feeling various cold spots and seeing lights flickering.

It’s also not unheard of for the spirits of Hay House to play pranks on staff and contractors. Tools and objects have gone missing, and more terrifyingly, have inexplicably been slid across the floor by an unseen force. There have also been cases of full-bodied apparitions appearing, such as in a 2010 paranormal investigation that was conducted in the house. 

There is one ghost in particular who is seen the most often, and word has it she leaves a mess in her wake. 

Mary Ellen Felton

A woman wearing 1800s clothing is often seen roaming the halls of the house. It’s not definitive who she is, but the staff heavily presumes it’s none other than the ghost of Mary Ellen Felton — the youngest daughter of the house’s first owners.

A tour member once saw her apparition rummaging through an antique set of drawers, as though she was looking for something. Whatever it may be, the staff would surely be glad to help her, as it’s not the only time she’s done this, apparently. The drawers have often been found in disarray, usually before opening the museum for the day.

It leaves an interesting question that may never be answered: what could Mary Ellen be looking for so fervently that her spirit is forever bound to the house in search of it? 

Haunted Atlanta 

Atlanta is filled to the brim with otherworldly spirits bound to the world of the living. From the Ellis Hotel to Oakland Cemetery, chilling tales of otherworldly encounters creep around every corner. However, one spot stands out from the rest: a jewel of the eye that leaves onlookers enthralled yet frightened.

The historic Hay House stands 85 miles south of Atlanta, in the heart of Macon, Georgia. A perfect blend of the past and present, with its heavy European influence and amenities unheard of in its infancy. It’s also where the ghosts of its past walk among the living, roaming its halls, making sure its timeless perfection is never disturbed. 

Georgia is the perfect place to get a true taste of southern hospitality and a terrifying ghostly encounter. Come see for yourself by visiting and booking a ghost tour on our website today with Atlanta Ghosts!  In the meantime, stay connected with us on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok for chilling updates. 

Sources:

• https://atlantaghosts.com/
• https://www.hayhousemacon.org/history/the-people/
• https://ghostlandia.media/2022/11/10/the-haunted-history-of-the-hay-house/
• https://www.13wmaz.com/article/news/local/hay-houses-haunted-history-ghost-tour/93-f9dffd56-8ade-4da4-ae70-5dc3539e833d
• https://macon-newsroom.com/11766/news/learn-about-the-hay-houses-haunted-history-with-a-ghost-tour/