A Pirate’s Haunting: Ghost Stories of ECU

ECU is home to so much rich history, and some of it is a little spooky! Keep reading for a “Ghost Walk” tour of campus.

There’s something supernatural lurking through our campus. When game day is finally over and the sun goes down, students and staff return to their homes as our beloved ECU becomes a ghost town.
Like many other universities, East Carolina has its share of ghost stories to tell around the bonfire. However, something that ECU does have that other universities don’t is a class dedicated to teaching students about folklore and the supernatural.
English 2570 is taught by Dr. Andrea Kitta who specializes in folklore. As a class project, Dr. Kitta has her students research some of the legends surrounding campus and organize a ghost walk around campus that is open to the public each year (due to COVID, the ghost walk has been on hold).
We encourage you to take a walk with friends and family to our well-known ghost sites and learn about ECU’s most bone-chilling stories. Here’s a sneak peek of what you may find:

The Ghosts of Messick Theatre Arts Center
If you pay attention, you might be able to hear the echoing footsteps of school children running up and down the halls or see their grey figures fading in and out of walls. We may never know for sure what bound them to Messick, but then again, not many are willing to find out.

Unsettling Showers in Cotton Dormitory
As the story goes, one night on the east side of the third floor, one student may have changed Cotton’s reputation forever. For years, stall doors have continued to shake and creak. Showers and lights turn on and off by themselves. You’ll never know if you’re ever truly alone, as it seems that these ghosts love to travel.

Twilight at Christenbury Gym
The unfortunate fate of a housekeeping staff member and a student who drowned in the pool. A series of unfortunate events leaves Christenbury Gym dark at all hours. Doors shut themselves with no explanation and if you look closely, you might be able to see the shadow of a man in the upper window of the gym watching for new visitors.

Want to dive a little deeper into the spooky history of ECU? Take yourself on a live walking tour while watching this video for all details on various campus buildings, including some eyewitness accounts.

More information on Dr. Kitta’s Supernatural Class can be found here.

Thanks for reading! We hope you have a safe and fun Halloween.