**Meet the Famous Phantoms of Manhattan’s Upper West Side**
The Upper West Side of Manhattan is not only known for its vibrant community and historic architecture but also for its rich paranormal history. Authors Leanna Renee Hieber and Andrea Janes recently joined Localish to share eerie tales from their book, *America’s Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger than Fiction*. Hieber also leads ghost tours for Janes’ company, Boroughs of the Dead, where visitors explore New York City’s haunted landmarks on foot.
Hieber describes the Upper West Side as a lively neighborhood, remarking that its paranormal stories are just as vibrant and relational as its day-to-day life. One prime example is the iconic Dakota Apartments at West 72nd Street and Central Park West, a building long associated with ghostly legends.
### The Dakota Apartments: Ghost Stories From the Start
The Dakota has been the focus of ghost stories since it was built. One of its most notable spirits is Edward Clark, the man who developed the Dakota in the 1880s. According to Hieber, “Edward Clark had made all his money by being the lawyer who helped Isaac Singer get the patents for the Singer Sewing Machine.” The fortune from the sewing machine venture was invested into what skeptics initially called “Clark’s Folly,” due to the building’s location on what was then a sparsely populated Upper West Side.
Clark died in 1882 before the Dakota was completed, but his spirit is said to have lingered to ensure the building’s upkeep. Workmen have reported seeing a figure around the building, and upon seeing a picture of Edward Clark, have exclaimed, “That’s the guy who was watching over some of the renovations through the years.”
### Famous Tenants and Haunting Tales
Among the Dakota’s most famous residents were John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Hieber reveals that Ono has spoken about instances where she witnessed her late husband’s spirit appear in their apartment to reassure her. Lennon was tragically shot and killed outside the Dakota’s entrance in 1980, adding a poignant layer to the building’s ghost stories.
Interestingly, the basement level of the Dakota was once home to Boris Karloff, famed for his role as Frankenstein’s monster. Legend has it that children were too frightened to trick-or-treat at the building because of its spooky reputation.
Movie fans might recognize the Dakota’s exterior from the 1968 horror classic *Rosemary’s Baby*. Just a few blocks away, Central Park houses “Spook Central” and Tavern on the Green, both featured in the 1984 film *Ghostbusters*.
### Spirits in Central Park
Central Park’s Boat Pond is said to be haunted by the ghosts of the Van Der Voort sisters, two Victorian-era siblings who enjoyed ice skating. Their story has endured beyond the 19th century, with tales suggesting that they continue to skate in the afterlife—right in the shadow of the Dakota Apartments.
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For those intrigued by New York’s gothic history and ghostly lore, *America’s Most Gothic: Haunted History Stranger than Fiction* is now available on Amazon and other booksellers. Dive into these chilling tales and uncover the haunted heart of America’s most iconic city neighborhoods.
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