Founded in 1841, Fordham is no stranger to old tales and strange sightings. From a Finlay morgue to ghostly priests, Fordham has its fair share of scary stories. But are these supposed tales true? Here are five of some of Fordham’s scariest tales for you to see for yourself.
Martyr’s Court
Founded in 1951, Martyr’s is the one of two haunted freshman resident halls. In the second floor bathroom, residents have claimed to have seen a little blonde girl in one of the shower stalls. She supposedly just stares straight ahead. Residents say that they will be the only one in the bathroom at times, late at night, just to hear the shower turn on with no one else in the bathroom. The other ghost tale that surrounds Martyr’s Court is that of a man. Though not as commonly cited as the girl, this man has been seen by a few residents. He walks by some of the resident’s rooms towards the wall, and then he disappears. John Blake, member of the Paranormal Society Club here on Fordham’s campus, says “Martyr’s Court is the [residence hall] most freshman tend to have paranormal experiences, because these ghosts seem to be most active”.
Finlay Hall
For many years, before Finlay Hall was a residence hall, it was a medical building that presumably featured a morgue. Here many medical students would stand on the lofts and look down below at the procedures and surgeries that were taking place below. Some students who reside in those lofts have reported that they will wake up in the middle of the night and look down below, and see those that died there. Some even claim they’ve been woken up in the middle of the night by a cold hand grabbing their throat.
Collin’s Auditorium
Lacking much of the beautiful architecture of many of the other buildings on Fordham’s campus, Collin’s auditorium, named after Johnny Collins, is not the most inviting, aesthetically, at least. And maybe we’re not as welcomed as we believe. Students who practice here – dancers, comedians, actors, and the like – say they hear strange whispers and cold sensations throughout the night during their practices. One student who wishes to remain anonymous, says “Johnny is harmless, but he likes to make his presence known. It can be frustrating when we’re practicing, and then the lights just shut off.” Still, despite the hauntings, she says “Collin’s is where I spend half my semester practicing, I think Johnny likes the company.”
O’Hare Hall
Tragedy supposedly struck O’Hare when a worker fell from the roof back while it was being built — though no legitimate source has verified this. Still, rumors ran rampant when students started hearing weird sounds that reminded them of construction, on the upper floors. One current resident who was familiar with the tale still lets it get to her, and “refuses to take the stairwells at night.” She said she hears weird sounds late at night, and being afraid of ghosts as is, she said she’s “let the tale get in her head, and [doesn’t] take any chances.
Queen’s Court
The second of two freshman dorms that are haunted, part of Queen’s Court was built in 1840- the oldest of the Fordham resident halls. The most haunted building on Fordham’s campus; Queen’s Court is home to more than one ghost. A few years ago, before fall semester began, the RAs and RDs returned to campus a few weeks before the residents to set all the rooms up. One room, upon entering it, had mattresses standing up against the wall. The RAs put the mattresses back on the beds. Upon re-entering the room the next day, the mattresses were once again standing up against the wall. The RAs thought someone was pulling a prank since there were so few of them who were in the building that had access to the room. The problem, however, persisted for a few more days. A few days before the residents returned to campus for the new semester, a priest heard they were having problems regarding one of the rooms; and told the RA he would take care of it. The next day the RA checked the room, and for the first time the mattresses were in place. Not knowing the name of the priest, he went to talk to a Fordham official who worked with many of the Jesuits so that he can thank him. The RA described the priest and the man pulled out his picture. The RA excitedly confirmed that that was indeed the priest. His excitement, however, quickly disappeared once he was told that this priest had passed away a few years ago.