More ghosts per capita tha other states? 5 haunted locations near Burlington, Vermont

Despite Vermont's teeny size, residents of the Green Mountain state don't have to travel far to see a ghost or a ghoul during spooky season.

Vermont is the third most haunted state in the U.S., tied with Florida and bested only by Maine and Texas, according to new research by media company BonusFinder. The results are calculated based on each state's quantity of cemeteries, ghost sightings, resident paranormal investigators and haunted locations per capita.

BonusFinder's report indicates Vermont harbors at least 90 haunted locations. Ghostly sites like Emily's Bridge in Stowe or the Bennington Triangle near Glastenbury Mountain receive plenty of attention during spooky season.

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For Vermonters who want to visit underappreciated haunts or are simply looking for a shorter drive, Chittenden County boasts many eerie locations.

University of Vermont - Burlington: Most haunted college in the United States

In addition to possessing the greatest amount of haunted buildings in the state, the University of Vermont (UVM) is also considered by some to be the most haunted college in the U.S. Ghostly tenants have taken up residence in multiple reported locations, including the Royall Tyler Theatre (its eternal resident is supposedly friendly) and the Converse Hall and Simpson Hall dorms, where students have reported unexplainable noises and drafts, according to the university's newspaper the Vermont Cynic.

Many of UVM's haunted buildings were once homes, such as the university's counseling center, which is said to be inhabited by the active ghost of its former owner, Captain John Nabb, who is known to slam windows and doors and topple over buckets, as reported by Only in Your State. Other examples include the university's public relations building -- suspected to host the apparition of former owner John E. Booth who can be heard banging around in his forever home -- and the Bittersweet House, where people have seen the ghost of Margaret Smith, its widowed owner who died there in 1961.

Other nearby hauntings: Champlain College, Winooski High School

American Flatbread Burlington Hearth Restaurant - Burlington

Unlike at the other locations on this list, staff members may be the only souls fortunate (or perhaps unfortunate) to come across the spirit who haunts this restaurant. Back when the building was named Carburs Restaurant, a man reportedly shot and killed himself in the basement -- some people say the bullet is still lodged in the wall, according to the Vermonter. The man's spirit, who is said to lock employees in the basement, primarily terrorizes women. Female staff members are discouraged from visiting the area alone.

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St. Michael's College - Colchester

Although technically not as haunted as UVM, St. Michael's holds many bone-chilling tales of its own. Residents of the men's dormitory, for instance, have been known to hear someone walking around in the locked attic, where occupants have also seen lights flashing on and off inexplicably.

Additionally, it is said that the ghost of a nun haunts the college's theatre, supposedly providing help to actors.

St. Michael's may have also been the site of occult rituals in the 1970s, but some people believe it's more likely only an urban legend.

Shelburne Museum - Shelburne

The Shelburne Museum is home to the Dutton House, a family residence built by Salmon Dutton in 1781 which was donated to the museum in 1948 after sitting abandoned for four decades. Staff members claim to hear disembodied voices and footsteps, and to have seen spirits, including that of a grouchy old man, a hospitable woman and a friendly little girl, according to Haunted Houses.

Other nearby hauntings: The Shelburne Farms Inn, Shelburne Farms Cemetery, Wake Robin Nursing Home

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Old Catamount Bed & Breakfast in Williston

Built in 1796, the former home of Vermont's first governor, Thomas Chittenden, most recently served as a bed and breakfast and the site of Halloween community events including The Haunted Forest and Halloween Spooktacular at Catamount.

Before the inn closed a few years ago, guests claimed to have heard ghostly children on the second floor playing and giggling in the evenings.

Megan Stewart is a government accountability reporter for the Burlington Free Press. Contact her at mstewartyounger@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Haunted places near Burlington Vermont: Where you can see a ghost