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Explore Alfred University's Most Mysterious Buildings

Posted By Alfred University

Aug 05, 2026 | Alumni Campus Life & Culture Current Students General Blogs Pre-College

Part of what makes Alfred University's folklore so compelling is that many of the stories center on some of the campus's oldest and most beloved buildings. During a presentation at Reunion, University Archivist Laurie Meehan Lounsberry and medium Mary Beth Colton explored five locations that generations of students and alumni have associated with unusual experiences, unexplained feelings, and enduring campus legends.

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Echoes of Generations Past

The Brick

Few buildings are as woven into Alfred's identity as The Brick.

Constructed between 1858 and 1860, the residence hall has housed thousands of students and witnessed some of the university's most significant moments. During World War I and the influenza pandemic of 1918, it served as military housing and an infirmary. Historical records show that several people died there during the outbreak.

Today, The Brick is the building most frequently connected to paranormal stories. Students have reported hearing footsteps in empty hallways, voices where no one seems to be present, and the feeling that someone is nearby when no one is there. During her visit, Colton described sensing layers of emotional history tied to periods of isolation and uncertainty, sentiments that seemed to resonate with both the building's early history and more recent student experiences.

Where History Never Really Leaves

Alumni Hall

As Alfred University's oldest standing building, Alumni Hall has served as a centerpiece of campus life since 1851. It once housed a large auditorium where students gathered for major events, including farewells to classmates departing for service during the Civil War.

Because so many generations have passed through its halls, Alumni Hall has developed a reputation for unexplained sounds and sensations. Colton described the building as carrying strong "residual energy," a term often used to describe impressions left behind by repeated activity over many years. Reports of footsteps, movement, or fleeting figures have persisted over time, adding another layer to the building's rich history.

Rather than feeling frightening, the stories suggest a building that still carries traces of the countless students who gathered there before.

A Place Between Past and Present

The Gothic Chapel

Tucked behind Alumni Hall, The Gothic Chapel is one of the most distinctive and peaceful places on campus. Originally built in 1851 as a private residence, it later became associated with Alfred's School of Theology and today serves as a non-denominational chapel space.

The building's unusual history, including relocations and renovations that dramatically changed its original appearance, featured prominently in Colton's impressions. She described sensing a strong awareness of the building's transformation over time and referenced accounts of people occasionally glimpsing figures through the windows only to find the building empty moments later.

A Building With Layers of History

Susan Howell Hall

Today, Susan Howell Hall is known for concerts, receptions, and campus gatherings. But the site itself carries a much longer story.

The building sits near the location of several earlier campus structures, including the Allen family's home and buildings lost to fire in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During her visit, Colton noted a strong sense of earlier activity tied not only to the current building but also to what once stood there. She described impressions of a protective, matronly presence and an awareness of the fires that shaped this area of campus history.

Students and staff have occasionally reported unusual experiences there over the years, contributing to its reputation as a place where Alfred's many eras seem to overlap.

The Campus Landmark That Inspires

Steinheim Castle

If any building at AU captures visitors' attention immediately, it is Steinheim Castle. Its stone towers, unusual architecture, and museum-like atmosphere make it unlike any other building on campus.

Built by founder Jonathan Allen as a natural history museum, Steinheim housed collections of rocks, plants, specimens, and artifacts gathered from around the world. The building also once held the cremated remains of Jonathan and Abigail Allen before their eventual burial in Alfred Rural Cemetery.

Stories connected to Steinheim often focus on unexplained feelings rather than specific sightings. Alumni and staff have long spoken of lights, sounds, or a sense that the building remains occupied. During the presentation, Colton described feeling an overwhelming sense of pride, creativity, craftsmanship, and affection for the university itself. She also noted that many visitors report feeling as though they are not alone when exploring the building.

Of all the locations discussed, Steinheim may best represent what makes Alfred's folklore unique: a place where history is so tangible that it almost feels alive.