Are the dorms at the University of Hawaii at Hilo haunted? Often dubbed the Eerie Dorm, and is said to be haunted by a young boy who was killed at the site many years ago.
The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo (UH Hilo) is known for its lush, sprawling campus nestled between the ocean and the mountains on the Big Island of Hawaii. A perfect place for studying, but what is lurking in the shadows of the dormitories?
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Because beneath the University of Hawaii at Hilo picturesque surface lies a darker history, one that whispers of hauntings, eerie dormitories, and restless spirits. Founded in 1945 as Hilo Center at Lyman Hall of the Hilo Boys School, UH Hilo has grown into a significant institution, but it hasn’t shaken off its haunted past.
The Origins of the Hauntings
UH Hilo’s residence halls are all named with the Hawaiian word for “house,” or hale. These dorms are Hale Kauanoe, Hale Kanilehua, Hale Kehau, Hale ‘Ikena, and Hale ‘Alahonua. But according to local legend, one of these dorms, often referred to as the “Eerie Dorm,” holds a chilling secret. If we are to believe what theshadowlands reports, it is the Hale Kanilehua that is the haunted one although it is rarely mentioned which one is the haunted one.
Hale Kanilehua, meaning House of the Sound of the Rain Falling on the Lehua Blossom, is a classic dormitory layout shared by two residents and often thought to be the one dormitory that is haunted. The dorm was allegedly built over the site of an old haunted house.
According to the tale, during the demolition of this house, a young boy was tragically killed while playing too close to the construction site. His spirit, it is said, has lingered ever since, haunting the dorm that now stands on the property.
The Little Boy in the Hall
The most common and unsettling reports of ghostly activity involve the spirit of the young boy. Students living on the ground floor of the dorm—specifically on the girls’ side—have reported seeing him late at night. He is often described as a shadowy figure, small and childlike, playing with a ball in the hallway. The chilling sound of his laughter echoes through the dorms, often followed by the rhythmic bouncing of his ball.
But the boy doesn’t just stick to the ground floor. Students on higher levels have heard the unmistakable sound of small footsteps running up and down the hallways in the dead of night, though no one is ever there when they look. Some have even reported feeling a playful tug on their bed covers, as though the boy were trying to pull them off.
Lights, Voices, and Cold Spots
The little boy isn’t the only spirit said to haunt the dorm. Stories tell of the previous homeowners—the family who once lived in the old house maybe—still lingering in their former abode. Students have experienced lights flickering or turning on and off by themselves. Some have heard voices late at night, as if someone were having a conversation just out of earshot, yet when they investigate, they find no one there.
Other students have complained of sudden cold spots in their rooms or hallways, despite the warm Hilo climate. These cold spots are often accompanied by a feeling of being watched, as if unseen eyes are always lurking nearby.
The Mysterious Moving Objects
Another common tale of the haunting at the University of Hawaii at Hiloinvolves objects mysteriously moving on their own. Books shift across desks, personal belongings disappear only to reappear in strange places, and even furniture has been reported to inexplicably shift positions.
Toilets have been known to flush by themselves when no one is near, and faucets turn on without any physical contact. Some residents believe this is another manifestation of the restless spirits that inhabit the dorm, always looking for ways to make their presence known.
Haunting or Hallucination at the University of Hawaii at Hilo?
While some students chalk these experiences in the dormitory at the University of Hawaii at Hilo up to overactive imaginations or campus folklore, the sheer number of reports makes it hard to dismiss the hauntings entirely. From eerie footsteps to ghostly laughter, the strange occurrences in the Eerie Dorm have become a part of UH Hilo’s legacy, passed down from one generation of students to the next.
As for the boy and the previous homeowners, their stories remain a part of the university’s haunted lore. Whether real or imagined, the spirits of UH Hilo seem determined to stay, making the campus not just a place of learning but also a site where the past refuses to rest.
For those brave enough to spend the night in the haunted dorm, the question remains: Will you be the next to hear the laughter of a ghostly child or witness the flickering lights that signal the presence of those who came before?
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References:
Haunted Places on the Big Island of Hawaii
Spooky Haunted Places In Hawaii – Resortica Hawaii
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo – Wikipedia
Shadowlands Haunted Places Index – Hawaii
The 52 Most Haunted & Supernatural Places on the Big Island of Hawaii
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