Haunted Massachusetts

Cemetery spooks, haunted historic homes and Native American legends figure prominently in this collection of eerie in tales from the Bay State. From the beaches and cliffs of the Atlantic coast and the historic streets of Boston to the beautiful Berkshires come a variety of stories and legends, including the phantom canoe of two dead Mohegan lovers, the haunted Danvers Lunatic Asylum whose former residents never really left, and eyewitness accounts of UFOs sightings that date back to the mid-1800s.

Massachusetts, the birthplace of America, is home to some of the most fascinating haunts in the world. Forty-one towns and cities hold legends and mysteries that stretch beyond the imagination into the chilling realm of the macabre. Colonial ghosts watch ancient inns in Concord and Charlemont. A railroad tunnel under the Mohawk Trail is doomed by spirits of those who perished while digging it. And the unearthly shrieks of a banshee in Marblehead chills the very marrow of those who must endure its curse.

Get an education in ghostly history—and meet the spirits that haunt schools in Boston and beyond. Includes photos! Among the throngs of students attending colleges and universities across the state of Massachusetts linger the apparitions of those who met their untimely ends on campus grounds. In 1953, Eugene O’Neill, an Irish American playwright, died in room 401 of the Sheraton Hotel—today a Boston University dormitory. Named Writer’s Corridor in O’Neill’s honor, the fourth floor draws students in search of creative inspiration and a sighting of the ghostly writer. A grief-stricken widow roams the halls of Winthrop Hall at Endicott College in her pink wedding gown. She threw herself from her widow’s walk after receiving news of her husband's death at sea, and is known to students today as the “pink lady.” Author Renee Mallett reveals the stories behind these “school spirits”—and offers eerie stories from over two dozen colleges and universities throughout the Bay State.

Describes over 2,000 sites of supernatural occurances in the United States, including places visited by ghosts, UFOs, and unusual creatures.

From the notorious Lizzie Borden to the innumerable, haunted rooms of Sarah Winchester's mysterious mansion this offbeat, insightful, first-ever book of its kind explores the history behind America’s female ghosts, the stereotypes, myths, and paranormal tales that swirl around them, what their stories reveal about us—and why they haunt us . . . Sorrowful widows, vengeful jezebels, innocent maidens, wronged lovers, former slaves, even the occasional axe-murderess—America’s female ghosts differ widely in background, class, and circumstance. Yet one thing unites them: their ability to instill fascination and fear, long after their deaths. Here are the full stories behind some of the best-known among them, as well as the lesser-known—though no less powerful . . . Tales whispered in darkness often divulge more about the teller than the subject. America’s most famous female ghosts, from ‘Mrs. Spencer’ who haunted Joan Rivers’ New York apartment to Bridget Bishop, the first person executed during the Salem witchcraft trials, mirror each era’s fears and prejudices. Yet through urban legends and campfire stories, even ghosts like the nameless hard-working women lost in the infamous Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire —achieve a measure of power and agency in death, in ways unavailable to them as living women. Riveting for skeptics and believers alike, with humor, curiosity, and expertise, A Haunted History of Invisible Women offers a unique lens on the significant role these ghostly legends play both within the spook-seeking corners of our minds and in the consciousness of a nation. Afterword by Bram Stoker Award-winning author Linda D. Addison “An absolute must-buy for the spooky people of the world . . . utterly brilliant.” —Mallory O'Meara, bestselling author of The Lady from the Black Lagoon and Girly Drinks “If this book doesn’t leave with you a sense of wonder and a healthy dose of goosebumps, check your pulse—you may already be among the spirits.” --Marc Hartzman, author of Chasing Ghosts: A Tour of Our Fascination with Spirits and the Supernatural

“Fun, charming . . . includes not only locales with reported ghosts, but also sites with macabre (though not haunted) histories” (True Crime Librarian). Visitors and New England natives alike will see a new side of the region through Thomas D’Agostino’s road trip guidebook. He captures the reader’s imagination with folklore and anecdotes, plus recommendations useful for any traveler. This guide uncovers lingering spirits across all six states in the region, from the victims of alchemy gone awry in the White Mountains, to wraiths in the Berkshires, to the ghosts of drowned sailors in Mystic, Connecticut. Enjoy these retellings of classic New England ghost stories and discover obscure ones, and then go visit the spooky sights for yourself. Includes photos! “Anyone interested in exploring the haunted, macabre and abandoned throughout New England knows they can count on D’Agostino to find out more about the site’s history, past sightings and how to find them.” —Mobile Rving

If you believe in ghosts, you're in good company. Haunted Histories brings America's most ghostly locales to life, illuminating their role in shaping U.S. history and detailing how they became the nation's most feared places. Haunted Histories takes readers on a state-by-state journey across the United States, exploring the nation's most feared places. Along the way, the text introduces readers to new ghostly tales and takes a fresh look at familiar stories and locations, with an eye to history. From well-known spooky spots like Salem, Massachusetts, to such lesser-known ones as the Shanghai Tunnels of Portland, Oregon, where spirits are supposedly trapped, readers will discover not only where America's most haunted places are but also why they are said to be haunted. The ghosts of the doomed Donner Party allow readers to experience the arduous and often deadly journey of America's westward wagon trains, while different kinds of "spirits" haunting old distilleries allow readers to discover how whiskey almost derailed the new American nation before it was born. This book can be studied for academic purposes as a historical reference, used as a source for classroom assignments, or simply read for the pleasure of a great story.

Massachusetts and weird: not too much of a stretch, some would say. But the authors dug a little deeper and found all kinds of local legends, bizarre beasts, surprising cemeteries, and uncovered the best kept secrets from all over the Bay State. If it's unusual or unexplainable or fantastic, and in the Bay State, you'll find it all here.