From Salem Witches to Springfield Ghosts: Celebrations Across the Commonwealth
BOSTON, MA - Massachusetts boasts a rich history filled with mayhem and the dark arts. From witches to ghosts and other unexplainable paranormal activity, the Commonwealth is the place to be this Halloween season. Witchcraft that was once thought to be alive in Salem, the home of Lizzie Borden in Fall River, and the haunted graveyards, mansions, and trails that scatter the state, Massachusetts has plenty of stories, legends, and tales of years gone by.
The Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT) invites you to spend this October feeling the thrills of the truly spooktacular across the Commonwealth. There's no better place than the home of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692; Salem is known for being a unique, haunted town that truly comes to life during this ghostly time of year.
From the museums that explore witchcraft and dungeons, to the root of Hawthorne's inspiration at the House of the Seven Gables, you'll experience the chills of the unexplainable. Learn about the paranormal, as you walk along eerie sidewalks as guides interpret the sites and structures. Interested in unlocking your future? Visit one of the many psychics or get in touch with those of the past as you experience a s�ance.
Salem isn't the only place to get your fright on, as Massachusetts is home to several known haunted locations. Dare to visit the ghost of Old Coot in the Berkshires, visit the burial sites of Henry Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott and Bronson Alcott in Central Massachusetts, or tour Boston and hear tales of scandal, torture and paranoia.
Here's a sampling of activities across the state:
Greater Boston:
Ghosts and Gravestones Tour - What do you get when you combine a cursed privateer, a pyromaniac circus ringleader, a demon spat out of the pits of Hades, a homicidal opera diva and a deranged nanny? An experience unlike anything else in Boston! Walk amongst the dead in burial grounds nearly four hundred years old, hear stories of those whose mortal remains lie beneath your feet and listen to tales of the sordid practices that went along with them. Venture to the site of the biggest grave-robbing scandal in New England's history. Walk atop Boston's largest unmarked burying ground and hear tales of the tortures, punishments and executions that took place there. http://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/boston/
Haunted Boston - You'll hear enchanting and chilling tales of Boston's most famous ghosts as well as the area's extensive and rich history. Your guide will tell you extraordinary and tragic tales from the founding of Colonial Boston right up to present day. Enjoy your family-friendly tour and learn what secrets lay beneath Boston Common. What untold stories lay within the Boston Athenaeum? Which well-known hotel is Boston's most haunted? http://www.hauntedboston.com/
South of Boston:
Lizzie Borden B&B/Museum - Erected in 1845, the home was originally a two-family and was later made into a single family by Andrew J. Borden. The Bed & Breakfast is named after his youngest daughter, Lizzie. Although she was tried and acquitted of her accused crimes, the community of Fall River ostracized her. Since the murders on August 4, 1892 the house has been a private residence. Now, for the first time the public is allowed not only to view the murder scene, but is also given an opportunity to spend a night (if you dare) in the actual house where the murders took place. The home has been restored to its original Victorian splendor, with careful attention to making it as close to the Borden home of August, 1892 as is possible. http://www.lizzie-borden.com/
Factory of Terror, Fall River - Voted #1 Haunted House in New England, the Factory of Terror has 3 Haunts Combined. There are more than 35 rooms with spirit filled walls, underground tunnels and more than 30 professional horror film actors. http://www.factoryofterror.com/main.html
Bog Fright Night Weekend, Wareham - From October 21 to 23, enjoy scary wagon rides run through the wooded bogs! Wagon ride tickets are $5 with pre-paid reservations and $7 at the event. Reservations are highly recommended to avoid long lines and secure a ride on the desired night. For advance tickets, stop in or call between 2-6 p.m.
www.tihonetvillagemarket.com
Creepy Carousel, Fall River - On October 29, from 3 to 5 p.m. come to the special children's Halloween Party at the Fall River Carousel geared for younger children, ages 12 & under. Costume contests, candy hunts, ghost stories, crafts, face painting, and cupcake decorating. $10 pp. Call for reservations - space limited. 508-678-1100 x101. www.battleshipcove.org
Spooner House Ghost Tour, Plymouth - Experience ghosts of the Spooner Family, who occupied this house for 2 Centuries. www.plymouthantiquariansociety.org
North of Boston & Greater Merrimack Valley:
Haunted Harbor Cruise, Salem - Come learn about the haunted happenings of Salem Sound on this 1�-hour cruise along the shores of Salem, Marblehead, Beverly, Manchester and mysterious Misery Islands. Passengers will enjoy a fun filled informative cruise loaded with spooky stories of ruthless local pirates, haunted lighthouses, mansions, abandoned mental wards, tails of local ghosts, ocean demons and living monsters who reek havoc on local ships to this day! MahiCruises.com
Summon the Dead S�ance - Experience a sinister paranormal s�ance in the darkened theatre of The Witches Cottage. Complete with ghostly appearances and startling moments, this theatrical s�ance is sure to make a believer out of anyone. Limited seating, allow 45 minutes. Not for the faint of heart. www.TheWitchesCottage.com
Spirits of the Gable, The House of the Seven Gables - Witness two families entangled by a curse in this presentation of The House of the Seven Gables acted in the mansion that inspired the story. 7gables.org
Haunted Footsteps Ghost Tours, Salem - Salem's original ghost tour, Haunted Footsteps' guides will recount Salem's haunted history and share their own encounters with supernatural Salem. Bring your camera to capture the ghostly orbs you may encounter on this tour! www.SalemHistoricalTours.com
The Salem Night Tour - Stroll through Salem's haunted history with the guides at the Salem Night Tour. Affiliated with the Histrionic Academy, which runs tours at Boston's Freedom Trail and in Plymouth, this tour can interpret the historic gravestones, spooky sites, and colorful characters from Salem's past. www.SalemGhostTours.com
Omen Psychic Parlor - Discover your destiny with a psychic reading at Omen, or participate in a s�ance or witchcraft workshop. Omen offers Tarot, palmistry, mediumship, and clairvoyance to guide you. www.OmenSalem.com
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery - Concord's largest cemetery, Sleepy Hollow has an estimated 10,000 gravesites, many of local, national, and international interest. It was one of the first cemeteries in the United States to be designed to have a sylvan character and has also been listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Here is where you will find the burial sites of Henry Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott and Bronson Alcott. http://www.concordma.gov/pages/concordma_cemetery/sleepy
Central Massachusetts:
Spider Gates Cemetery - Located in Leicester MA, this cemetery has a spooky reputation. Folklore includes: a strip of lawn where grass doesn't grow; a central raised area twenty feet by twenty feet called "the altar," which Satanists have permission to use; a second cemetery that can only be found once; and a haunted house. http://www.boudillion.com/SpiderGates/spider.html
Western Massachusetts:
The Bloody Pit: Hoosac Tunnel - This railroad line goes nearly five miles through a mountain. Legend has it that 200 men were killed during construction. The crew nicknamed the tunnel project "The Bloody Pit." In 1865, two miners were killed in an explosion at the site. A third worker, Kelly Ringo, the man who had accidentally detonated the blast, walked away unhurt. One year later, Ringo's body was found in the hole; he had been strangled to death. No living person was apprehended for the crime, if there was one. It was believed the ghosts of the two miners exacting revenge. There are many tales of spooky happenings in the Hoosac, and the ghosts of the many men who died there may still haunt the tunnel. http://www.hoosactunnel.net/ghost.php
Frightfest at Six Flags New England - During the month of October, check out all Six Flags New England in Agawam has to offer for your Halloween celebrations. Thrills and frills you can't get enough of. Takes place weekends and holidays in October. Call (413) 786-9300 ext 3241, for more information and times. www.sixflags.com/newengland
The Mount, Edith Wharton's Estate and Gardens - One of the great writers of her time, Edith Wharton wrote a number of ghost stories - and gave us a number of haunting characters as well. It's said that the spirit of Wharton lingers on at The Mount, the author's Lenox estate that was built in 1902. Visitors report hearing Wharton laugh. Shakespeare & Company called The Mount home for many years. They reported strange occurrences - footsteps, laughter, and sounds - almost from the start. Some claim that fellow author Henry James joins his friend Wharton in haunting the site. When Jason Hawes, Grant Wilson, and the rest of the Ghost Hunters team came to investigate The Mount they found very significant indications of paranormal activity. Footsteps, voices, even a head peeping around a corner ... just to prove what so many before them have claimed. The Mount is indeed a center of ghostly activity! http://www.edithwharton.org/
Houghton Mansion/Masonic Lodge, North Adams - Chauffer John Widders- "Chauffer John" Widders lived in North Adams during the early 1900s. He worked for a well-known family, headed by wealthy patriarch Albert C. Houghton - who had served as the city's mayor. On August 1, 1911, a family motor outing turned deadly. Widders was at the wheel of a Pierce-Arrow as it took this fatal crash. Sybil Houghton was crushed by the car's roof and killed. Mary Houghton was pronounced dead a few hours later. The other passengers were shaken but not seriously hurt. John took the blame on himself. He walked into a barn behind the mansion and committed suicide by shooting himself. It is said that Chauffer John still hasn't forgiven himself. In 1920, the mansion was sold to the Masonic Lodge, which uses the building as a headquarters. Many times over the years, ghostly footsteps have been heard in the building, but no spirit has been seen. http://houghton-mansion.tripod.com/
Members Lecture and Dinner: Artfully Haunting Tales, Williamstown - On Thursday, October 20 at 6:00 p.m. the town offers a Halloween-inspired lecture by Michael Cassin, director of the Center for Education in the Visual Arts, and a seasonal meal prepared by the Clark's executive chef. www.clarkart.edu
Cape Cod, Nantucket Island, Martha's Vineyard:
Haunted Cape Cod - Be spooked as you walk these one of a kind tours, featuring lessons on electric voice phenomenon (recording voices of the dead), detect paranormal activity and visit active haunted places where strange occurrences are likely to take place. Offers Barnstable Village's Haunted and History Walking Tours, Ghost Tours and "Love You To Death" tours. http://www.caiprs.com/Barstable%20Tours.htm
The Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) is the state agency dedicated to promoting Massachusetts as a leisure-travel destination. An integral part of the state's economy, tourism generates more than $915 million in state and local taxes and $14.4 billion in travel related expenditures and supports 121,500 in-state jobs. massvacation.com
For a complete list of spooks and thrills visit www.massvacation.com and follow us on Facebook at Visit Massachusetts (http://www.facebook.com/VisitMassachusetts) and Twitter, @VisitMA (http://twitter.com/#!/VisitMA).
Long-term New Yorkers, Mark and Robert have also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center, Mark is a PhD in American history and literature, as well as the author of the novels Wolfchild and My Hawaiian Penthouse. Robert is the producer of the documentary We Are All Children of God. Their work has appeared in numerous publications, as well as at : www.mrny.com.
