College Hall: Girl Killed for Love Haunts Tower

Photo by HannahMorris

Oftentimes when I sit down to research a New England haunting for this blog, I'll find claims that a person was murdered at such and such a place as a reason for the alleged haunting. I'll dig deeper and find none of the evidence you would expect to find, such as police reports and newspaper articles. I usually chalk it up to urban legends, learn what I can about the reports of paranormal activity and move on to the next site. When it came time to research the ghost that allegedly haunts College Hall in Montpelier, VT, something else happened entirely. The site was slightly off, but the murder was quite real and sensational at that.

College Hall is an imposing Second Empire style structure overlooking Winooski River Valley. It sits on Seminary Hill, thus named because the 1872 building was originally a seminary school. It is now part of the Vermont College of Fine Arts. It houses classrooms, offices and even the Thomas W. Wood Art Gallery–a great excuse for a visit.

Students and staff at Vermont College tell of a ghost that haunts College Hall. They often include false accounts of a girl named Anna dying in one of the building's towers. They say a jealous romantic rival pushed her down the stairs. They say her ghost haunts the tower and occasionally plays the old organ in the building. There is an Anna. She did die tragically. However, we don't even know if she could play organ in life, let alone in death. Moreover, she didn't die in College Hall or even in its shadow as some stories claim, but rather nearby on Sibley Avenue.

One day in May of 1897, a 20-year-old woman named Mildred Brewster purchased a revolver from a shop. Roughly a week later, on May 29, she left home early to practice shooting it. When she was done, she went to the home where Anna Wheeler lived. It was around 7 a.m. when she stood for about 10 minutes on the porch before knocking. She was allowed in and spent roughly 45 minutes talking to Anna.

It appears that Mildred believed she was also engaged to 17-year-old Anna's fiancé Jack Wheeler (no relation to Anna). She was heard telling Anna that he can't be engaged to both of them, and he had to choose between them. Shortly after, the two women set out on the rainy morning in the direction of Jack's house, a walk that took them past College Hall. Before the women could even reach Jack's house to hear his side of the story, Mildred pulled out her new gun and shot Anna in the head. She then shot herself in the same fashion.

Witnesses rushed to the scene, taking the unconscious women to Jack Wheeler's house, where they were kept until they could be brought to Heaton Hospital. Young Anna died at 1:30 p.m. that same day. Mildred lived, though the bullet was lodged in her head for the rest of her life. She faced a jury for her crimes, though she was still fairly sickly, nearly a year later.

According to Mildred Brewster's defense, she was unstable well before the shooting took place. Furthermore, suicidal ideation and mental illness ran in her family. Armed with this information, the jury acquitted her by reason of insanity. She was sent to live in an asylum where she spent many years. She was later released into the care of a nurse in Washington State where she spent the rest of her life.

Poor Anna Wheeler no doubt died within a short walk of College Hall, perhaps even within sight of the historic building. I'm unable to tell whether she had any other connection to the building that would theoretically cause her to drift there in the afterlife. Still, it's where the locals say she is, and it's worth the trip if just to see the surroundings and the organ her ghostly fingers coaxes to life.

Buried Alive: The Grave of Mary Hart in New Haven, Connecticut

A spooky New England graveyard story that seems plucked from the pages of Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark comes from New Haven, Connecticut. There, in Evergreen Cemetery, is a large granite gravestone with an ominous epitaph that has set imaginations running wild since its erection nearly 150 years ago. It belongs to one Mary Hart, a nearly 50-year-old woman who died at midnight in October of 1872.

Not much is known for certain about Mary, the circumstances of her life or the manner of her death. What we do know is that she has a fairly long epitaph that reads: "At high noon just from, and about to renew her daily work, in her full strength of body and mind Mary E. Hart having fallen prostrate: remained unconscious, until she died at midnight October 15, 1872 Born December 16, 1824" Whatever killed Mary took her suddenly and without warning. Boldly across the top, the stone reads: "The people shall be troubled at midnight and pass away." This is a brief version of a quote from Job chapter 34, verse 20.

Possibly because of the bleakness of Mary's tombstone, tales have arisen about her haunting the graveyard. However, the most prominent story involves her aunt. Apparently, the night after Mary was interred, her aunt dreamed that Mary was still alive in her coffin. The body was exhumed, and the coffin had scratch marks on the lid corresponding with broken and bloodied fingernails on Mary's corpse. It would see that she was buried alive. While uncorroborated by contemporary evidence, and involving a psychic aunt, it was common enough back then for people to be buried alive. Let that sink in while you walk through Evergreen Cemetery, which contains plenty of other historical graves that could have housed living people.

There is a local legend that Mary will come for you if you stand on her grave at midnight. If you want to put this legend to the test, you'll have to get permission. The cemetery is closed to the public after sunset. You can use this as an excuse to pass on tempting Mary's ghost.

The Ray Family Vampires of Connecticut

Vampyren by Edvard Munch

American vampire folklore has its roots in New England thanks to superstitions dating back to the Puritans. If you're expecting European romanticism or terror, you won't find it here, though. Vampiric tales in this neck of the woods are steeped with illness, desecration and tragedy. The most famous of these takes place in Jewett City, Connecticut–a borough of Griswold, once home to the luckless Ray family.

In 1845, 24-year-old Lemuel Ray became mortally ill and died of tuberculosis, a disease then known as consumption. Symptoms of tuberculosis include fever, weight loss, chills, chest pain and chronic cough. Disease that spreads beyond the lungs can cause urinary tract infections, malaise and/or severe spine damage. None of these symptoms would lead family members to believe Lemuel was a vampire. It was the idea that dead family members could rise to prey on living family members that made poor dead Lemuel Ray a threat.

In 1851, Lemuel Ray's father–Henry Ray–succumbed to tuberculosis. Two years later, in 1853, another son died–26-year-old Elisha Ray. Here is where history gets a little confused. A newspaper reported that in 1854, the Ray family dug up the corpses of two of the victims and burned them "on the spot" to stop them from hunting the living family members. Also in 1854, Henry Ray, the eldest son of the Ray family, died of tuberculosis. Which came first is unclear. Either way, the deaths stopped in 1854, before or soon after the family burned two decomposing bodies.

In 1990, the story of the Ray Family Vampires got renewed interest when a couple of boys unearthed two skulls while playing in gravel. Consequently, 29 unmarked graves belonging to the Walton family of nearby Hopeville, CT were discovered. Among them was at least one very interesting find. Archaeologists discovered a corpse from roughly the 1790s that was ravaged by tuberculosis. Its skull was removed and placed backwards on the chest. The femurs were also removed and placed in a skull and crossbones position. This is the only physical evidence we have of the practice of desecrating corpses to ward off vampires in the midst of a consumption outbreak.

Today, you can visit the graves of the Ray family. They are at the end of Anthony Street in the Jewett City Cemetery. You'll have to look behind a housing development and next to a construction company to find it. Once you're there, it's not hard to find the graves, mostly in the center portion of the cemetery. Just remember that visitors are not welcome after dark. Moreover, there aren't any credible or popular ghost stories associated with the site, so there's no reason to disturb anyone's sleep to visit after dark.

Danvers State Asylum: Mental Institution Turned Apartment Building

An illustration of the sprawling
hospital from "King's Hand-book
of the United States."

The winner for most breathtaking haunted location in New England, for me, goes to Danvers State Asylum. Granted, there isn't much left of the once castle-like asylum on a hill. However, what remains still evokes some of the same grandeur that the lauded hospital captured. For such a grand old place, there aren't a lot of ghost stories associated with Danvers State Asylum, but that might just be because it was hard for hunters to get in, not that there was nothing to see.

In the second half of the 19th century, eastern Massachusetts needed a solution for overcrowded mental hospitals. One had closed in Boston, and it was time to pick up the slack. At the time, residential treatment was the go-to for mental ailments, so beds filled up fast. A new asylum was proposed and architect Nathaniel Jeremiah Bradlee was put to the task. He designed the building in his Domestic Gothic style out of brick, stone and granite. It had imposing towers, several wings. It opened its doors with enough space for more than 1,000 patients in 1878. Later, additional buildings were added and the max capacity rose to 2,600 patients.

It is likely that some treatments occurred in Danvers State Asylum that would shock us today. However, by the standards of the time and even by some of today's standards, this hospital was quite humane. It was one of the Kirkbride Hospitals, which believed the tenets of the Kirkbride Plan, a view that patients were curable and that compassionate treatment and picturesque surroundings were critical to their recovery. Danvers State Hospital prided itself on the hygiene of its facilities and the advanced, gentle treatments of the time, which included hydrotherapy and good old fresh air.

Mental health care reform changed everything for Danvers State Asylum, which closed in the 70s. The focus leaned away from institutionalizing patients and toward outpatient care. It rendered establishments like the one in Danvers obsolete. Sadly, the absolutely conservable site was sold off to a real estate developer and turned into an apartment complex called Halstead Danvers. Some of the original building remains on the once nearly 200-acre property, so it is recognizable. It's just impossible to see it in its original state now or ghost hunt, though the latter was nearly impossible anyway. Today, if you want to see what spooks roamed the halls of this impressive building, you'll have to rent a sterile modern apartment.

I've only found two instances of a reported haunting at Danvers State Asylum. The first I came across was a ghost that haunted the attic and steeple. Another interesting legend about the steeple is that of a German spy who worked at the hospital using the steeple to signal enemy submarines. The only other story I came across was of an old lady ghost pulling the blankets off a young girl who lived in the hospital. If you have any ghost stories from Danvers State Asylum, please share them in the comments section below.

Here is a fabulous source for photos of the structures.

Haunted Museum: The Paine House in Coventry, Rhode Island

One of the main characteristics of most haunted New England locations is age. Homes, bridges and businesses pass through decades and then centuries, leaving their marks on the collective history of the region. Stories accumulate with the scars of time, some of them involving ghosts and paranormal activity. Such is the case with the Paine House, now a museum in Coventry, Rhode Island's Washington Village.

In the past few hundred years, the Paine House and surrounding property has passed hands numerous times. Much of the home's history is traceable
through deeds. Samuel Bennett built the first part of the structure, likely a one-room shack, around 1691. In 1748, one Francis Brayton, who added much more to the structure, owned it. A few decades later, his son ran a tavern in the house. In 1797, a man named Charles Holden took ownership and had his own tavern there. Thomas Whipple followed in 1849. It wasn't until 1866 that the Paine family moved in. It stayed in the family until 1953 when it was gifted to the Western Rhode Island Civic  Historical Society.

The Paine House carries some of the town's earliest history within its walls. It was the location of the first town meeting and election. It was a place where people gathered for generations, being an inn, tavern and/or place of entertainment under several owners. There is no doubt that a lot has happened in the rooms of the Paine House. The question is, what among those events led to the paranormal activity that happens now?

Colonial furniture and decor give the Paine House an aged feel, lending to the idea that it is haunted. Walking through the house, it's easy to imagine a colonial specter gliding out from the walls. Nothing so spectacular has occurred, but several paranormal investigators and visitors claim to have recorded electronic voice phenomena, seen furniture move or experienced other strange events in the home, particularly on the second floor.

According to a video posted by NinjaCthulhu on YouTube, the group in the video caught EVP while at the house. To be honest, I didn't really catch anything, but you might hear what they're talking about it if you watch the video yourself. The folks at parahunter.com say they recorded EVP of a girl named Sarah, who may have died in the house. You can listen to the audio here, but I didn't hear anything clearly. Also, it could have easily been one of the investigators speaking in the sewing room upstairs.

You can visit the Paine House any Saturday from May until September, if you want to see or hear these ghosts for yourselves. Feel free to share your experiences in the comments section below. Happy hunting.

The Lizzie Borden B&B in Fall River, MA

It could be hindsight, but
she does look a bit mad

Lizzie Borden–you may have heard of her. Near the end of the 19th century, she was accused of killing her stepmother and father with a hatchet. Whether Lizzie is guilty or not (she was acquitted), the murders gave the Fall River, MA home in which they took place an evil reputation. Today, the home is a bed and breakfast with nine rooms, carefully decorated to make them look and feel as they would have when the Borden family lived there.

On August 4, 1892, 32-year-old Lizzie said she discovered her father Andrew dead on the sofa in the sitting room. He was struck with a hatchet about 10 or 11 times, leaving his face pulverized. Further investigation turned up the body of Abby Borden, Lizzie's stepmother, in an upstairs bedroom. She was struck once in the face with a hatchet. When she fell face down on the floor, her killer climbed atop her body and hit her another 19 times in the back of the head. These discoveries and the subsequent trial of a prominent Fall River woman made international news. They've since entered into legend.

The Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast gets a lot of visitors who want to see where these infamous murders took place. If you visit the house, remember that the door will read 92, even though the address is 230 Second St. The old number is there to preserve history, but the new number has been in use since four years after the murder. At $200+ per room, per night, you don't want to waste time looking around for the right building.

The bed and breakfast has 9 rooms, all of which are named after people who lived or stayed there. Guests can stay in any of these rooms, with the Lizzie Borden room and the John V. Morse room being among the more popular. You can sleep between the sheets of an antique Victorian bed directly next to where Abby Borden landed face first on the floor in the Morse room. People even take photographs of themselves prone in the place where she died.

Visitors are typically impressed by the care taken to make the place look authentic. It's hard not to be creeped out when you know you're standing where an axe caved in someone's face, but it's even creepier when it actually looks like it did in crime scene photos taken soon after. There's even an eerily identical sofa to the one Mr. Borden died on that guests can sit on. Unfortunately, the original was likely lost in a hurricane while in storage.

Let's get down to whether this place is haunted or not. I've got pretty much the same verdict I always have, which is a shrug and an "eh, maybe?" Listen, of course there isn't evidence. Of course the stories of hauntings come from the owner and ghost hunters who live for this shit. However, even one atheist writer has been given the proper willies while spending a night in the only room in the house not claimed to be haunted. Yeah, if you want to get spooked, it's a fun place to give yourself chills.

As for the ghosts, some say they see Lizzie–unlikely given that she didn't die there. Others see the Gusher-head ghosts of her parents. Well, if the place is going to be haunted, it would be by these two, who it is interesting to note weren't well-loved in the community, particularly Andrew. Some even say they spot the child ghosts of Lizzie's cousins, who were drowned by their mother in a nearby home. Again, they didn't die there. Assuming that's how ghosts work, it doesn't make sense. Make of it what you will, but I do hope you get a fright if you visit.

Haunted Hotels Near Boston

Boston is one of the oldest cities in the United States of America. It is also one of the most historically significant. Boston and the surrounding area were home to such bloody events as the first battles of the American Revolution and the Salem Witch Trials. Therefore, it stands to reason that there will be haunted places in and around the city. Among these haunted places are some hotels that people believe have a few unregistered guests from time to time.

Hawthorne Hotel
18 Washington Square
Salem, MA 01970

Hawthorn Hotel
by Fletcher6

Hawthorne Hotel is arguably the most famous hotel in Salem. It is a roughly fifteen-minute drive to the Hawthorne Hotel from Boston. It opened on July 23, 1925 and has since received such guests as the cast of the Bewitched television show, U.S. President George Bush and Bette Davis. The hotel is, of course, named after the town's famous author, Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Legend has it that the Hawthorne Hotel was built on an apple orchard that was once owned by accused witch, Bridget Bishop. Bridget was one of the individuals who were wrongfully executed during the Salem Witch Trials. There have been reports that the sweet smell of apples sometimes lingers in the hotel, despite the fact that no apple trees remain on the property. Other paranormal activities such as eerie sounds have also been reported at the Hawthorne Hotel.


Omni Parker House Hotel
60 School St.
Boston, MA 02108
                                                                                   

Omni Parker House Hotel
by Kimberly Vardeman

The Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston opened in 1855. It is located just outside of Boston Common less than two blocks from the Massachusetts State House. The hotel's restaurant is almost as famous as the hotel itself. It is the home of the world's first Boston Cream Pie and it is also the place where then future U.S. President John F. Kennedy proposed to the future First Lady of the United States, Jacqueline Bouvier. This hotel is great for people who want to step out of their hotels into the historic streets of Boston during the day, eat the delicious food of the hotel's historic restaurant in the evening and be spooked by the hotel's ghost at night.

Harvey Parker, the original owner of the hotel and restaurant is said to live there still, in ghostly form. Sightings of this long-dead man have dwindled in the past 20 years. However, there have reportedly been several sightings of him on the tenth floor of the hotel. Parker's ghost is supposedly polite and unobtrusive, aside from his habit of making unannounced appearances in guest's rooms on the tenth floor.

Colonial Inn
48 Monument Square
Concord, MA 01742
                                                               

Colonial Inn sign
by -jkb-

The original building of the Colonial Inn was a home built in 1716. In 1775, part of it was used as a munitions storehouse by the Massachusetts Militia. In fact, those munitions were in the house when the British came looking for the militia's supplies on April 19, 1775. The building was turned into an inn in 1889. It took on its present name at the turn of the 20th century. Since that time, it has received such guests as U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, Shirley Temple and Faye Dunaway.

One of the rooms of the original house on the site is now Room 24 of the Colonial Inn. There have reportedly been sightings of a ghost in that room. Paranormal investigators have hinted that other rooms in the inn may be haunted, but there have been no sightings in other rooms, according to the inn's website.

If you are looking for a trip back in time that might give you a chance to meet a ghost from a time long past, these are the hotels to visit in the Boston area. Even if you do not get to see a ghost, you will most certainly see shadows of the past lurking in the corners of these historical buildings. There is no shortage of history in the direct vicinity of these hotels either. In Salem, you can tour the town that was home to the most vicious witch-hunt in U.S. history. In Concord, you can see the battlefields where the first shots of the American Revolution rang out and in Boston, the Freedom Trail runs right past the Omni Parker House Hotel.

Sources

The Haunted History of Salem, Massachusetts, retrieved 7/27/10

About Concord's Colonial Inn, retrieved 7/27/10