Haunted Lighthouses in Massachusetts

haunted Boston Harbor Light

Along the Massachusetts coastline, shipping traffic typically followed the same route to avoid being caught in the open sea during fast-approaching storms in New England. This route involved navigating through Vineyard Sound off western Massachusetts, along Buzzards Bay, between the great islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and finally around the vast sandy shoals of Cape Cod. These ships would then navigate around the rocky ledges and islands of Boston Harbor or continue to various ports further north. Shipwrecks were common, even with the numerous lighthouses built.

Hauntings vary from possible victims of shipwrecks, or tragic accidents as the "woman in scarlet," on Long Island Head Light, and the rumored murdered wife of the keeper at Bird Island Light. There are sightings of keepers still attending the beacon as those at Minot's Ledge Light, Boston Harbor Light, near Highland Light (Cape Cod) Light, and Gurnet (Plymouth) Light, and there are protective spirits like the entities at Borden Flats Light. There are hauntings of heroes in life who remind us of their deeds, as the sisters of Scituate Light, to pranksters that seem to enjoy annoying staff members of the lighthouse as reported at Bakers Island Light.

 

Friendly, Peaceful, Protective Spirits

haunted Borden Flats Light

Borden Flats Light, Fall River, MA

The lighthouse was built in 1881 on a dangerous reef in the middle of the Taunton River to accommodate the ever-increasing shipping traffic as Fall River became known as the “textile capital of the world.” Today the lighthouse is haunted by at least two protective, quiet spirits. One of the spirits is a previous lighthouse keeper, John H. Paul. He was a dedicated keeper from 1912-1927 and was involved in various rescues. The other spirit is that of a 9-year-old girl named Lucy, who tragically drowned when her family's rowboat capsized near the lighthouse in 1929. She remains a spiritual helper to ghost keeper John Paul.

After the lighthouse was automated in 1963, like many others, it fell into neglect and disrepair until it was purchased at auction in 2010 by James Nick Korstad, where he spent eight years painstakingly restoring and renovating the beacon. Since he began restoring the lighthouse, Korstad noticed he wasn't alone, but never felt in danger. While cleaning, he would hear footsteps going up the tower stairs, voices, and other noises. While cleaning one day, he pleaded with the spirits to keep away the seagulls, whose constant waste droppings were becoming additional big clean-up projects. The friendly spirits heard him, and to this day, visitors rarely see bird droppings or birds perching on the lighthouse.

As he neared the end of his restoration of the lighthouse, Korstad saw less and less of his spiritual guests. With the lighthouse completely restored, these friendly spirits are happy to stay out of sight and simply protect their visitors.

On a personal note, my wife and I stayed over at the lighthouse and can attest to the wonderful peace we felt there. Click this link Our Overnight Experience for more intricate details our positive experience at the lighthouse, in my Lighthouse Stories blog section.

 

Murdered Wife of Keeper Moore?

haunted Bird Island lighthouse

Bird Island Light, Marion, MA

Bird Island Lighthouse was built in 1819 in a high traffic area of whaling ships, and cargo vessels with lumber, cut nails, and salt. The first keeper was William Moore, who was a veteran of the War of 1812. He was a private intelligent man who spawned controversy with the townsfolk when he secretly married a society lady out of his class from Boston and brought her to the lighthouse. She was known to have been stricken with tuberculosis and had a strong addiction to tobacco. Villagers would sometimes secretly smuggle bags of tobacco and liquor to her, against Keeper Moore's wishes.

When she died a few years later, there was much speculation from the local townsfolk, that Moore may have murdered her. He buried her in an unmarked grave without any services for the villagers, blaming them for her death by supplying her with tobacco. Her grave however, has never been found.

Keeper Moore would leave shortly after his wife's death in 1822, and was assigned to Billingsgate Light in Welfleet, on Cape Cod. For many years afterwards, there were many reports by keepers and caretakers awakened by the ghostly figure of a hunched over woman, knocking at the door of the keeper's house, or a shadowy figure lurking around the tower.

Many years later, when the keeper's dwelling was being torn down in 1889, a rifle and a bag of tobacco were found in a secret hiding spot, further justifying the speculation that she was murdered by her husband. However, with those items, was a note written by the keeper condemning the villagers while proclaming his love for his wife.

 

Spirits of Cape Cod Lighthouse and Museum

haunted Cape Cod Highland Light

Highland (Cape Cod) Light, Truro, MA

Cape Cod is home to numerous sightings of ghosts and other signs of paranormal activity in its houses, inns, taverns, and even an old jail. Over the years, many shipwrecks have occurred off its shoals and sandbars in its treacherous waters during foggy and stormy nights, particularly near Highland Lighthouse, also known as Cape Cod Light. The beacon is the oldest lighthouse on the Cape, and many believe it may be haunted by the souls of some shipwreck victims and a former keeper. Reports include visitors and staff members hearing footsteps of someone wearing boots leading up to the lantern room, thought to be a former lighthouse keeper. Additionally, unexplained flashing lights near the top of the lighthouse have been observed outside the lantern room. Other mysterious events include knocking on the door of the keeper’s house with no one present and doors slamming shut.

Highland House Museum
Just a few steps from the lighthouse is the Highland House Museum. This was once a hotel built on the Highlands in 1907. For many years, visitors to the hotel, and Coast Guardsmen have reported seeing a woman in period attire wandering the property, heard a female voice, and have reported feeling her presence on the hotel's second floor.

 

First Female Lighthouse Keeper,
Hannah Thomas

haunted plymouth light

Gurnet (Plymouth) Light, Plymouth, MA

In the late 1700s, the Colonial government purchased land fron John and Hannah Thomas, and allowed John Thomas to be appointed as the first keeper. Shortly thereafter, he was called to fight in the Revolutionary War, leaving his wife, Hannah, to take on all the responsibilities at the lighthouse. Managing the lighthouse technically made Hannah America's first female keeper. John Thomas never returned from the war; he died of smallpox while serving in 1776. Hannah faithfully served at the lighthouse for many years afterward.

Hannah is believed to still haunt the keeper’s house and the lighthouse itself, as sightings have been reported for many years since her death in 1819. In 1994, two visitors, the Shanklins spent a night at Gurnet Point Light in the keeper's home. Bob reported that during the night, he awoke to see the ghost of a sad-faced woman hovering above his sleeping wife.

 

Army of Two: Fife and Drum Music

haunted Scituate Light

Scituate Lighthouse, Scituate, MA

In Massachusetts, Scituate Lighthouse was built in 1811, just before the War of 1812 broke out between the fledgling United States and the British. Scituate’s first Keeper was Simeon Bates. He and his wife resided at the lighthouse with their nine children. Two of their daughters, Abigail and Rebecca Bates, enjoyed playing the fife and drum together, as Rebecca, the older sister at the age of 21, could play four military tunes on her fife, including “Yankee Doodle.”

On September 1, 1814, most of the Bates family had gone into town to gather supplies and visit with other relatives. Twenty-one-year-old Rebecca was left in charge of the lighthouse along with her younger sister, 15-year-old Abigail. Anchored outside Scituate Harbor, the sisters were horrified to notice a British warship in the distance, with two boats of "redcoats" departing from the ship and rowing toward the mainland, probably a rading party. 

Realizing that the British were about to attack the town, Rebecca grabbed her fife and instructed Abigail to take her drum. The two girls then ran into a nearby grove of cedar trees, out of sight of the British, and began to play “Yankee Doodle,” as load as they could, hoping to convince the British that the local militia was organizing nearby to protect the town. They succeeded, as they witnessed the boats returning to the ship, which sailed out of the harbor. The famous "Lighthouse Army of Two" became local heroes for preventing a British naval force from pillaging the town.

Many years after their deaths, local townsfolk and mariners have claimed to have seen the daughters' ghosts near the lighthouse, and have heard the playing of fife and drum military music by the lighthouse.

Click this link Army of Two for more details about the Bates sisters in my Lighthouse Stories blog section.

 

Ghost Keepers of the "Lighthouse Storm"

original Minot's ledge Light

Minot's Ledge Light, Cohasset, MA

Minot's Ledge Lighthouse, the original strcuture, was built on a perilous group of rocky ledges known as the Cohasset Rocks. However, the huge skeletal structure itself was deemed unsafe by the first keepers who quickly resigned. In April 1851, the new keeper, John Bennet, who had also reported the lighthouse as unsafe, went ashore to gather essential supplies, leaving two assistant keepers, Joe Wilson and Joe Antoine, behind to tend the light. 

While he was ashore, on April 17, 1851, a fierce nor’easter storm struck the area unexpectedly, with winds recorded gusting to hurricane force at over 100 miles per hour. The lighthouse tower succumbed to the immense waves and hurricane-force winds, ultimately collapsing onto the rocks. The following day, Antoine's body was found washed ashore at Nantasket Beach, while Wilson's body was later discovered on nearby Gull Island.

Since the tragedy, both men are said to haunt Minot’s Ledge Lighthouse. Many fishermen claim that during stormy weather, they have seen someone hanging from a ladder on the side of the tower, shouting, "Stay away, stay away," in Portuguese (Joe Antoine was Portuguese). There have also been claims of tapping on the rails, a method both keepers had developed for signaling the end of the shift. Still others have also reported seeing two shadowy figures, presumably the two assistant keepers, in the lantern room in the middle of the night. Bird droppings have been cleaned off windows and other tasks completed before staff members could work on them.

Click this link Ghost Keepers Helping Mariners for more intricate details about the the hauntings of the two assitant keepers at the lighthouse, and to learn more about one of the most devastating storms in New England, click this link "Lighthouse Storm" in my Lighthouse Stories blog section.

 

Woman in Scarlet and the Last Keeper

haunted long island head light

Long Island Head Light, Boston, MA

Woman in Scarlet
In the spring of 1776, the American fleet blockaded several British vessels in Boston Harbor, resulting in intense artillery battles. The British attempted to escape Boston Harbor while local colonial militias continued firing cannonballs at the retreating ships. Among those British vessels were newlyweds William and Mary Burton. William was a soldier of the British fleet. During the battle, Mary was struck in the head by a cannonball. Realizing it was a fatal wound, she told her husband that she didn’t want to be buried at sea, and she died a few hours later. 

Compassionate residents permitted her burial on the island. William had no special burial clothing other than a scarlet red blanket he found. He tenderly wrapped Mary in the blanket and sewed it around her body. He then took her body to Long Island in Boston Harbor, where he buried his beloved after a brief service. 

In 1804, some fishermen were shipwrecked on the island during a storm. When they were rescued, they reported seeing a woman in a red cloak with blood streaming from her head coming toward them before disappearing over a nearby hill. Sightings of the “Lady in Scarlet” were documented over the years, including in 1891 by a soldier at Fort Strong, which was built on the island shortly after the Civil War.

 

Spirits Around Boston Light

Boston Harbor Light, Boston, MA

As Boston’s oldest lighthouse station was built in 1716, its beginnings were marked by tragedies. The beacon’s first keeper was George Worthylake, who perished with his wife, daughter Ruth, a friend, servant, and their beloved slave Shadwell in a drowning accident while returning back to the lighthouse island in choppy seas in November of 1718. The incident was witnessed in horror by their daughter Ann who was at the shore waiting for all to return. 

Robert Saunders became the second interim keeper for only two weeks when he, too, drowned. After the second disaster, people were believing the island and lighthouse might be cursed. Since then, many strange noises and sightings of apparitions have been observed at the lighthouse and around the island. It is believed George Worthylake has never left the lighthouse along with other spirits over the years.

In 1947, a Coast Guard keeper's wife went to see her husband to start the fog signal engines, but suddenly, they were activated on their own and started their bellowing over the harbor. In the 1980s, another Coast Guard officer reported that while working in the station’s boathouse, he would have his radio tuned to a rock station. Often, when nobody else was in the boat house, the station would switch to play classical music.

Reports of the foghorn going off on clear nights and observing a faint apparition of a woman on the stairs in the keeper's house were quite frequent and continue to this day. 

 

Annoying Foghorn Blasting At Night

haunted Bakers Island Light

Bakers Island Light, Salem, MA

Baker’s Island is part of a cluster of 15 islands known as the Miseries, located about five miles from Salem Harbor on Massachusetts's North Shore. In addition to the recently renovated lighthouse and keeper’s residence, the island boasts vintage summer cottages built in the early 1900s, a general store, and a pump house. 

The foghorn at the lighthouse station inadvertently blares in the middle of the night on many clear evenings, seemingly to annoy Coast Guard personnel and summer cottage residents. No one knows why this occurs, and many staff members believe it is a ghost that enjoys playing tricks on its guests. The entity appears to take pleasure in disturbing the sleep of everyone on the island by activating the foghorn. The foghorn sometimes fails to function when it should on foggy nights, yet it works fine during the day. The foghorn issue has been reported to the Coast Guard many times, but when repairmen came to inspect the device, they could never find anything wrong with it.

 

Books to Explore

Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Southern New England: Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts

This book provides special human interest stories from each of the 92 lighthouses, along with plenty of indoor and outdoor coastal attractions you can explore, including parks, museums, boat cruises and tours. You'll also find over 360 images to enjoy as well.

Look inside!

book about lighthouses in southern New England

 

 

Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England:
New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont

This book provides human interest stories from each of the 76 lighthouses in northern New England, along with plenty of coastal attractions and tours near each beacon, and contact info to plan your special trips.

Look inside!

book northern New England lighthouses and local coastal attractions

 

 

book of the rise and demise of the largest sailing ships

This book is available in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.

my ebook on apple books

The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships:
Stories of the Six and Seven-Masted Coal Schooners of New England

In the early 1900s, New England shipbuilders constructed the world’s largest sailing ships amid social and political reforms. These giants of sail were built to carry massive quantities of coal and building supplies and measured longer than a football field! These true stories include competitions, accidents, battling destructive storms, acts of heroism, and their final voyages.

 

 

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