Haunted Lighthouses in New Hampshire
There are five active lighthouses in New Hampshire. Two lighthouses are on the small seacoast and are considered to be haunted, and three inland on Lake Sunapee about two hours away.
Portsmouth has always been and continues to be an important shipping and trade port, with Portsmouth Harbor Light guiding mariners, shipping vessels, and tourists through the treacherous currents of the Piscataqua River into Portsmouth. The beacon is haunted by a friendly keeper who loves being at the beacon, even after death, among other spirits.
The second lighthouse on the New Hampshire seacoast, White Island Lighthouse, was constructed among a series of dangerous rocky islands called the Isles of Shoals. The lighthouse and island are rumored to be haunted by a female apparition believed to be the pirate Blackbeard's wife. A nearby island is also haunted by murdered victims and their attacker.
Ghost of Blackbeard's Wife
and the Spirits of Murdered Victims
White Island (Isles of Shoals) Light, Rye, NH
The Isles of Shoals consist of a close group of nine islands situated about six miles off the coast along the borders of New Hampshire and southern Maine. Ownership of the islands is divided among the states.
Blackbeard is believed to have visited the Isles of Shoals with one of his wives and left a part of his treasure on nearby Lunging Island, initially known as Londoner’s Island. He departed, making her swear to stay near the treasure until his return. However, Blackbeard never came back, as he was captured in North Carolina and killed.
Despite numerous searches, no treasure has ever been found; but witnesses have observed and documented the appearance of Blackbeard’s wife over the centuries. On White Island, Lunging Island, and other surrounding islands, this apparition manifests as a tall woman cloaked in dark sea fabric, with long, flowing blonde hair. She has been spotted on the rocks, gazing out at the water as if searching for her husband, shouting, “He will return.”
The Smuttynose Island Murders
On Smuttynose Island, near White Island Lighthouse in the Isles of Shoals, Norwegian immigrants John and Maren Hontvet arrived in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in 1868 to make a living fishing off the islands. Louis Wagner was a loner who fished nearby, barely managing to support himself. The couple allowed him to stay in their house on Smuttynose Island and helped to provide clothing and food.
As John's business prospered, other family members arrived to work with him, and Wagner moved out to work on another fishing vessel. However, the ship sank in a storm, forcing Wagner to work at the Portsmouth docks for meager wages, which were barely enough to cover his one-room rent and provide food. Focusing solely on his own needs, he devised a plan to steal the money that John Hontvet was saving for a new boat. He would wait until the crew stayed overnight at Portsmouth to bait their traps, and he would row out to the house and steal the money while the women were asleep.
The opportunity arose one night, and he rowed out to the island. When he reached the house late that evening and tried to enter through the kitchen, their dog Ringe began barking at the intruder. The three women awoke to a panicked Wagner who, in a fit of desperation and rage, killed one of the women with an axe he found and strangled another as John Hontvet's wife, Maren, escaped.
Unable to find her, Wagner returned to the scene of the crime and found only $15 at the house. He rowed back to Portsmouth and took a train to Boston that day, where he bought a new suit and boots before heading to a bar he often frequented. Knowing of his hangouts in Boston, the police located the attacker. At his trial he pleaded not guilty but was convicted of what would become known as one of the worst crimes of that era and was hanged.
Since his death, islanders and visitors report hearing moans and screams from the place where the cottage once stood, where Louis Wagner murdered the two women. Sightings of his ghost have also been reported, appearing to search for Maren who had escaped. Additionally, there is a legend that he returns to the streets of Portsmouth every March 6 around 1 a.m. on the anniversary of the killings, proclaiming his innocence to anyone present who will listen.
Friendly Keeper Ghost Loves the Attention
Portsmouth harbor Light, Portsmouth, NH
The lighthouse helped save many ships and mariners during storms that battered the rocky coastline. The fort and lighthouse, situated on New Castle Island just outside of Portsmouth, provided a refuge for those rescued and in need of assistance, as well as for those who had perished, including those who died in service there. Numerous ghost sightings and stories have emerged in the area ever since.
Lighthouse Keeper Joshua Card, a longtime resident of the area, served for 35 years from 1874 to 1909 and is associated with many ghost stories at the lighthouse station. Although he passed away in 1911 at the age of 86, sightings and sounds attributed to his ghost have persisted today. Reports of sightings of Card’s ghost include personnel stationed at the nearby Coast Guard building, who observed a "shadowy figure" roaming the grounds at night.
There was also an investigation by members of the show Ghost Hunters, who documented footsteps on the lighthouse stairs, knocking, voices, and strange noises in the keeper’s quarters. The ghost of keeper Joshua Card seems to enjoy the attention, along with some other unknown spirits. He still visits the lighthouse some nights, ensuring the light is tended to and helping guide boaters and ships to port.
One night, the New England Ghost Project came to investigate. With no one at the tower, one of the members asked, “Do you enjoy our presence here?” The recorded response was, “Yes.”
Click this link Joshua Card During and After Life for more intricate details, to be directed to my Lighthouse Stories blog section.
Books to Explore
New Book!  Available in paperback. |
New England's Haunted Lighthouses: Explore the historical mysteries surrounding the haunted lighthouses of New England! Uncover ghostly tales of lingering keepers, victims of misfortune or from local shipwrecks, lost souls, ghost ships, and more. You'll find more details in the hauntings in and around Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse and White Island (Isles of Shoals) Light in New Hampshire. There is also more detailed information regarding the Smuttynose Island murders nearby in this book. |
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! |
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Lighthouses and Coastal Attractions of Northern New England: 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! |
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This book is available in paperback, hardcover, and as an eBook for all devices.
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The Rise and Demise of the Largest Sailing Ships: 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. |
