Yesterday when I was down in Gloucester, the conversation turned to a favorite topic in my family: ghosts. I think I've posted about ghosts before (can't find such a post, though), but I began to wonder if there were any particularly haunted places in Newburyport?
I was once interviewing head librarian Dottie LaFrance, and she told me that someone had once reported seeing a ghost in the NPL, part of which is an old mansion. A ghost hunter type person came to investigate - but LaFrance never saw the results!
Clearly a skeptic.
Then I found this on line, about a supernatural occurrence here in the city, near Old Hill Burying Ground. The author says Newburyport has "many haunted places."
Where are they? I demand to know ...
This website has a listing, from both Newbury/Byfield and Newburyport. The high school is haunted, as is Triton Regional High School and the Harbor Schools location in Newbury? And apparently a former school on Charles St. was allegedly visited by paranormal pupils in the 1870s.
So ... what we can draw from this is that schools are obviously a source of trauma. As if we didn't know that already ...
They also list Maudslay State Park, but they might have visited during the annual "Maudslay is Haunted" event ... that's pretty spooky.
If you're interested in ghosts/ghost stories, check out the book "20th Century Ghosts," by Joe Hill. Spooky stuff (not all ghostly). My mother also had a copy of his new book, "Heart-Shaped Box."
Friday, July 25, 2008
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11 comments:
I used to work with a guy who wrote a book on ghosts (Stanley Durland, "Where Angels Tread"). He once told me that one of the requirements for a ghost to appear is the presence of a teen-aged girl.
Yes, I have to say, the "ghostly" experiences my family had were all in one house, where they lived while both my younger sisters were teenagers (I had already left home as an adult when the 'spirits' made themselves heard to all, but seen only by my mother).
http://www.newburyportnews.com/
archivesearch/
local_story_304122506
Garrison Inn has one of the most famous ghosts in town
Thank you, anonymous! I was at the Windward Inn (Essex) yesterday, where there is reportedly the ghost of a woman who stands at the top of the stairs.
I saw no ghost (and I did check, after I got a 'creepy' feeling along my neck), but I did enjoy my lunch!
Oooh, I love this stuff.
There's a ghost at my in-law's house on Cape Cod, validated by several people. I've never seen it (and, God, I hope I never do) but I find it fascinating.
I can't speak for ghosts, but as someone who's had visions, I'm willing to believe anything.
Until I see proof something doesn't exist, I have no reason to believe it doesn't.
P.S. The CAPTCHA below begins with MRX; I thought you had removed Mr. X's blog from your roll.
Hmmmm, Ari, hmmmmm ... but then, there are so many things that no one can ever prove don't exist, as long as someone believes they do!
re: Mr. X. I do believe in people making things right again - although I'm still not comfortable with people hiding behind anonymity. And as I've since learned, it's so easy, when you get fired up, to write something nasty down and push that litte "Publish" button.
Hey Gillian,
When I went on the Ghost Hunt with the New England Ghost Project, the "lead investigator" with the group told me he was "slimed" at Old Hill Burying Ground while doing an investigation there.
He said it was some sort of black gooey substance that landed on his arm, and burned his skin.
Take that for what you will.
Michelle, a friend recently burned her finger when it touched a hot pepper she was cutting without gloves.
I never heard of raw veggies burning skin, so maybe black substances can too.
Wait, Ari ... I thought you said you were willing to believe anything!
Where did this alleged black substance come from? I don't think there was anyone out there chopping anything (but I could be wrong, and he could be nuts).
And speaking of peppers, I learned the hard way how a pepper can burn your skin - there are some HOT peppers out there!
P.S. My sister called me earlier from San Fran, where she is vacationing. She objected to being cast as a poltergeist magnet! She was kidding, but seriously, we always thought it was our mother (since she saw/heard strange things much more often than did we).
Ari-
First, I did not necessarily say I believed him. Second, with that being said, I do not believe he was out at Old Hill cutting peppers at some unholy hour.
But, as you stated before, but seem to be recanting on (so, what DO you feel) anything is possible.
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