10 Horribly Creepy Things You Didn't Know You Could Do In Massachusetts
By Sophia
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Published October 11, 2017
Massachusetts is filled with places that go bump in the night. In a state so full of history and tradition, there’s a spooky story associated with almost every spot on the map. Celebrate the season with a visit to one of these haunting attractions.
1. Enter a real haunted house from the Salem witch trials.
Known as "The Witch House" for obvious reasons, this home is the only remaining structure with direct ties to the bloody Salem witch trials. It dates back to 1675 and once belonged to Judge Jonathan Corwin, one of the judges who send condemned witches to the gallows. The home is said to be haunted by the angry spirits of those killed during the trials and is open to the public.
For more information and directions,
click here .
2. Read a book bound in human flesh.
The Boston Athenaeum is home to one of the few verified books bound in actual human skin. The book is a the autobiography of a local criminal and has the clunky title: "Narrative of the Life of James Allen, alias Jonas Pierce, alias James H. York, alias Burley Grove, the Highwayman, Being His Death-bed Confession to the Warden of the Massachusetts State Prison." James Allen asked that his autobiography be bound in his own skin after his execution in 1837, and his wish was granted. The feel of the book is described as "a slightly bumpy texture, like soft sandpaper."
For more information and directions,
click here .
3. Visit a truly terrifying haunted ship.
In addition to having a distinctly witchy name, the USS Salem is known as one of the most haunted vessels on the planet. In 1953, the ship assisted in aiding victims of an earthquake in Greece. As victims of the disaster began to die on the ship, corpses were stacked to the ceiling in large rooms in the belly of the craft. Today, the ship is open for tours and becomes a bone-chilling haunted house attraction during the Halloween season.
For more information and directions,
click here .
4. Explore a haunted fort by the sea.
This creepy fort has over 225 years of history and hauntings to its name. More than 200 newly-freed French soldiers were held at Fort Revere during the Revolutionary War in 1778, but most died of smallpox and were buried on a grassy slope behind the fort. Today, the fort is a public park open to exploration and is rumored to be intensely haunted.
For more information and directions,
click here .
5. Explore the most haunted forest in America.
Known as the Cursed Forest of Massachusetts, the Freetown Fall River State Forest has seen more than its fair share of murder, death, mystery and unexplainable happenings. The list of horrors and crimes that occurred amongst the trees here is almost too long to fathom, but it's the site of multiple documented homicides and suicides, as well as unexplained cattle mutilation and strange lights in the sky.
For more information and directions,
click here .
6. Hop on a haunted trolley tour.
The Ghosts and Gravestones nighttime "frightseeing" tour will take you to all the spookiest spots in Boston. You'll explore the hunting grounds of notorious serial killers, "meet" the victims of terrible catastrophes and be guided around graveyards and a luxurious haunted hotel.
For more information and directions,
click here .
7. Visit a "lollipop" graveyard.
The Harvard Shaker graveyard in Harvard is a historic cemetery covered in small markers that bear a more than a passing resemblance to lollipops. There are over 300 of these unique cast-iron markers, and the graveyard is said to be haunted by the restless spirit of a woman who stands amongst the trees bordering the cemetery and sings in a low voice.
For more information and directions,
click here .
8. See a show in a haunted theater.
The Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College is one of the most opulently decorate theaters in the state and one of the oldest in the country. Not to mention, it's the supposed home of a few lively ghosts. Built in 1903, the theater reportedly plays host to the spirits of a local mayor who died during a show, a married couple who watch performances but disappear before the second act, and a small child who can be heard crying just out of sight.
For more information and directions,
click here .
9. Visit the state's creepiest ghost town.
Dogtown is an abandoned settlement on the North shore that dates back to the late 1600s. It was once a thriving community, but the population dwindled after the War of 1812 and abandoned homes began to fill with vagrants and stray dogs. Local legends tell of a coven of witches that held sway over the seedy town in the 1800s. Today, the area is covered in large boulders inscribed with inspirational (and somewhat creep) sayings.
For more information and directions,
click here .
10. Set sail on a haunted boat ride.
One of the most popular spooky attractions in Salem isn't actually on land. The Mahi-Mahi Haunted Happenings Harbor Cruise is one of the best ways to get in the spirit of the season and enjoy creepy ghost stories, delicious fall treats, face-painting and incredible sunset views all at once. There's also a full bar on board in case you need something to warm you up after those chilling tales.
For more information and directions,
click here .
If these activities don’t give you the shivers, check out our list of spine-tingling Massachusetts hauntings that are said to be true.
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