The Truly Grim Reality Of 6 Ghost Towns In New Hampshire
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Michelle
Author
New Hampshire became a state in 1776, which means we’ve had quite a long time to build up some fascinating history. And that doesn’t even include the things that happened here long before any of us were. Throughout the decades the Granite State has seen its fair share of spooky occurrences and these spots located throughout the state carry those stories.
Located near Milford, this colonial town was one of the first homes to those who came to settle in New Hampshire. Buildings here date as far back as the 1700s and walking through the now abandoned town will have you feeling the spirits of those who came before.
The ghosts that live here are certainly not a surprise once you know the story of what happened on this little island. Back in 1873, two women were found strangled on the island and a third was found hiding amongst the rocks to save her own life. Known as the Smuttynose Murders, the event stunned the area. Fortunately, the surviving woman identified the murderer who fled to Boston. After claiming to be innocent, he managed to get away again, before being caught and executed in Maine. The spirits of the women still walk the islands and on Maren’s Rock you might hear the howls of the surviving woman who hid out here.
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If you were around in the late 1800s, you might have felt life was lively as can be in little Livermore. The logging town was located in the White Mountain National Forest and residents were mainly men and boys working in the industry. The town itself had a small school, a mill and other buildings that make a town...a town. But hard winters, arduous work and a smallpox epidemic claimed many lives making life here hard. It’s been abandoned since 1946 and the buildings have been overtaken by surrounding nature. But if you show up today, folks say you can still hear the grunts and chats of loggers past.
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Zealand, another town in the White Mountains, also saw some bad luck. In the late 1800s, J.E. Henry founded the town to support his logging business. He saw success quickly. But in 1886 the town saw a forest fire which destroyed the wood surrounding the village. Henry was forced to move the business to untouched forest near Lincoln. But again forest fires struck and destroyed the logging operation. Soon, trains stopped coming and eventually the entire operation disappeared. You can still see remains from the village of Zealand by taking the Zealand Falls Trail in Bethlehem.
Perhaps the most eccentric resident of New Hampshire at the time, Madame Sherri was known for her lavish parties and mannerisms. Originally from Paris, she came to Chesterfield in the 1930sn after a career in entertainment. Her home burned to the ground in the 1960s and today you’ll see people exploring the remains. If you’re quiet you might also hear the sounds of her former party guests, keeping things going despite there being no walls.
What would you do if the place you lived was planned to be eradicated? Would you fight to keep life the way you knew it? Or would you go? In the case of Hill, the people had no choice. In 1937 the government planned to move everything in the town to another location, allowing them to use the original location as part of the Franklin Falls Reservoir. Within 5 years, the town was moved and today it’s home to 1,000 residents. But, Old Hill Village is said to have its own residents. It’s said that ghosts from the original town have stuck around mourning their real and rightful home.
Looking for a few more chills? The most terrifying ghost story to ever come out of New Hampshire is truly chilling.
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Featured Addresses
Madame Sherri House, West Chesterfield, NH 03466, USA
Hollis, NH 03049, USA
Isles of Shoals, United States
Livermore, NH, USA
Zealand Trail, Jefferson, NH 03583, USA