'Tis the season for things that go bump in the night and once again, we've updated our (sort of) frightening map of haunted houses on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket just in time for Halloween 2015. From ghostly apparitions to ghost dogs (really), supernatural spirits to secret rooms, spurned suitors to suspicious fires, here are 17 of the spookiest spreads on the Cape and Islands.
Apparently, this innocent looking abode is one of the most haunted houses on the Cape. The circa 1659 Dillingham House is known for door latches lifting, empty rocking chairs rocking and, the most frightening of them all, sounds of children running through the house. Supernatural spirits, plus eight bedrooms, can be yours for $549,000, a full $100K less than it was hoping for last year.
Built in 1878, the hauntings are said to have started in the 1950s. Ghostly sounds? Check. Ghostly apparitions lunging toward unsuspecting visitors? Check.
Some homeowners just refuse to leave. This property in the Falmouth Village Green historic district was once owned by Dr. Edwin Tripp, then became the Village Green Inn for a spell and is now luxury condos. Apparently, the good doctor, who died in 1953, still likes to shuffle down the hallway. [Photo: John Phelan via Wikipedia]
The Old King's Highway is home to many historic and ghostly locations, but none more so than The Barnstable House. Built in 1716, the spirited building is home to 11 ghosts. Some slam doors, others light candles and a few chill in rocking chairs.
Hyannis Port's only bed and breakfast inn is said to be inhabited by "Susan," a child ghost who makes occasional appearances in the Owl Room. She mostly appears for people who are intuitive or psychic, but if you've got the Ghost Camera app on your smartphone, that might work.
Ghostly apparitions, lights going off and on by themselves, objects moving magically, whispers, and more are all thanks to the resident spirits at the Old Yarmouth Inn. It's unknown who haunts the inn, but it was built in 1696 so there are plenty of possibilities. Plus, there's a hidden door in the attic thought to have been used as part of the Underground Railroad.
Further down the historically haunted Old King's Highway/Route 6A, is a home once owned by Captain William Burgess. He died in 1855, but his widow, Hanna Rebecca, lived another 63 years, leaving her plenty of time to - wait for it - turn down more than 50 marriage proposals (!!). Footsteps and rearranged artwork now happen regularly. Spurned suitors, perhaps?
Built in 1875, the building has been a mercantile center, boarding house, summer hotel and finally, a year round inn. Visitors have witnessed lights turn off and on, doors open and close, felt "cold spots," and seen fleeting visual appearances.
This 17th century sea captain's home has operated as an Inn for more than 30 years and has been "noted as one of the 10 best places in New England to sleep with a ghost!"
Dating back to 1775, the property was built by sea captain Eben Snow and later belonged to the town's wealthiest resident, David Fairbanks. These days, a Revolutionary War soldier is thought to haunt one of the inn's 15 rooms.
The Martin House, at least according to Thomas D'Agostino's Haunted Massachusetts, is haunted by multiple ghosts from different centuries. Ghostly residents include both former residents - the obligatory 1700s sea captain and the missus - and "the spirits of runaway slaves who sought shelter in the Martin House when it was part of the Underground Railroad."
It's now the Aquinnah Cultural Center, but back when it was the Vanderhoop Homestead, there were ghostly rumors that folks could hear a little girl screaming in the night. Shudder. [Photo: Jack Torcello]
When tech gazillionaire Peter Norton's gorgeous Queen Anne burned down in 2001, there were those who didn't believe that faulty wiring was to blame. According to local ghost hunter Holly Nadler, sisters Julie and Loulou Danzell, the Oak Bluffs arsonists of 1894, seemed like more likely spirited suspects. Norton rebuilt and, ghosts or no ghosts, the replica is as gorgeous as the original. [Photo: Jaxon White]
The 1750 Daggett House Inn expanded on a tavern built in 1660. The inn was supposedly haunted by two brothers and a ghost dog, but it's now a private residence, so no telling if the owners have since called in the Ghost Busters.
Built in 1672, the Vincent House is thought to be haunted by a female ghost in a full-length dress. The island's oldest house, it's now owned by the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust.
The obligatory old man ghost sitting in a rocking chair resides at the Joshua Coffin House. Built in 1754, the house includes a secret room, accessible only via trap door, and and there's been some poltergeist activity.
Rattling silverware at dinner parties and strange footsteps at night supposedly haunt(ed) the circa 1835 George C. Gardner House. Could that explain why the place has been on the market so long? The scary asking price is $9,500,000.
Apparently, this innocent looking abode is one of the most haunted houses on the Cape. The circa 1659 Dillingham House is known for door latches lifting, empty rocking chairs rocking and, the most frightening of them all, sounds of children running through the house. Supernatural spirits, plus eight bedrooms, can be yours for $549,000, a full $100K less than it was hoping for last year.
Built in 1878, the hauntings are said to have started in the 1950s. Ghostly sounds? Check. Ghostly apparitions lunging toward unsuspecting visitors? Check.
Some homeowners just refuse to leave. This property in the Falmouth Village Green historic district was once owned by Dr. Edwin Tripp, then became the Village Green Inn for a spell and is now luxury condos. Apparently, the good doctor, who died in 1953, still likes to shuffle down the hallway. [Photo: John Phelan via Wikipedia]
The Old King's Highway is home to many historic and ghostly locations, but none more so than The Barnstable House. Built in 1716, the spirited building is home to 11 ghosts. Some slam doors, others light candles and a few chill in rocking chairs.
Hyannis Port's only bed and breakfast inn is said to be inhabited by "Susan," a child ghost who makes occasional appearances in the Owl Room. She mostly appears for people who are intuitive or psychic, but if you've got the Ghost Camera app on your smartphone, that might work.
Ghostly apparitions, lights going off and on by themselves, objects moving magically, whispers, and more are all thanks to the resident spirits at the Old Yarmouth Inn. It's unknown who haunts the inn, but it was built in 1696 so there are plenty of possibilities. Plus, there's a hidden door in the attic thought to have been used as part of the Underground Railroad.
Further down the historically haunted Old King's Highway/Route 6A, is a home once owned by Captain William Burgess. He died in 1855, but his widow, Hanna Rebecca, lived another 63 years, leaving her plenty of time to - wait for it - turn down more than 50 marriage proposals (!!). Footsteps and rearranged artwork now happen regularly. Spurned suitors, perhaps?
Built in 1875, the building has been a mercantile center, boarding house, summer hotel and finally, a year round inn. Visitors have witnessed lights turn off and on, doors open and close, felt "cold spots," and seen fleeting visual appearances.
This 17th century sea captain's home has operated as an Inn for more than 30 years and has been "noted as one of the 10 best places in New England to sleep with a ghost!"
Dating back to 1775, the property was built by sea captain Eben Snow and later belonged to the town's wealthiest resident, David Fairbanks. These days, a Revolutionary War soldier is thought to haunt one of the inn's 15 rooms.
The Martin House, at least according to Thomas D'Agostino's Haunted Massachusetts, is haunted by multiple ghosts from different centuries. Ghostly residents include both former residents - the obligatory 1700s sea captain and the missus - and "the spirits of runaway slaves who sought shelter in the Martin House when it was part of the Underground Railroad."
It's now the Aquinnah Cultural Center, but back when it was the Vanderhoop Homestead, there were ghostly rumors that folks could hear a little girl screaming in the night. Shudder. [Photo: Jack Torcello]
When tech gazillionaire Peter Norton's gorgeous Queen Anne burned down in 2001, there were those who didn't believe that faulty wiring was to blame. According to local ghost hunter Holly Nadler, sisters Julie and Loulou Danzell, the Oak Bluffs arsonists of 1894, seemed like more likely spirited suspects. Norton rebuilt and, ghosts or no ghosts, the replica is as gorgeous as the original. [Photo: Jaxon White]
The 1750 Daggett House Inn expanded on a tavern built in 1660. The inn was supposedly haunted by two brothers and a ghost dog, but it's now a private residence, so no telling if the owners have since called in the Ghost Busters.
Built in 1672, the Vincent House is thought to be haunted by a female ghost in a full-length dress. The island's oldest house, it's now owned by the Martha's Vineyard Preservation Trust.
The obligatory old man ghost sitting in a rocking chair resides at the Joshua Coffin House. Built in 1754, the house includes a secret room, accessible only via trap door, and and there's been some poltergeist activity.
Rattling silverware at dinner parties and strange footsteps at night supposedly haunt(ed) the circa 1835 George C. Gardner House. Could that explain why the place has been on the market so long? The scary asking price is $9,500,000.
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/47867293/halloween14.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485278/21401359.1.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485279/HighfieldHall.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485280/1024px-Village_Green_Inn__Falmouth_MA.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485281/BarnstableHouse.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485282/simmonsinn.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485283/OldYarmouthInn.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485284/haunted_house_0.0.0.jpeg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485285/OrleansInn.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485286/pennyhouse.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485287/FairbanksInn.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485288/martinhouse.0.0.jpeg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485289/4376378710_43e2130dbf.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485290/jw_norton_house_007.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485291/Daggett.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485292/VincentHouse.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485293/CoffinHouse.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62485294/georgecgardner.0.0.png)
![[Photo: John Phelan via Wikipedia]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falmouth_Village_Green_Historic_District#mediaviewer/File:Village_Green_Inn,_Falmouth_MA.jpg){kind=link}