Uncover the Ghosts, Legends, and Real Haunted Houses of Massachusetts.
1. The Lizzie Borden House – Fall River, Massachusetts
One of the most haunted places in Massachusetts, the Lizzie Borden House in Fall River remains infamous for the brutal murders that occurred there in 1892.
Lizzie Borden’s parents were found dead, brutally murdered with an axe, and though Lizzie was tried for the crime, she was acquitted. Today, visitors and staff report strange occurrences including unexplained footsteps, disembodied voices, and apparitions throughout the Victorian home.
The house operates as a bed and breakfast and museum, allowing paranormal enthusiasts to spend the night in this historic and allegedly haunted location.
Guests have reported seeing shadowy figures in period clothing and hearing mysterious sounds in the dead of night. The guest room where Lizzie’s stepmother was found dead is particularly active, with visitors reporting intense cold spots and feelings of dread.
Paranormal Activity: Apparitions, disembodied voices, unexplained cold spots, mysterious footsteps
2. Danvers State Hospital – Danvers, Massachusetts
Danvers State Hospital stands as one of the most notorious haunted locations in Massachusetts and throughout New England. This abandoned psychiatric hospital operated from 1878 to 1992 and was the site of countless unexplained deaths and inhumane treatment of patients. The Gothic Revival architecture itself seems to emanate a sinister energy.
The hospital inspired the fictional setting in Stephen King’s “The Shining” and H.P. Lovecraft referenced the location in his horror writings.
Paranormal investigators report overwhelming spiritual activity throughout the decaying buildings, including disembodied screams, shadow figures, and violent poltergeist phenomena. Visitors have documented apparitions of former patients in hospital gowns wandering the corridors.
Paranormal Activity: Disembodied screams, shadow figures, violent poltergeist activity, apparitions of former patients
3. Fort Warren – Boston Harbor, Massachusetts
Fort Warren, located on George’s Island in Boston Harbor, is considered one of the most haunted places in New England and a must-visit for paranormal tourism. Built in 1834, the fortress served as a Civil War prison camp and witnessed the deaths of thousands of Confederate soldiers held captive during the war.
The spirit most frequently reported at Fort Warren is that of the “Lady in White,” believed to be the ghost of a woman who visited a Confederate prisoner and was accidentally shot and killed by sentries.
Visitors and park rangers have reported seeing her translucent figure gliding through the fort’s corridors, often carrying a lantern. Additional paranormal activity includes disembodied voices speaking in Civil War-era dialects, phantom footsteps, and the apparition of a Confederate soldier still standing guard.
Paranormal Activity: The Lady in White apparition, phantom footsteps, disembodied voices, Civil War-era spirits
4. The Houghton Mansion – North Adams, Massachusetts
The Houghton Mansion in North Adams is considered one of the most actively haunted real haunted houses in Massachusetts. Built in 1889, this mansion became the subject of intense paranormal investigation after a murder occurred within its walls in 1914. Detective Walter Shaughnessy was shot and killed inside the home by a burglar.
Today, the mansion serves as a museum and is open for paranormal investigations. Visitors report encountering the ghost of Detective Shaughnessy, experiencing violent poltergeist phenomena, and hearing disembodied voices.
Objects move on their own, apparitions appear suddenly in mirrors and doorways, and visitors have reported being physically touched by unseen forces. The basement and upper hallways are particularly active paranormal hotspots.
Paranormal Activity: Poltergeist phenomena, apparitions, disembodied voices, objects moving independently, physical contact from unseen entities
5. Bridgewater Triangle – Bridgewater, Massachusetts
The Bridgewater Triangle is one of the most haunted towns in Massachusetts and represents a hotbed of paranormal and cryptid activity. This area, encompassing approximately 200 square miles between the towns of Bridgewater, Abington, and Freetown, has been the epicenter of bizarre phenomena for centuries.
Within this mysterious region, visitors report UFO sightings, cryptid encounters (including Bigfoot-like creatures), poltergeist activity, and unexplained disappearances.
The Bridgewater Swamp, located within the triangle, is particularly known for ghostly apparitions, phantom lights, and disembodied voices. Native American spiritual activity is also documented throughout the area.
Paranormal researchers consider the Bridgewater Triangle to be one of the most significant paranormal zones in the northeastern United States.
Paranormal Activity: UFO sightings, cryptid encounters, poltergeist phenomena, phantom lights, spiritual apparitions, unexplained disappearances
6. Gaols of Salem – Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts is famous worldwide for the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, one of the darkest chapters in American history. The Gaols of Salem (Salem Jail) held accused witches during these trials, and at least five people died in custody while awaiting trial or execution.
The remnants of the original colonial jail still stand and are now part of the Witch House Museum. Paranormal activity here is intense and well-documented, with visitors reporting the apparitions of accused witches, disembodied voices screaming accusations, and oppressive spiritual presences.
Cold spots appear suddenly throughout the building, and sensitive individuals report feeling overwhelming emotions of fear and despair. The jail cells and underground dungeons are particularly active paranormal locations in this most haunted town in Massachusetts.
Paranormal Activity: Apparitions of accused witches, disembodied voices, cold spots, overwhelming spiritual presences, residual emotional energy
7. Whaling City Haunts – New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford, a former whaling capital and one of the most haunted towns in Massachusetts, is steeped in maritime history and tragedy. The city’s 18th and 19th-century whaling industry claimed countless lives, and the harbor itself is said to be haunted by the spirits of drowned sailors and whale hunters.
The Whaleman’s Chapel in New Bedford, built in 1834, is known for paranormal phenomena including disembodied voices singing sea shanties, the apparitions of sailors in period clothing, and phantom footsteps on the wooden floors.
The surrounding historic district, with its colonial-era buildings, reports increased paranormal activity during fog-laden nights. Visitors have documented encounters with maritime ghosts and felt inexplicable emotional heaviness associated with the region’s dangerous whaling past.
Paranormal Activity: Phantom sea shanties, sailor apparitions, disembodied voices, phantom footsteps, maritime spirits
8. The Omni Parker House – Boston, Massachusetts
Boston’s historic Omni Parker House, operating continuously since 1855, is one of the most well-known haunted hotels in Massachusetts and throughout New England. This prestigious establishment has hosted presidents, famous authors, and political figures, but it’s also home to several resident ghosts.
The most famous ghost is Chef Parker, the original owner and founder who is believed to continue his kitchen duties from beyond the grave. Guests and staff have reported unexplained cooking aromas, appliances turning on by themselves, and the apparition of Chef Parker in 19th-century attire.
Additional paranormal activity includes disembodied voices in hallways, apparitions in guest rooms, and mysterious knockings on doors. The hotel’s lower levels and kitchen areas are particularly active paranormal hotspots.
Paranormal Activity: Chef apparition, unexplained cooking aromas, appliances activating on their own, disembodied voices, apparitions in guest rooms
9.Metropolitan State Hospital — Waltham
Once one of the largest psychiatric hospitals in the United States, Metropolitan State Hospital in Waltham has become a staple in conversations about the most haunted places in Massachusetts.
Opened in 1930 and closed in 1992, the facility was the focus of serious investigations into patient mistreatment, overcrowding, and medical abuse. Its tragic history earned it a dark reputation long before ghost stories began circulating.
After the hospital shut down, many of the buildings were abandoned for years, leading urban explorers and paranormal investigators to report eerie phenomena:
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Echoing footsteps in empty hallways
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Sudden cold spots
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Shadowy figures slipping in and out of view
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Disembodied voices, crying, and whispers
Much of the campus has since been demolished or redeveloped, but the lingering stories keep the area high on lists of real haunted houses in Massachusetts and urban legends tied to the most haunted towns in Massachusetts.
While you cannot legally enter the former hospital grounds, the surrounding trails and public pathways still attract visitors who claim the atmosphere feels unnervingly heavy.
10. Ropes Mansion — Salem
Located in the heart of one of the most haunted towns in Massachusetts, the Ropes Mansion is a stunning Georgian Colonial home with a chilling past. Built in the 1720s and now operated by the Peabody Essex Museum, the mansion draws visitors not just for its beauty, but for its reputation as one of Salem’s most quietly haunted locations.
The house was home to several generations of the Ropes family, including Abigail Ropes, who died after suffering severe burns during a mysterious fire inside the home in 1839. Many believe Abigail’s spirit never left.
Commonly reported paranormal activity includes:
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Apparitions of a woman in 19th-century clothing near upstairs windows
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Sudden cold pockets in otherwise warm rooms
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Doors opening on their own
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The faint scent of smoke with no source
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Disembodied footsteps echoing through empty hallways
While the interior is open only for special programs, the exterior and the gorgeous public Ropes Mansion Garden attract thousands of visitors yearly. The mansion frequently appears on lists of real haunted houses in Massachusetts and remains a must-see stop for anyone exploring the most haunted places in New England.
Fun Fact: Horror fans may recognize the mansion as Allison’s house from the film Hocus Pocus, adding even more pop-culture charm to this already spooky landmark.
Sources
- New England Today. “The Most Haunted Places in New England.” Retrieved from https://www.newenglandtoday.com
- The Paranormal Institute. “Haunted Massachusetts: A Comprehensive Guide.” Retrieved from https://www.paranormalinstitute.com
- Atlas Obscura. “Abandoned Hospitals and Asylums of Massachusetts.” Retrieved from https://www.atlasobscura.com
- Massachusetts Historical Society. “Colonial Massachusetts: History and Heritage.” Retrieved from https://www.masshist.org
- Salem Witch Trials Documentary Archive & Transcription Project, University of Virginia. Retrieved from https://salem.lib.virginia.edu
- National Park Service. “Fort Warren: Boston Harbor’s Historic Fortress.” Retrieved from https://www.nps.gov
- WBUR Boston. “Danvers State Hospital: Massachusetts’ Most Haunted Location.” Retrieved from https://www.wbur.org
- Historic Boston, Inc. “The Omni Parker House: Boston’s Haunted Historic Hotel.” Retrieved from https://www.historicboston.org
- Bridgewater Triangle Research Center. “The Bridgewater Triangle: New England’s Paranormal Hotspot.” Retrieved from https://www.bridgewatertriangleresearch.com
- Boston.com. “New Bedford’s Maritime History and Haunted Past.” Retrieved from https://www.boston.com
