Coastal New England is a popular spot to vacation, especially in the Summertime. Out-of-towner’s flock to places like Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket wanting to spend their sunny Summer days there…but few people know the ironic dark history behind some of coastal New England’s most prominent landmarks: its lighthouses. Read on to learn more about the famous maritime lore of the region.
1. Owls Head Lighthouse | Rockland, Maine
Located in the Penobscot Bay atop a 100 ft hill, sits Owls Head lighthouse. It was constructed in the 1852, and was given it’s name due to two indentations in the headlands that look like an owl’s eyes. In the 1980’s, the 3-year old daughter of the keeper at the time seemed to have befriended the spirit of an old sea captain. She confided to her parents that she had seen a bearded man in a blue coat & seamans cap in the keeper’s quarters. One night, the girl awoke and exclaimed to her parents “fog’s rolling in, time to put the foghorn on!” – a phrase neither of them had ever said before. It seems the captain was trying to alert them.
The other spirit seen throughout the home is known as the “Little Lady”. She’s most often spotted in the kitchen, and seems to like to open & close doors and rattle silverware. Those who have encountered her have claimed to experience a surprising feeling of calmness, and peace. Most infer that she is the wife of one of the first keepers or perhaps of the old sea captain.
2. Wood Island Lighthouse | Saco Bay, Maine
Wood Island lighthouse is located off the southern coast of Maine, and is infamous for a violent murder-suicide that took place there in June of 1896. Frederick Milliken was a lobster fisherman and sheriff’s deputy for nearby Biddeford. He lived on Wood Island with his wife and three children. Two men, Howard Hobbs & William Moses, were squatters and persuaded kind-hearted Milliken to rent out a shack of his to them for a short while. Both men had a severe drinking problem and did not pay their rent. An altercation began one day between Milliken and Hobbs over the lack of payment, which ended in Milliken being shot in the abdomen in front of his wife. Realizing what he had done, Hobbs ran to the shack still in a drunken haze and shot himself.
Since the incident, many strange things have been reported throughout Wood Island and it’s believed that the regretful spirit of Howard Hobbs haunts the Wood Island lighthouse. Locked doors have opened themselves, shadow figures have been seen in the lighthouse walkway, and mournful voices have been heard at the very top of the tower. In 1905, the keeper at the time was so convinced and terrified that he was seeing spirits within the lighthouse that he jumped from the tower to his death.
3. Penfield Reef Lighthouse | Fairfield, CT
Penfield Reef lighthouse was built in 1874 and is located just outside of Black Rock Harbor in the Long Island sound. In December of 1916, keeper Frederick Jordon set sail to the mainland to visit family for Christmas. The sea became choppy and rough, ultimately capsizing his small boat about 150 yards from the lighthouse. The assistant keeper, Rudolph Iten, was unable to take a boat out to where Jordon was due to the inclement weather…he was forced to watch helplessly as Jordon disappeared into the water. His body was recovered the following day. Rumors circulated that Iten purposely did not help his friend because he wanted to become keeper of the light…which he did. But upon further investigation of the incident officials found that Iten wasn’t to blame, it was just an unfortunate accident.
During the time that Iten was keeper, he believed he was haunted by the spirit of Jordon and even kept a log of his sightings. He would see a misty apparition floating through corridors at night, and disappearing into the darkness. In 1942, a small boat capsized near Penfield Light carrying two young boys. The boys claimed a man came to their rescue but when they returned to the lighthouse to thank him, the keeper was not who they had seen. They were shown a photo of Jordon, and confirmed that was who had helped them.
4. New London Ledge Lighthouse | Groton, CT
This beautiful lighthouse was built in 1909 and is located at the mouth of the Thames River in the New London Harbor. The Ledge is home to one of the most famous hauntings and distinctive spirits in New England – and his name is Ernie. Ernie is believed to be an early keeper who resided there with his wife in the 1930’s. The story goes that Ernie became extremely distraught after his wife had left him and run away with a local ferry captain. Wallowing in his hurt, he made the ultimate decision to climb to the roof of the light and jump to his death. His body was never recovered.
Ernie is an extremely active entity and his presence at the Ledge has attracted many paranormal investigation groups. Rhode Island based T.A.P.S of SyFy’s Ghost Hunters investigated in 2005, you can read a recap to that episode here. Most frequently Ernie is said to knock loudly on the walls, open and close doors, pull bedsheets off of beds, unmoor boats, and sound the foghorn. Visitors and later crewmen have claimed to see a tall bearded man, in a slicker and rainhat occasionally throughout the living quarters. In 1987 the light became fully automated, and the last crew who resided there wrote in their log: “Rock of slow torture. Ernie’s domain. Hell on earth—may New London Ledge’s light shine on forever because I’m through. I will watch it from afar while drinking a brew.”
5. Southeast Light | Block Island, RI
This has got to be my favorite on this list, just look at it – absolutely stunning. Southeast Light was built in 1875 and is located on the Mohegan Bluffs at the southeastern corner of Block Island. The tale behind this one is yet another gruesome one, but this time it’s a female spirit doing the haunting. It’s said that in the early 1900’s, a keeper got into a violent altercation with his wife which ended in him pushing the woman down the light’s main flight of stairs. She later died from her injuries. The keeper insisted to investigators that it was suicide, but he was ultimately found guilty and imprisoned.
The spirit of the woman, now known as “Mad Maggie”, is not fond of men and tends to harass male visitors. Men who have stayed at the light have claimed that their beds had been lifted off the ground and shaken, she stomps up and down the stairs, and likes to lock men out of their rooms. One incident suggests that she chased a keeper out of bed and into the cold, only wearing his skivvies. Maggie had locked him out and the man was too embarrassed to call the Coast Guard to help him get back inside.
I personally find the ocean to be terrifying in and of itself, so I loved learning about these nautical haunts! Which stood out to you the most?
*Featured image by: Brostad/Flickr
The New England Ghoul 