In Week 2 of our exploration of Haunted New England we take a look at 6 of New Hampshire’s creepiest destinations. All of the places on the list are still operating in some capacity today – some as lodging houses, others as private residences and some in their original capacity.
Remember, before you head out on your very own ghost hunt, many of these haunts are private property!
1. New Hampshire State Hospital:
Known as the New Hampshire Asylum for the Insane until 1901, this place was destined to leave a few unruly spirits in its wake. The Concord facility still operates to this day with many of the original buildings still in use. Patients and visitors report the sounds of phantom footsteps, elevators that start on their own, objects that move by themselves, cold spots and feelings of an invisible presence lurking in abandoned rooms.
2. The Chase House:
This Portsmouth home for orphaned children dates back to the 19th century and eventually became a court-appointed residence for troubled youth. Legend has it that a young girl hung herself in her room. Her apparition haunts the hallways late at night and ghastly screams emanate from her former room. Others have experienced lights and ceiling fans turning on and off and locked doors creaking open of their own accord.
3. “Ocean-Born” Mary House:
Mary Wallace was born at sea. On the day of her birth, the ship was attacked by a pirate named Don Pedro. He agreed to spare the lives of all on board if the family agreed to name the baby Mary after his mother. Thus “Ocean-Born” Mary was named.
Years later after Mary had been married and widowed, Don Pedro tracked her down and they became husband and wife. They lived in a mansion overlooking Henniker, NH until Pedro was murdered on his own land by a rival pirate in search of treasure. Mary buried him beneath the kitchen hearthstone.
After her own death in 1814, Mary’s angry spirit came to haunt the Henniker home. Subsequent homeowners have reported feeling her presence as well as seeing her red-haired ghost drifting down the staircase or peering at them from the windows through glowing green eyes.
4. The Three Chimney’s Inn:
The original house dates back to 1649 and is one of the oldest buildings in the state as well as the very oldest in Durham. Hannah, the suspected spirit, was the daughter of the owner, Valentine Hill. Her death is a mystery, although she is believed to have drown in the Oyster River. Patrons and employees of the beautifully remodeled Three Chimneys Inn have reported unexplained phenomena such as furniture moving, disappearing silverware and doors that lock themselves. Hannah seems to be a mischievous spirit, but not a malevolent one.
5. The 1875 Inn:
12-year-old Laura died tragically inside her family’s Tilton inn when a fire broke out sometime in the 19th century. Laura’s playful pranks include whispering to guests and moving or hiding objects. Several paranormal experts have explored the 1875 Inn – including the show Ghost Hunters – and have proclaimed it to be a hotbed of activity. Check out photos of unexplained orbs and EVP voice recordings of Laura here.
6. The Sise Inn:
Like a scene directly out of Stephen King’s The Shining, the Sise Inn’s paranormal activity centers around one particular room – 204. The door mysteriously locks and unlocks itself and the resident spirits enjoy playing with the ice from the nearby third floor ice machine. Guests and staff turn the corner to find trails of cubed ice or stacks of it mounded in the walkway.
Want more? New Hampshire is chock-full of haunted homes, possessed places and sinister sites. NH Magazine offers an extensive list here.