Happy Halloween! To celebrate this spooktacular holiday filled with ghouls, ghosts, witches, and yummy candy, let’s take a look at Concord’s haunted history.
Is Concord’s Haunted Colonial Inn Haunted?
While no one can say for certain whether the Colonial Inn in Concord MA is haunted or not, the area receives many visitors every year hoping to discover more information about the paranormal occurrences at this property. The original structure was built in 1716, right before the time of the American Revolution, and a half-mile away from the historic North Bridge.
Room 24 is a popular “haunting” room, as the room was the location of operations for wounded soldiers in the 1770s. Many injured soldiers did not survive, passing away in this very room. Staff and guests have reported flickering lights, waking up with the lights and TV on, noticed floating orbs, and heard haunting voices. Some have even seen older women roaming the halls. For those interested in the paranormal, reserve a room at the inn, located at 48 Monument Square Concord, MA.
Was Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Gothic Stories about the Old Manse Real?
Nathaniel Hawthorne moved into the Old Manse in the 19th century with his wife Sophia. Hawthorne recalls experiences where he could hear the voice of Ezra Ripley, the preacher who lived in the house before him. In his short story collection, Mosses from an Old Manse, he mentions this paranormal activity. Tour the attic of the Old Manse, and discover the people who lived there, visiting ministers, enslaved people, Harvard students, servants, and children. Who knows, maybe you’ll feel that their spirit is still lurking there.
Are there Ghosts among the Concord Cemeteries?
There are three cemeteries in Concord: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Old Burying Ground, and South Burying Ground.
The Sleepy Hollow Cemetery is Concord’s largest cemetery and is a popular site for literature lovers. The Old Burying Ground is Concord’s earliest burial site located on a hillside overlooking the town’s center. One of the earliest gravestones is Joseph Merriam, who died in 1667. The cemetery has 500 graves, which include John Jack, the first formerly enslaved person to purchase land in Concord. South Burying Ground is Concord’s second-oldest burial site and includes the graves of early town residents, Revolutionary War veterans, and other major figures who shaped Concord’s history.
Check out Concord’s Twilight: Monuments, Memories, and Mortality Tour. This tour will visit Hill Burying Ground and the Sleepy Hollow and visitors will get to observe stones and memorials to learn more about Concord’s cemeteries. Are these cemeteries haunted, filled with ghosts of Concord’s past? While there is no confirmation, these are great sites to explore in the month of October or on Halloween.
Concord is full of so much haunted history. Explore in the month of October and get your fill of ghosts, ghouls, witches, and everything in between.
